WI: Ferdinand IV, the King of Romans, lives?

Ferdinand IV, the eldest son of Ferdinand III, was elected King of Romans in 1654 but sadly died the next year? So - what if he doesn't contact smallpox and lives (and marries his proposed bride and cousin Maria Theresa of Spain)?

The resulting changes:
1. OTL Leopold I remains Cardinal.
2. No direct French claim to Habsburg thrones (and a contest for the position of bride for Louis XIV between Margaret Violante of Savoy and Henriette Anne of England with surprise candidates such as Catherine Farnese or even Le Grande Mademoiselle thrown in)
3. No series of portraits by Velaskes depicting the first daughter from the second marriage of Philip IV growing up.
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What other changes will ensue?

Valena said:

Ferdinand IV, the eldest son of Ferdinand III, was elected King of Romans in 1654 but sadly died the next year? So - what if he doesn't contact smallpox and lives (and marries his proposed bride and cousin Maria Theresa of Spain)?

The resulting changes:
1. OTL Leopold I remains Cardinal.
2. No direct French claim to Habsburg thrones (and a contest for the position of bride for Louis XIV between Margaret Violante of Savoy and Henriette Anne of England with surprise candidates such as Catherine Farnese or even Le Grande Mademoiselle thrown in)
3. No series of portraits by Velaskes depicting the first daughter from the second marriage of Philip IV growing up.
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What other changes will ensue?

Click to expand...

I can't seem to find any info about him other than the basic, birth, election and death dates. Are you sure he was engaged to Maria Theresa? I can't seem to find any info suggesting that.

As to possible brides for Louis XIV, could Maria's half-sister, Margaret Theresa? She was a bit young, but she could be available in a few years. If Louis' still single at the Restoration, Henriette-Anne might be seriously considered. If not then the Queen of France will probably be Savoyd. As for le Grand Mademoiselle, she could marry the Duc d'Orleans. After all, his OTL wife might be his sister-in-law.

I got the information on possible betrothal in Russian Wiki article on him, which is surprisingly more extensive than English one.
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Фердинанд_IV_Габсбург
Last paragraph. I'm inclined to believe this since Ferdinand died mere months before Maria Therese reaching the age of marriage.

As for Philippe D'Orleans and Le Grande Mademoiselle - highly impossible since due to vast age difference Anne-Marie had huge difficulties viewing Philippe as her husband (one of her younger half-sisters, OTOH, is possible). However, Philippe may be considered for Margaret-Theresa in case Maria-Theresa is taken.

Mazarin will most likely try to arrange an Italian wife for Louis, so the contest will be between those girls:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Margaret_Yolande_of_Savoy (IRL a runner-up)
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterina_Farnese
Mazarin's nieces are joke "candidates" since they don't even match the "ascended commoner" standards of Catherine Medici.

And then we come to interesting question - whom will Henriette-Anna marry if Philippe is kept for Margaret-Theresa of Spain? Rupert of Rhine proposed to Henriette in 1659 (or early 1660, I don't remember exact date), but it was largely to keep her "in the family" and prevent her marriage to a French Princess. But what other potential suitors can be considered for her? Future Pedro II of Portugal, then Duke Pedro of Beja, springs to mind, but he's 4 years her junior.

So perhaps a double Portuguese marriage? Charles II marries Catherine of Braganza and Henriette-Anne marries her brother? Also, Alfonso VI was still available, and a more likely match. Why marry a Duke when you can marry a King. Or maybe even a Prince du Sang, like the Condés or the Contis. I'm not sure if either branch had any available matches, nor that Louis XIV would be happy with a Prince du Sang getting a daughter and sister of a King as a bride.

Duke d'Engien is of the same age as Henriette of England (b.1643), but given the prominent role of his parents in Fronde of Princes he's unlikely. Not to mention his clinical lycantropy.
Alfonso was a crippled king, so Rupert may end up proposing to Henriette as in OTL to "keep her in family and away from undesirable marriage" - given that the Braganzas were officially recognized only in 1668 and given the dowry as stimulus for marriage of Charles and Catherine being even considered...