AHC: Charles V does not get elected Emperor

What if Charles V did not get elected in 1519 like he did IOTL? Who would most likely get elected instead? Henry VIII? Francis I? Or more rather, Frederick III? Could we make a story out of this one?

I would personally go with Frederick III of Saxony, as his descendants became IOTL leaders of the Schmalkaldic League, and it would be very interesting to have a Protestant Emperor during the reformation! :D
 
I think Francis I is the most likely to be set up as a viable rival to Habsburg domination. Henry VIII was Charles' uncle and ally and funded his succession in Spain, so I doubt those who were in a position to elect someone other than a Habsburg would see him as the guy for the job.

That said, England was very, very, very tentatively treated as part of the HRE at times, whilst France was completely outside of the Imperial sphere, so maybe Henry VIII could work that somehow? Unless Francis decided to resurrect the Imperial marquisate of Provence or something.
 
Well...Francis I wanted the imperial crown, but he wanted more to have his rival waste their money to bribe the electors.

I think that from his point of view, having Charles V putting all his money in the election was a good deal.

But if Francis I is relativly doable, Henry VII is completly unlikely. It's not about how much it was treated as a part of HRE or not, it's about the ties of these kings with HRE electors and nobles. And Francis had far more.
 
That said, England was very, very, very tentatively treated as part of the HRE at times...
Not to be that guy, but can you please provide a source for this assertion. I have never seen England in any way treated as part of the HRE, but if I'm wrong, then I really want to know where and when because it would be fucking awesome.
 
Not to be that guy, but can you please provide a source for this assertion. I have never seen England in any way treated as part of the HRE, but if I'm wrong, then I really want to know where and when because it would be fucking awesome.

If I recall correctly, Richard Lionheart was forced to pay homage to the Emperor during his sojourn in Germany, and the link remained for a while after that. Down to the time of Edward III, when he was named Imperial vicar or legate west of the Rhine. England was also a fief of the Papacy, which claimed the overlordship of all islands I believe, hence why Popes felt the right to determine succession (see the Papal Bull establishing Henry VII as King and that deposing Elizabeth I); this is what Henry was combating when he declared "this realm of England is an empire".
 
Wasnt this Imperial election a bribing contest? He who had deeper pockets won the votes... Charles won the election because he borrowed enormous sums of money from Fuggers Bank... Had the Fuggers not lend money to Charles u end up with Francis I as Holy Roman Emperor (and France united with HRE reviving the old Carolingian Empire and changing forever Europe's political map and the balance of powers)
 
That said, England was very, very, very tentatively treated as part of the HRE at times, whilst France was completely outside of the Imperial sphere, so maybe Henry VIII could work that somehow? Unless Francis decided to resurrect the Imperial marquisate of Provence or something.

Would that even be an issue? I don't recall there ever being a restriction on who can be Emperor asside from having to be a secular Christian prince, or in a member of a Christian royal family.

That said, it helps to have deep pockets, or at least friends with them... ;)
 
Wasnt this Imperial election a bribing contest? He who had deeper pockets won the votes... Charles won the election because he borrowed enormous sums of money from Fuggers Bank... Had the Fuggers not lend money to Charles u end up with Francis I as Holy Roman Emperor (and France united with HRE reviving the old Carolingian Empire and changing forever Europe's political map and the balance of powers)

Alternatively, what kind of event would be necessary for Charles to be in a situation where no amount of money would suffice?
 
Would that even be an issue? I don't recall there ever being a restriction on who can be Emperor asside from having to be a secular Christian prince, or in a member of a Christian royal family.

That said, it helps to have deep pockets, or at least friends with them... ;)

Wouldn't the preference be for a "native" Germanic prince?
 
If Henry VIII were to defeat all the odds and become Holy Roman Emperor, would be interesting to see what effect this would have on his attempts to get a divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
 
If Henry VIII were to defeat all the odds and become Holy Roman Emperor, would be interesting to see what effect this would have on his attempts to get a divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

Still the Habsburgs would be strong within the HRE and Spain... I dont think that Henry would try to piss them off by divorcing Catherine... It would destabilise the Empire and jeopardise his newly acquired office...
 
Then again, he'd be perfectly positioned to elect an anti-pope or simply join all his subjects going Lutheran.
 
Then again, he'd be perfectly positioned to elect an anti-pope or simply join all his subjects going Lutheran.

Henry VIII (who would make an excellent theologian hadnt his brother died unexpectedly) was a devout catholic so i doubt he would go lutheran... However setting up an Antipope would be easier for him...
 
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