Sobieski was pro-French, but he was also opportunist and would switch to Imperial camp without hestitation if Emperor offefed better deal ( hand of Archduchess for his son and Duchy of Opole for them would be such better deal).
What played bigger role was Leopold's pride (he was jealous of Sobieski's fame after Battle of Vienna and looked him down because he was not of Royal blood).
Sobieski married to heiress of Spain is doable (I did such scenario once:
John III Sobieski nearly lost his life during Battle of Parkany, not long after Battle of Vienna. If he was killed there then perhaps Leopold feels a bit guilty that he mistreated Sobieski, but that is not most important-Sobieski dies in glory of defensor of Christianity, thus Jakub Sobieski on the wave of father's fame would be elected next King of Poland, thus he would not be mere nobleman in Leopold's eyes.What would be needed for Leopold to ignore his pride and grant the marriage?
John III Sobieski nearly lost his life during Battle of Parkany, not long after Battle of Vienna. If he was killed there then perhaps Leopold feels a bit guilty that he mistreated Sobieski, but that is not most important-Sobieski dies in glory of defensor of Christianity, thus Jakub Sobieski on the wave of father's fame would be elected next King of Poland, thus he would not be mere nobleman in Leopold's eyes.
After Vienna Sobieski's chances are gradually decreasing, but IMHO Jakub have to be King already to be seen as worth the hand of Archduchess, so his father need to die earlier anyway.Interesting, and if the pod happens to be 1688? What then
After Vienna Sobieski's chances are gradually decreasing, but IMHO Jakub have to be King already to be seen as worth the hand of Archduchess, so his father need to die earlier anyway.
Not any time, 1690s are too late (Jakub Sobieski was married since 1691). Earlier-better.So any time before 1696 then?
Not any time, 1690s are too late (Jakub Sobieski was married since 1691). Earlier-better.
I think there was a discussion at one point about Margaret Theresa having multiple surviving children and/or Claudia Felicitas having a surviving daughter. It was thought that maybe Leopold would be more inclined to consider the marriage of a younger daughter to Jakub.
As for Maria Antonia it occurs to me that if both she and Charles II are widowed in 1689 there may be a strong impetus to marry them. Terrible idea, though Leopold might like it as it's all but certain that they'll have no kids so it ends Margaret Theresa's line at a stroke and puts a pro-Austrian Queen in Madrid to talk up Leopold's case.
Well if Charles is dead then the War of the Grand Alliance/Nine Years War becomes the War of the Spanish Succession. Leopold may not let Maria Antonia remarry if the Spanish proclaim her their Queen.
No, I do not think likely a wedding between Carlos and Antonia as Mariana would not like much such wedding and neither Leopold as nobody thinked who Carlos would have lived as long as he had in OTL. Marrying Antonia to him would have only reinforced the position of Antonia as heiress (as she would pass from Queen Consort to Queen Regnant at the death of Carlos II). Plus in the unlikely situation in which Carlos still died at the OTL time and childless (he would likely die earlier and/or having children by Antonia as nobody will question the legitimacy of any her child as while Carlos would not be their real father would they would still have his blood) Antonia would be alive and not yet 32... she can very well remarry again and have children before her 40s...I think there was a discussion at one point about Margaret Theresa having multiple surviving children and/or Claudia Felicitas having a surviving daughter. It was thought that maybe Leopold would be more inclined to consider the marriage of a younger daughter to Jakub.
As for Maria Antonia it occurs to me that if both she and Charles II are widowed in 1689 there may be a strong impetus to marry them. Terrible idea, though Leopold might like it as it's all but certain that they'll have no kids so it ends Margaret Theresa's line at a stroke and puts a pro-Austrian Queen in Madrid to talk up Leopold's case.
No, I do not think likely a wedding between Carlos and Antonia as Mariana would not like much such wedding and neither Leopold as nobody thinked who Carlos would have lived as long as he had in OTL. Marrying Antonia to him would have only reinforced the position of Antonia as heiress (as she would pass from Queen Consort to Queen Regnant at the death of Carlos II). Plus in the unlikely situation in which Carlos still died at the OTL time and childless (he would likely die earlier and/or having children by Antonia as nobody will question the legitimacy of any her child as while Carlos would not be their real father would they would still have his blood) Antonia would be alive and not yet 32... she can very well remarry again and have children before her 40s...
Pretty unlikely who Leopold will take this gamble (or who Spanish doctors will care to let live Carlos as long as OTL with Antonia as Queen).
@Jan Olbracht @VVD0D95 If Leopold had a surviving son/younger daughter by Margarita or a surviving daughter by Claudia then Jakub will have good chances to marry a daughter of Leopold but not in the OTL situation
Interesting, though what do they do if Carlos is also dead
Well if Charles is dead then the War of the Grand Alliance/Nine Years War becomes the War of the Spanish Succession. Leopold may not let Maria Antonia remarry if the Spanish proclaim her their Queen.
Oh interesting, but would he get that right? Being as she is Queen in her own right and therefore not under his rule anymore?
The fact who Leopold think who marrying Antonia to Neuburg will lessen her chances to get Spain (almost impossible under almost any scenario) while that wedding in truth will make the Spanish Queens (his sister Mariana and his sister-in-law Maria Anna) agree who Antonia must be the heiress (unlike OTL where Mariana supported her great-grandson JF while Maria Anna supported their shared nephew Karl)Oh what would make it a miscalculation?
Well is pretty likely who Antonia will be able to get away from her father and once she is in her own kingdom Leopold will be able to do little for preventing her remarriage.
The fact who Leopold think who marrying Antonia to Neuburg will lessen her chances to get Spain (almost impossible under almost any scenario) while that wedding in truth will make the Spanish Queens (his sister Mariana and his sister-in-law Maria Anna) agree who Antonia must be the heiress (unlike OTL where Mariana supported her great-grandson JF while Maria Anna supported their shared nephew Karl)
And then of course there are other options such as Georg of Hesse Darmsdat and Maximilian of Hanover, brother of George
I thought about those two but their conversion to Catholicism came a bit later in the 1690s. Not sure it would work.
Well, if Jordi converted in 1689, then Max Emanuel, Carlos II and Marie Louise d'Orléans are all still alive. So it can hardly be construed as "self interest" or "ambition". I do think that it may cause some problems that he's a recent converso but a) there aren't all that many other Catholic guys of suitable rank for Maria Antonia to marry (dauphin won't remarry; the king of Portugal and duke of Savoy are already married; the elector of Bavaria is too young; the crown prince of Poland (Jakub Sobieski) too parvenu; and suddenly Europe's out of Catholic kings) and b) if his brother (Philipp/Friedrich) is anything to go by, he was received into the Catholic church by the pope himself (which I imagine will count in his favour). Plus, if Leopold endorses Jordi (perhaps at the empress' urging), even though he perhaps favours another candidate (like the empress' brother - Louis XIV can easily get the pope to refuse a dispensation for Maria Antonia to marry her uncle), I don't see most Spaniards objecting too strenuously. As long as he's kept far away from religious matters and their kids are good little Catholics. Even Jordi being a second son can count in his favour. The previous queens of Spain (Juana la Loca and Isabel la Catolica) both married a king/crown prince. Jordi doesn't have a realm of his own to fall back on like Fernando II of Aragon or Philipp the Handsome. So, Jordi's purpose in Madrid is to be nothing more than the royal stud. Let him fiddle with the army, that's fine. If it keeps him away from politics.