Can the Hapsburg Branches Swap?

I am kind of a fan of Charles V despite being a protestant. Charles was born in Ghent but eventually ended his life in Spain. After he died the Hapsburg domains were split into the Spaniards under his son Phillip II and his brother Ferdinand who became the HRE. Ferdinand was born in Spain however.

So what if they swapped?

What if it was Ferdinand who ruled in Spain for Charles and it was Charles's Alt-Son who became the next HRE? This would probably mean Charles himself spends more time in the HRE leaving Ferdinand as his regent or agent or whatever in Spain.

Is it possible? What are the ramifications if the Hapsburg branches swap?
 
It's certainly practical - but why whould Karl go for it? He's the eldest, and while perfectly aware the Spanish aren't too thrilled about getting him, Spain is rich. It's not a crown one turns down. So I'm curious what happens that he's willing to forego it for his brother.

Ramifications - for one, the Counter-Reformation is mostly a failure and Germany goes entirely Protestant, essentially ending the Holy Roman Empire. Karl practically bankrupted Spain propping up the Catholic Church in Germany; Ferdinand won't bother. This won't make Germany more unified, really, as German Lutherans and German Calvinists got along famously badly. Ferdinand has other ideas - he's a bit fixated on the Turk and the Holy Land, and in my estimation highly competent. He probably launches another Crusade (in name; taking Morocco and working east seems the most reasonable course for him to me).
 
Istr that Ferdinand of Aragon considered leaving the Spanish throne to his namesake, which would have left Charles with the Neterlands, Burgundy and Austria.

This of course has other consequences as presumably it is Charles who marries the heiress of Hungary and Bohemia, while Ferdinand marries - your guess is as good as mine. Verray interresting.
 
It's certainly practical - but why whould Karl go for it? He's the eldest, and while perfectly aware the Spanish aren't too thrilled about getting him, Spain is rich. It's not a crown one turns down. So I'm curious what happens that he's willing to forego it for his brother.

Ramifications - for one, the Counter-Reformation is mostly a failure and Germany goes entirely Protestant, essentially ending the Holy Roman Empire. Karl practically bankrupted Spain propping up the Catholic Church in Germany; Ferdinand won't bother. This won't make Germany more unified, really, as German Lutherans and German Calvinists got along famously badly. Ferdinand has other ideas - he's a bit fixated on the Turk and the Holy Land, and in my estimation highly competent. He probably launches another Crusade (in name; taking Morocco and working east seems the most reasonable course for him to me).
Hmm, looking at the situation there was significant resistance to Charles. What if to defuse it he strikes a bargain. Charles rules as co-monarch with Ferdinand (instead of with Joanna as in OTL) to entice Joanna to hand over power. In exchange for a set amount of money to be sent to him each year to fight the Protestants whom he feels it is his Holy Duty to personally confront, he leaves Ferdinand in charge of Spain. In this scenario there will probably be some infighting between Ferdinand and Phillip's partisans but if Charles still feels exhausted and sees the need to divide the Hapsburg lands....

Crazy enough to work?
 
The division of realms was made by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, so that would have to be the POD. I did out a theory of a similar swap in my TL All Hail Germania, however it included the survival of Philip the Handsome for some years to rule as HRE and with Columbus sailing for Maximilian rather than Isabella of Castille. Basically Spain and the HRE established hegemony over Europe in the following centuries with Spain (later Iberia) as the Catholic power and Germania as the Protestant power, both with satellites. The two branches of the House of Habsburg effectively use religion (thanks the influence of Machiavelli) as a means to power.
 
Istr that Ferdinand of Aragon considered leaving the Spanish throne to his namesake, which would have left Charles with the Neterlands, Burgundy and Austria.

This of course has other consequences as presumably it is Charles who marries the heiress of Hungary and Bohemia, while Ferdinand marries - your guess is as good as mine. Verray interresting.

IMHO that would have been the most logic course of events in such a scenario. Since this forces Charles to focus on the empire and the Habsburg (historic) Hausmacht and it is the best option aquire kingdoms for his branch. Furthermore since Bohemia can give the decisive vote in the imperial election (but a part from that, IIRC Bohemia was the least active electorate in the electoral college) it is vital for the position of the house of Habsburg in the empire.
Hungary was an important central European kingdom, but it was threatened by the Ottoman Empire, so it would perfectly suit Charles desire to protect Christianity by having a crusade against the Ottomans (which in a Habsburg best case scenario means, that they restore the entire kingdom of Hungary, which might give his branch a truely hereditary crown (IIRC Hungary and Bohemia had periods were these kingdoms were elective))...
Finally this might be a scenario were the now Elder Austrian Branch ends up with the Duchy of Milan. Firstly Milan is a part of the empire and Charles is the emperor and secondly I guess that Charles isn't willing to give more territories to his brother Ferdinand (something he also didn't OTL, even though he had his doubts about the combination 'Spain' and the Burgundian Netherlands; which if Charles V had a second (legitimate)son could have resulted in a third branch) ...
 
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