A Polish Girl-King

I've asked in one or two threads about the Vasas (both in Poland and in Sweden) and the continuation of their lines somehow, but with the latest reply to the Earlier Jagiellonika Weddings thread, I was wondering what might have happened if Wladyslaw IV or Jan II Kazimierz's daughter had survived.

I can't seem to find out what caused the death of Jan II's daughter - Maria Anna Tereza - but I seem to recall that Wladyslaw IV's - Maria Anna Isabella - died of epileptic seizures.

What would have happened if one of those girls had survived her father? Would she have been elected "king" at the death of her father or half-uncle. After all Poland had had two female kings before - Hedwig of Hungary, Grand Duchess of Lithuania and Anna Jagiellonika, Princess of Transylvania. And if the girl is elected and still underage, who might the regent be? The Interrex? Her stepmother, Maria Ludwika? A Regency Council?
 
Jan Kazimierz did not die as the king of Poland - he abdicated, so his daughter would have had poor chance to be elected, especially since her father quite unpopular, which is why he gave up the crown.
Władysław's daughter might theoretically have had some chances to be elected, but her father died at the beginning of Khmelnytsky's Uprising; Poland needed a ruler at the time, not a 6 years old girl; therefore I believe Jan Kazimierz's chances would be much better, as it happened IOTL. Both Hedwig and Anna were kings only because they were the only heirs or family available (or acceptable); in this case Jan Kazimierz, late king's brother, an adult, was still alive and willing enough to take the crown.
 
Well, for argument's sake, say Wlad lives a few more years with Luisa Maria Gonzaga producing no children of her own, and Jan Kazimierz dies ahead of schedule (without marrying) then Wlad's daughter would be the last of the Vasas in PLC. Wlad continues to dream his slightly mad dreams of a Polish navy and standing army, a colonial empire etc, but dies in good esteem of the PLC, and his daughter gets elected "king" - she's maybe about 12 (same age as Jadwyga when she went to Poland to become king), not sure who the regent might be though, since they disliked Gonzaga's meddling in politics.
 
Jan Kazimierz did not die as the king of Poland - he abdicated, so his daughter would have had poor chance to be elected, especially since her father quite unpopular, which is why he gave up the crown.
Władysław's daughter might theoretically have had some chances to be elected, but her father died at the beginning of Khmelnytsky's Uprising; Poland needed a ruler at the time, not a 6 years old girl; therefore I believe Jan Kazimierz's chances would be much better, as it happened IOTL. Both Hedwig and Anna were kings only because they were the only heirs or family available (or acceptable); in this case Jan Kazimierz, late king's brother, an adult, was still alive and willing enough to take the crown.

Nothing different from OTL, it seems - only with King's daughter and not Queen's nieces. Maria Anna Tereza will have the same consorts as her maternal cousins proposed - Alexei Alexeevich Romanov, Tsesarevich of Russia, Charles-Paris d'Orlean-Longueville, Comte de Saint-Pol, Duc d'Enghien, and Duke of Julich-Berg. Maybe a Habsburg candidate thrown in (Karl Joseph?).
 
I think you should decide if she has those OTL seizures or not. Because if she has, it'll be difficult to get her elected and/or find her a husband.
 
Nothing different from OTL, it seems - only with King's daughter and not Queen's nieces. Maria Anna Tereza will have the same consorts as her maternal cousins proposed - Alexei Alexeevich Romanov, Tsesarevich of Russia, Charles-Paris d'Orlean-Longueville, Comte de Saint-Pol, Duc d'Enghien, and Duke of Julich-Berg. Maybe a Habsburg candidate thrown in (Karl Joseph?).

Would it be wrong for them to consider Longueville or Jülich-Berg ahead of a Habsburg/Romanov as a way of avoiding a messy personal union further down the road.

Also, Maria Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain suffered from epilepsy her whole life, and AFAIK it didn't affect her matrimonial prospects, but I suppose it might be different for a reigning queen.
 
I've asked in one or two threads about the Vasas (both in Poland and in Sweden) and the continuation of their lines somehow, but with the latest reply to the Earlier Jagiellonika Weddings thread, I was wondering what might have happened if Wladyslaw IV or Jan II Kazimierz's daughter had survived.

I can't seem to find out what caused the death of Jan II's daughter - Maria Anna Tereza - but I seem to recall that Wladyslaw IV's - Maria Anna Isabella - died of epileptic seizures.

What would have happened if one of those girls had survived her father? Would she have been elected "king" at the death of her father or half-uncle. After all Poland had had two female kings before - Hedwig of Hungary, Grand Duchess of Lithuania and Anna Jagiellonika, Princess of Transylvania. And if the girl is elected and still underage, who might the regent be? The Interrex? Her stepmother, Maria Ludwika? A Regency Council?

Yeah not gonna happen. As you stated, Poland has only had two female monarchs. One inherited the throne via hereditary succession while the other was elected along with her husband. Anna, however, would be a small child, so I doubt that the Polish nobility would elect her. Chances are whoever gets the throne will betroth his son to the young Princess to give his family a blood line to the Vasa dynasty, but besides that there would be no real changes.
 
Top