Charles II marries Sophia of Hanover

So, another thread inspired by this thread, this one is about the successful marriage of Charles II to Sophia of Hanover in 1658, after Sophia speaks with Lord Craven, and the man assures her that Charles is marrying her for her, not for his fortune.

Changes from this:

Charles and Sophia marry in 1658, Barbara Villiers rise is stalled, and she will fall earlier and harder than otl, due to Sophia's personality. Charles and Sophia will have seven children, six sons and one girl, the eldest of who will either marry his cousin Anne Louise or Isabel of Portugal. James, Duke of York will marry Catherine of Braganza and have one daughter. Henry Duke of Gloucester who survives the illness ttl, marries firstly Erdumthe of Saxony and then when she passes, a widowed Maria of Nassau (open to change here) they have one son and three daughters.

Other changes:

Pedro II and Maria Francisca have two children, a son and otl's Isabel of Portugal. The son would marry Marie Louise's sister, who became Duchess of Savoy otl.

Prince Rupert's marriage here has yet to be decided, it's up in the air, looking for suggestions on this regard.

If there's anything I've forgotten, or should add please do let me know.

How's this looking @Valena
 
OTL Michal I of Poland dies of hunting accident circa 1667, 1668 election goes to Philip Wilhelm of Neuburg.

Alexei Alekseevich, eldest surviving son of Alexis I of Russia, survives to become Alexis II. Sophia of Russia either gets married to heir of Duke of Courland or to his brother (Charles or Ferdinand) naturalized in Russia as Prince of Tver.
No second marriage for Alexis I, his OTL second wife marries Alexis II instead after failed match with Benedicta Henriette of Palatinate.

the eldest of who will either marry his cousin Anne Louise or Isabel of Portugal.
Marie Louise d'Orleans. And Isabel of Portugal would be too young for a Prince born in 1660.
 
Mary of Modena marries to Spain and has bastard son with Don Juan Jose who is passed for Carlos II son. Said son marries Archduchess Elisabeth, eldest daughter of Leopold I with his second wife.
 
OTL Michal I of Poland dies of hunting accident circa 1667, 1668 election goes to Philip Wilhelm of Neuburg.

Alexei Alekseevich, eldest surviving son of Alexis I of Russia, survives to become Alexis II. Sophia of Russia either gets married to heir of Duke of Courland or to his brother (Charles or Ferdinand) naturalized in Russia as Prince of Tver.
No second marriage for Alexis I, his OTL second wife marries Alexis II instead after failed match with Benedicta Henriette of Palatinate.


Marie Louise d'Orleans. And Isabel of Portugal would be too young for a Prince born in 1660.

Alrighty, works for me. Philip Wilhelm with Jan Sobieski as his right hand general, taking names during Great Turkish War also I imagine.

And yes, that's right, Alexei, ruling as Alexis II or Alexei I? An administrator and somewhat soldier?

Marie Louise it is, their son Charles IV marrying Caroline of Ansbach. Isabel marrying the DUke of Parma?
 
Mary of Modena marries to Spain and has bastard son with Don Juan Jose who is passed for Carlos II son. Said son marries Archduchess Elisabeth, eldest daughter of Leopold I with his second wife.

Aye, Carlos III of Spain, born 1680, less inbred, perhaps slightly stronger constitution. Becomes King aged 20?
 
Alexis II. Alexis is romanization of Alexei.
Not a soldier, though. His military education OTL was VERY lackluster. Even compared to his brother Feodor, who despite spinal trauma was keen rider and archer, Alexei's educators practically ignored such sports. No records of war games for him unlike Feodor & Peter as well.

Isabel marries Duke of Savoy in any TL where she has a full brother.
 
Alexis II. Alexis is romanization of Alexei.
Not a soldier, though. His military education OTL was VERY lackluster. Even compared to his brother Feodor, who despite spinal trauma was keen rider and archer, Alexei's educators practically ignored such sports. No records of war games for him unlike Feodor & Peter as well.

Isabel marries Duke of Savoy in any TL where she has a full brother.

Oh that's very odd, wonder why that was, so he'd be the administrator, perhaps Feodor would be the military one, or as militaristic as he can be?

And alright, Duke of Savoy for Isabel.

And copying table over for ease:

Issue of Charles II and Sophia of Palatinate (m.1658):
  • Charles, Prince of Wales (b.1660)
Married Marie Louise d'Orleans, Mademoiselle d'Orleans, in 1679
Had issue:
  • Charles, Duke of Edinburgh (b.1680)
  • Mary Louise, Princess Royal (b.1684)
  • Frederick James, Duke of Clarence (b.1661)
Married Christiane of Saxe-Merseburg in 1679 (negotiations ongoing since 1677)
Had issue:
  • Princess Sophie Christiane of Clarence (b.1679)
  • William, Duke of Kendal (b.1666) -
  • Sophia Charlotte, Princess Royal (b.1668)
Married Frederick IV of Denmark circa 1688-1689
  • Henry Philip, Duke of Sussex (b.1670) - bride unsure, possible daughter of Karl II of Palatinate & Amelia of Nassau-Dietz born circa 1675
  • Rupert/Robert Charles, Duke of Richmond (b.1671) - Inherited Richmond and Lennox titles after their holder, 3rd Duke, drowned in Denmark the same year
  • Maurice Edward, Duke of Portsmouth (b.1674) - never married, became Anglican Archbishop. Rumors are that he preferred his own sex and thus never married
Issue of James of York and Catherine of Braganza (m.1661):
  • Lady Mary of York (b.1662) (married Charles Philip, Duc de Valois, in 1677)
Issue of Henry of Gloucester and Maria of Nassau (m.1661):
  • Lady Henriette Marie of Gloucester (b. 1662) (married her second cousin, Prince Palatine Robert, Earl of Holderness, in 1683)
  • Lady Sophia of Gloucester (b.1665)- Married John George IV, Elector of Saxony (match doubled with that of Duke of Clarence & Christiane of Saxe-Merseburg)
  • Henry, Earl of Cambridge, later Duke of Northumberland jure uxoris (b.1667) (married Elisabeth Percy in 1679 as the way of securing income for cadet branch of Stuarts)
  • Lady Catherine of Gloucester (b.1669) - possible wife of ATL son of Karl II & Amelia of Nassau-Dietz and thus Electress Palatine (match circa 1688-1689)
Note: Sussex and Portsmouth were dukedoms given to mistresses/husbands of bastard daughters OTL, I'm reusing them for Royal Dukes
 
I think Feodor (Prince of Uglich TTL) would not suffer spinal trauma of 1674 TTL becoming the military advisor to his brother (or if Charles of Courland is naturalized in Russia as Sophia's husband, if Sophia is not married to Courland itself, he may take this niche).
 
I think Feodor (Prince of Uglich TTL) would not suffer spinal trauma of 1674 TTL becoming the military advisor to his brother (or if Charles of Courland is naturalized in Russia as Sophia's husband, if Sophia is not married to Courland itself, he may take this niche).

Okay interesting which would be better, Charles of Courland being naturalized or Feodor becoming military advisor
 
I think both ideas are good. Naturalization is a go if the issues regarding Russian princess being sent abroad are not worked out, yet the alliance with Brandenburg via local proxy is necessary.
 
I think both ideas are good. Naturalization is a go if the issues regarding Russian princess being sent abroad are not worked out, yet the alliance with Brandenburg via local proxy is necessary.

This is very true, perhaps the best of both? Charles marries Sophia and is naturalized, whilst Feodor also becomes a military advisor
 
Regarding Alexei/Alexis' lack of military training, it was theorized that he had the more high-functioning version of condition affecting Ivan V - not preventing him from learning languages and sciences, but making him anxious in the open/agoraphobic, thus no military training for him. Though that's just a theory from a modern researcher.

His son, Michael II, would on the other hand be quite militaristic, due to influence of Uncle Feodor & Uncle Karl, complete with presents in form of elaborate sets of toy guns & ships ordered in Germany. So we may still have a warlike reign in Russia in early 1700ies, but that would be Russia undergoing great economic transformation and in general more ready for this reign.
 
Regarding Alexei/Alexis' lack of military training, it was theorized that he had the more high-functioning version of condition affecting Ivan V - not preventing him from learning languages and sciences, but making him anxious in the open/agoraphobic, thus no military training for him. Though that's just a theory from a modern researcher.

His son, Michael II, would on the other hand be quite militaristic, due to influence of Uncle Feodor & Uncle Karl, complete with presents in form of elaborate sets of toy guns & ships ordered in Germany. So we may still have a warlike reign in Russia in early 1700ies, but that would be Russia undergoing great economic transformation and in general more ready for this reign.

Alright I quite like that, it would make Michaels reign a lot easier in some sense, as he doesn;t have to do everything at once, as Peter did
 
I'm considering doing some mock wiki profiles for a few key characters in this timeline, would that be of interest to people, who should I do profiles on?
 
Now, let's go with Palatines, shall we?
Issue of Karl II of Palatinate & Amelia of Nassau-Dietz (m.1671)
  • Karl Wilhelm (b.1672) (married Lady Catherine of Gloucester circa 1688)
  • Charlotte Amelie (nicknamed "Charmelle" in the family, b.1675) (married Henry Philip, Duke of Sussex, circa 1690-1692)
Issue of Prince Rupert, Duke of Cumberland & Lady Frances Bard (m.1665)
  • Robert Dudley, Earl of Holderness (b.1665) (TTL he is legitimate, married his cousin Henriette Marie of Gloucester circa 1683)
  • Elisabeth Frances, Princess Palatine & Lady Cumberland (b.1668)
  • Maurice, Prince Palatine, Earl of Bellomont since 1672 (b.1670)
More of copypaste from previous thread, though it's likely that it will be Mary Richmond here instead of Frankie:)
Was thinking of Poland, and that's what I got to get it to the Neuburg way (two random events, both are post our PoD in 1657, but both are of "butterfly" type):
  • Prince Ferdinand Philippe de Lorraine gets different wound in 1659, does not die in the result of his surgery, and marries either Marie or Hortense Mancini. Due to Mazarin wanting to make his niece a wife of sovereign it's he and not his uncle restored to Lorraine (I prefer Hortense, always wanted her to have happier fate than OTL, but Anne of Austria wished to throw Marie away from the court, and OTL Ferdinand was asking for hand of Marie);
    • In addition, if Marie becomes Duchesse de Lorraine and her children pattern is as OTL, we don't have a competition for Mary of Modena as the Queen of Spain (which is needed for our master plan TM)
  • Charles de Lorraine thus becomes just a random second son wandering across Europe, though like Eugene of Savoy a generation later he may well get employed into Austrian service... or whatever. But he is no way a figure to back up for Polish throne;
  • Michal Wiśniowiecki gets drunk as skunk at a random party in 1667, and either has his ulcer aggravated earlier and dies earlier or falls from horse and dies the ignoble death;
  • With them both gone Philip Wilhelm of Neuburg is the clear winning cadidate come 1668 (his first wife was sister of Jan Casimir so he can kinda sorta claim the kinship). OTL wife of Michal Wiśniowiecki (Eleonora Maria of Austria) becomes Crown Princess of Poland as wife of John Wilhelm, her younger sister marries to Brandenburg (to Karl or Friedrich, whichever Electoral Prince survives) as Leopold I may want to play the arbiter in Neuburg-Brandenburg (now increased to Poland-Brandenburg) dispute, and his sisters married to heirs of both are the way to do this.
  • Leopold I still likely gets his wives/offspring as OTL, with additional bonus of his third wife TTL being the daughter of King of Poland.
What was decided on Neuburg Poland.
 
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