AHC: Hanoverian Netherlands

Challenge: Have Hanover inherit either Netherlands or the Southern Netherlands.

Impossible. Hanover wasn't independent for much of its existence. When it was there was no opportunities for for a personal union. The only possibility would be for a Hanoverian Prince, like George William, to marry Queen Wilhelmina. It wouldn't be a personal union but the Claim to Hanover wou;d go to the Netherlands. Oh and for the Southern Netherlands/Belgium, also not gonna happen. Belgium=Catholic, Hanover=Protestant. Just because of that alone there would never be a union or marriage between the two. Not to mention the location.
 
The absolute closest I can think of is if somehow the Netherlands stays in personal union with England and becomes part of the Hannovarian succesion of that realm, but even that's unlikely to the point of being borderline ASB.
 
The absolute closest I can think of is if somehow the Netherlands stays in personal union with England and becomes part of the Hannovarian succesion of that realm, but even that's unlikely to the point of being borderline ASB.

Maybe Charlotte of Wales marries William of the Netherlands, only has a daughter and that daughter marries the King/Crown Prince of Hanover? But that's really bordering ASB.
 
any inheriting has to be done pre 80-year war, after that the netherlands was a republic, so no inheriting. and the kingdom of the netherlands post 1815 is a parlementarian monarchy, with limited powers of the king, therefore again no inheriting it. the only option would be as others wrote already, that one of the oranges inherits hanover/ lüneburg, and that it becomes part of the netherlands/ united provinces.


Maybe Charlotte of Wales marries William of the Netherlands, only has a daughter and that daughter marries the King/Crown Prince of Hanover? But that's really bordering ASB.


charlotte was scheduled to marry william (they were engaged), but something happened, and she got rather pissed at him (maybe his love of men and worse offended her?)
 
Last edited:
Hm. There is a possibility. Needs a couple of PoDs though.

The legitimate line of Will III became extinct at his death. He left by will , all his titles , claims etc to John William Friso of Orange-Nassau, a cognatic descendant of Will II's grandfather.

After the death of Will III the five provinces went statdholderless. The other two provinces, Groningen and Friesland elected J W Friso as stadtholder . This line (of J W Friso), eventually reclaimed the other provinces, and the descendant of J W Friso became first King of the Netherlands.

J W Friso had, at his early death by drowning, one daughter Anna 1710-1777 m Prince of Baden; and one son William 1711-1751 (later Will IV of Orange), who married Anne the Princess Royal oldest daughter of Geo II of Britain.

Now, Geo only had one son who left legitimate issue (Frederick Prince of Wales, father of Geo III). One option would be if the line of Frederick failed. In that case the next heir would be Will IV of Orange, or his descendants.

The other option would be to have Anna marry Frederick, and have the line of Will IV fail, in which case the heir to the Orange titles would be Geo II (or his descendants).

Of course, the butterflies inherent in such changes might alter things completely.And, if there is still a *Victoria ITTL, then the union between Hanover and Netherlands will be broken, since Netherlands can inherit through the female line, like Britain. So Netherlands and Britain remain in union, Hanover goes off on its own as OTL.
 
any inheriting has to be done pre 80-year war, after that the netherlands was a republic, so no inheriting. and the kingdom of the netherlands post 1815 is a parlementarian monarchy, with limited powers of the king, therefore again no inheriting it. the only option would be as others wrote already, that one of the oranges inherits hanover/ lüneburg, and that it becomes part of the netherlands/ united provinces.

Yeah, I did wonder about if you could somehow get the deal whereby Elizabeth I is named, in essence, Queen (though the title was something like 'Protector' or something, but still pretty much the same idea) of the Netherlands to go through, but somehow getting this and then having England-Netherlands inherited by the Hannovarians is starting to get rather contrived. Not to mention it's not even technically Hannover until the mid 1700s if IIRC.

Hm. There is a possibility. Needs a couple of PoDs though.

The legitimate line of Will III became extinct at his death. He left by will , all his titles , claims etc to John William Friso of Orange-Nassau, a cognatic descendant of Will II's grandfather.

After the death of Will III the five provinces went statdholderless. The other two provinces, Groningen and Friesland elected J W Friso as stadtholder . This line (of J W Friso), eventually reclaimed the other provinces, and the descendant of J W Friso became first King of the Netherlands.

J W Friso had, at his early death by drowning, one daughter Anna 1710-1777 m Prince of Baden; and one son William 1711-1751 (later Will IV of Orange), who married Anne the Princess Royal oldest daughter of Geo II of Britain.

Now, Geo only had one son who left legitimate issue (Frederick Prince of Wales, father of Geo III). One option would be if the line of Frederick failed. In that case the next heir would be Will IV of Orange, or his descendants.

Wouldn't this situation of Hannover inheriting via George II's daughter also fall foul of the Salic Law? Or did it allow a male of descent through the female line?

The other route wouldn't have this problem at least.
 
Wouldn't this situation of Hannover inheriting via George II's daughter also fall foul of the Salic Law? Or did it allow a male of descent through the female line?

The other route wouldn't have this problem at least.

Oops. Yes, you are right. If Fred PoW left no lawful issue then someone else (I have no idea who, but some Brunswick prince) would inherit Hanover, ad Britain and Netherlands would remain in union. The only way is through the female Netherlands line.
 
Top