A Different Husband for Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick

Karl VI/Carlos III of Austria/Spain was originally betrothed to his first cousin, a Portuguese infanta who had the misfortune to die in 1704. For a consort, he then considered Karoline of Ansbach (who refused to convert), before chooaing the girl who was considered one of the most beautiful princesses of the day, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel-Blankenburg. But what if the infanta hadn't died? Or Karoline was willing to convert or Elisabeth refused to (she was browbeaten into it by her grandpa who converted at the same time), what might Lieschen's future hold?
 
Karl VI/Carlos III of Austria/Spain was originally betrothed to his first cousin, a Portuguese infanta who had the misfortune to die in 1704. For a consort, he then considered Karoline of Ansbach (who refused to convert), before chooaing the girl who was considered one of the most beautiful princesses of the day, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel-Blankenburg. But what if the infanta hadn't died? Or Karoline was willing to convert or Elisabeth refused to (she was browbeaten into it by her grandpa who converted at the same time), what might Lieschen's future hold?


Queen of Great Britain?

According to Wiki, Caroline of Ansbach, who married George II, had previously declined (for religious reasons?) a suit by Charles. Had she accepted, might Elizabeth have married George instead? Or if the Infanta lived, maybe anyway?
 
Queen of Great Britain?

According to Wiki, Caroline of Ansbach, who married George II, had previously declined (for religious reasons?) a suit by Charles. Had she accepted, might Elizabeth have married George instead? Or if the Infanta lived, maybe anyway?

I also toyed with that idea, except George I let his son choose who he would marry, plus from what I can make out, the Wolfenbuttel and the Lüneburg branches of the Welfs were at sixes and sevens with one another (perhaps over the electorate going to the junior branch of the family?) until well after George III's sister married the duke of Wolfenbuttel. Though, Lieschen's grandpa seemed quite ambitious, so he might paper over the differences to see his granddaughter become queen of England.
 
I also toyed with that idea, except George I let his son choose who he would marry, plus from what I can make out, the Wolfenbuttel and the Lüneburg branches of the Welfs were at sixes and sevens with one another (perhaps over the electorate going to the junior branch of the family?) until well after George III's sister married the duke of Wolfenbuttel. Though, Lieschen's grandpa seemed quite ambitious, so he might paper over the differences to see his granddaughter become queen of England.

Her two younger sisters, married Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia and Duke Ferdinand Albert II of Brunswick-Luneburg (the first cousin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Rudolph,_Duke_of_Brunswick-Lüneburgof their father and heir to the dukedom.)
So either of these two could be a match.

Frederick William I of Prussia, has not married his first cousin Sophia Dorothea of Hanover.
 
Her two younger sisters, married Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia and Duke Ferdinand Albert II of Brunswick-Luneburg (the first cousin of their father and heir to the dukedom.)
So either of these two could be a match.

Frederick William I of Prussia, has not married his first cousin Sophia Dorothea of Hanover.

And don't forget that the only reason Alexei was chosen was because it came down to a coin toss between Russia and Sweden for who would get to marry Charlotte. What a way to make a girl feel special: heads she gets dashing but disinterested Carl XII; tails she gets less dashing more wife-bashing Alexei
 
How closely allied to the Habsburgs were the Wolfenbuttel Welfs at this point? Since if the bad blood between them and the Hannoverian branch is enough, maybe the Wolfenbuttels can offer Elisabeth for a Bourbon or half-/pro-Bourbon prince?
 
What about a match with the King over the Water?

That could be extremely interesting. How might such a match come about considering how much pressure London put on Karl VI OTL to prevent a match between Jamie and first Benedetta d'Este (Josef I's niece) and then Clementina Sobieska (Karl's own cousin)?
 
That could be extremely interesting. How might such a match come about considering how much pressure London put on Karl VI OTL to prevent a match between Jamie and first Benedetta d'Este (Josef I's niece) and then Clementina Sobieska (Karl's own cousin)?

Hm, that is a problem. Also did not know that Benedetta d'Este was considered as a bride for James III. But back to the issue at hand. The diplomatic pressure came from Hanovarian London, not Queen Anne, so the match would have to happen during the Spanish succession war. Duke Ludwig Rudolf was very ambitious OTL, so its not out of the realm of possibility to have him consider the Jacobite King as a bridegroom, if Karl VI/III is unavailable. The only problem with that would be, again, the Spanish war.

Ludwig was on the side of the Emperor while James III was obviously pro-French. Although I will say that if anyone was positioned to defy the Hanoverian in London, it would be a fellow Hanoverian-Guelph, Ludwig being a distant relation of George I. However, the downside for the Jacobites would be financial. Clementina brought a massive dowry, her father being one of the wealthiest men in Poland. Not sure what Ludwig could offer in way of finances.
 
Out of curiosity, might marriage to a Protestant princess somehow improve Jamie's perception to the British public? I mean with a Protestant queen, might the British not be more willing to accept a Catholic sovereign if there is a Lutheran brake on policies that are either too pro-Catholic or too pro-French
 
Out of curiosity, might marriage to a Protestant princess somehow improve Jamie's perception to the British public? I mean with a Protestant queen, might the British not be more willing to accept a Catholic sovereign if there is a Lutheran brake on policies that are either too pro-Catholic or too pro-French

I had forgotten that she was a Protestant. That could be a deal-breaker.
 
I've been thinking a good deal about Elisabeth marrying JFES. OTL his wife came with a disproportionately large dowry (ICR if the French contributed to it as well), but what sort of dowry might Elisabeth bring to James? Granted, her refusal to marry a Catholic might not be so hard headed this go around, since she'd be a Protestant, married to a Catholic king, who happens to rule over a predominantly Protestant kingdom (if he can get it back), as opposed to OTL where she'd be a Protestant queen of a Catholic king/emperor with a majority Catholic subjects (and the pope wasn't willing to play ball and recognize the marriage as valid if she didn't convert). Though any ideas how she would provide dowry wise, she must've been able to bring some serious cash/assistance/whatever to the table to land a Habsburg heir-presumptive (the dowries given for most future queens of the Romans were substantial)? Another thing, how might a Stuart match affect her sisters' marriages? Do they still marry their OTL husbands? Or would a Stuart match mean changes/compensations will have to be made?
 
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