An alternate Iberian Union: Don Carlos becomes king of Portugal in 1554

I was reading some texts I've researched for my TL A New Portugal and then I was wondering about an alternative POD involving Sebastian I: WI he had been a stillborn baby, or had died in childhood? His father, prince John, was already dead when he was born, so the succession would go the only alive grandchild of John III of Portugal: Charles of Habsburg, the son of Philip II of Spain and Maria Manuela of Portugal.

Don Carlos would be a very interesting carachter. He had mental and physical problems (just like Sebastian) and seems that he really hated his father. The Spanish king tried to put his son under control, and even cancelled Carlos' marriage to Elisabeth of Valois and she became Philip's wife instead. But now Carlos would not be only the heir of Spain, he would be a rightfull king. He doesn't need to obbey his father anymore, and if he wanted to marry he would choose whoever he wanted (what would cause conflict with Philip due to Carlos' role as heir of Spain).

So, we have a king of Portugal, who is also heir of Spain, have a very bad relationship with his father and with a strong mental instability. Any thoughts of what could happen?
 
Extreme unstability. It would depend on whether the portuguese noblemen and cortes would be able to keep him at bay, but given that they could not do it IOTL with Sebastiao I and his stupid crusade in Morocco. You could have even Don Carlos claiming Flanders, attacking England or launching a crusade anywere.

However there is also the possibility that if he got the portuguese crown early enough he would achieve some stability and just become a king not much more mad than Sebastiao...

An interesting possibility though.
 
Extreme unstability. It would depend on whether the portuguese noblemen and cortes would be able to keep him at bay, but given that they could not do it IOTL with Sebastiao I and his stupid crusade in Morocco. You could have even Don Carlos claiming Flanders, attacking England or launching a crusade anywere.

However there is also the possibility that if he got the portuguese crown early enough he would achieve some stability and just become a king not much more mad than Sebastiao...

An interesting possibility though.

Interesting indeed, crazy kings are always good stuff for TLs.:D

There is other card that could be played in favour of Carlos. If he becomes king of Portugal before any major conflict with his father then Philip might continue his first plan and marry Carlos to Elisabeth of Valois. After all, he is still his son, and now they have a greater chance to unify the Iberian kingdoms, so would be important to Philip to make his son have a heir. Assuming that he can sire a son, but still dies quite young as IOTL (his health was not very good) then the succession of Philip would go to his grandson born and raised in Portugal.
In this case it might cause a more stable Iberian Union, even more if Philip lives until almost 1600 as IOTL and his grandson (let's call him Charles) is around the 30's when he gets the Spanish crown. The Portuguese would not see it as their kingdom being "conquered" by Spain, but as if his king would be inheriting Spain.
 
I've read that he changed from just 'stupid brat' to 'totally insane' after an accident that happened when Carlos was running after a Court girl (I imagine why :rolleyes:) over some stairs, missed the ground for a moment a crashed his head on the wall. Don't know the year that accident took place so maybe it could be butterflied if he had become king of Portugal.

Or maybe that same event simply happens in a different palace in a different country, and he mutates into Sebastian I, Henry VIII and Ivan the Terrible all in one but with the strengh of a little girl.

Just for the record, during his retirement Charles V said that his grandson was "a disgrace for these kingdoms".
 
Or maybe that same event simply happens in a different palace in a different country, and he mutates into Sebastian I, Henry VIII and Ivan the Terrible all in one but with the strengh of a little girl.

Now I've got the image of Carlos stablishing the "Lusitanian Church", claiming Flanders and trying to kill his own father!:eek::D
 
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