AHC/WI: More Habsburg-Romanov Matches

Despite being (effectively) the oldest and most prestigious dynasty in Europe, the Habsburgs had only one marriage alliance with the Romanovs of Russia. Now I can fully understand the reasons why; first both dynasties were very devote and any bride would be expected to convert to her new country's religion and second, the only Habsburg-Romanov match that happened (Tsar Paul's Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna to Emperor Franz's brother Archduke Joseph, Palatine of Hungary) was a miserable marriage that ended with the unhappy Alexandra dying in childbirth. But this is what makes it a challenge! Bonus points if the marriage is between the Tsar and an Archduchess or the Emperor and a Grand Duchess.
 
Despite being (effectively) the oldest and most prestigious dynasty in Europe, the Habsburgs had only one marriage alliance with the Romanovs of Russia. Now I can fully understand the reasons why; first both dynasties were very devote and any bride would be expected to convert to her new country's religion and second, the only Habsburg-Romanov match that happened (Tsar Paul's Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna to Emperor Franz's brother Archduke Joseph, Palatine of Hungary) was a miserable marriage that ended with the unhappy Alexandra dying in childbirth. But this is what makes it a challenge! Bonus points if the marriage is between the Tsar and an Archduchess or the Emperor and a Grand Duchess.

Not sure about pre-dissolution Holy Roman Empire, but if I'm not mistaken, after the Austrian empire was proclaimed the proviso was inserted that the emperor's wife had to be Catholic (i.e. if she wasn't, then she'd have to convert). The Russians were against their grand duchesses having to convert - and AFAIK, besides the girl who married the emperor/tsesarevich, girls marrying into Russia were generally allowed to maintain their religion - Mieche-Miechen being an example (despite her marriage to an Orthdox grand duke, she remained a Lutheran).

Now that doesn't mean Romanov-Habsburg marriages weren't on the cards:
Olga Nikolaïevna famously refused to marry Archduke Stephan (son of the aforementioned Palatine of Hungary) because she refused to marry a "king with a paper crown bestowed by Metternich". So maybe if the marriage had gone through, it might've made intermarriage more common.

It doesn't meet with your requirements for a Romanov, but the same Elena Ivanovna who married Alexander of Poland was offered in marriage to seal a treaty between the Empire and Russia, either for Philipp the Handsome or his widowered father, Maximilian.

But in general if Russia wanted an alliance with Austria, they didn't do it directly:
Alexei Petrovich marrying the sister of the Holy Roman Emperor's wife.
Emperor Pavel marrying the sister of the wife to the Holy Roman Empire's heir-presumptive
Empress Yelizaveta considering Maria Anna of Saxony (OTL electress of Bavaria) for Pyotr III. Maria Anna was an emperor's niece and grand-daughter.
 
Yup most of the German Grand Duchesses who married into the Imperial family were not required to convert on marriage with the exception of the wife of the heir to the throne who was required to convert.
 
Not sure about pre-dissolution Holy Roman Empire, but if I'm not mistaken, after the Austrian empire was proclaimed the proviso was inserted that the emperor's wife had to be Catholic (i.e. if she wasn't, then she'd have to convert). The Russians were against their grand duchesses having to convert - and AFAIK, besides the girl who married the emperor/tsesarevich, girls marrying into Russia were generally allowed to maintain their religion - Mieche-Miechen being an example (despite her marriage to an Orthdox grand duke, she remained a Lutheran).

Now that doesn't mean Romanov-Habsburg marriages weren't on the cards:
Olga Nikolaïevna famously refused to marry Archduke Stephan (son of the aforementioned Palatine of Hungary) because she refused to marry a "king with a paper crown bestowed by Metternich". So maybe if the marriage had gone through, it might've made intermarriage more common.

It doesn't meet with your requirements for a Romanov, but the same Elena Ivanovna who married Alexander of Poland was offered in marriage to seal a treaty between the Empire and Russia, either for Philipp the Handsome or his widowered father, Maximilian.

But in general if Russia wanted an alliance with Austria, they didn't do it directly:
Alexei Petrovich marrying the sister of the Holy Roman Emperor's wife.
Emperor Pavel marrying the sister of the wife to the Holy Roman Empire's heir-presumptive
Empress Yelizaveta considering Maria Anna of Saxony (OTL electress of Bavaria) for Pyotr III. Maria Anna was an emperor's niece and grand-daughter.

Really? I've never heard of such a provision. After all at one point Emperor Franz Josef wanted to marry Princess Anna of Prussia and I don't remember religion being one of the match's issues (though that could mean that Anna had already expressed a willingness to covert, especially considering her later conversion in 1901). There was also the rumored romance between Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna. If Countess Sophie Chotek could be killed off in the mid 1890s, then such a match could have gained steam. It would be quite fascinating, the Austrian heir married to the Tsar's first cousin.

Now I've never heard of a match between Olga and Archduke Stephan (I assume that would require a special dispensation still, being that Olga's aunt was the wife of Stephan's father?) but it could be interesting. Though I can't imagine she would be happy once Hungary fell to occupation and Stephan was dismissed as Palatine. Though on the flip side, Olga was supposedly Tsar Nicholas' favorite daughter, so the Russian intervention could end with an independent Hungary under King Stephan VI? Could play out quite different than OTL.
 
Really? I've never heard of such a provision. After all at one point Emperor Franz Josef wanted to marry Princess Anna of Prussia and I don't remember religion being one of the match's issues (though that could mean that Anna had already expressed a willingness to covert, especially considering her later conversion in 1901). There was also the rumored romance between Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna. If Countess Sophie Chotek could be killed off in the mid 1890s, then such a match could have gained steam. It would be quite fascinating, the Austrian heir married to the Tsar's first cousin.

Now I've never heard of a match between Olga and Archduke Stephan (I assume that would require a special dispensation still, being that Olga's aunt was the wife of Stephan's father?) but it could be interesting. Though I can't imagine she would be happy once Hungary fell to occupation and Stephan was dismissed as Palatine. Though on the flip side, Olga was supposedly Tsar Nicholas' favorite daughter, so the Russian intervention could end with an independent Hungary under King Stephan VI? Could play out quite different than OTL.

My mistake about Olga marrying Stephan. While there was a sort of reticence from her side, it was Austria (and specifically his Württemberger stepmom apparently) who didn't want the match to go through. It was only when the match was reconsidered at a later point that "Olga felt confused and in her own words, the first time she went in doubt. She didn't want to be bound to a husband, who, not having a firm position, depends entirely to Metternich". See here.

As to Elena Vladimirovna I'm not sure how much store I would set by it. She was also engaged (can't remember if this was factual or just one of those things that the newspapers print for facts) to King Albert of Belgium. Al preferred Elisabeth in Bavaria and Elena was thrown over.
 
On Russian and hapsbug marriage laws:

The Russians were supposedly bound by the Pauline laws but the Emperor alone interpretated them so they really meant nothing. Alexander II legitamized his children from his second wife born before his marriage to her. He was also planning her coronation when he was assassinated

On the Hapsburgs:

The only relevant clauses that I know of was that to be a member of the House of Hapsburg, a woman had to come from a "present or formerly Christian ruling house" and that the House of Hapsburg consisted of the "Emperor and his wife" Franz Ferdinand argued that the latter provision meant that Sophie would be a Hapsburg when he became Emperor. Franz Joseph would have none of it- especially an argument that assumed he was dead. Sophie was Catholic, though, and so the subject never came up with her

Given the potential political advantages though, Fran Ferdinand's argument could be used in favor of a match

Hard to put much credence in the rumor mill though. There were so few eligible girls who were of the right age that almost everyone gets paired in the press. Helen of Orleans for example was rumored as well for Franz Ferdinand
 
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