Charles II of England born a girl

I was looking for something else and came across this thread from a couple years ago. It got me wondering of the effects of the future Charles II being born a girl.

It actually feeds into something I've been thinking about but I was wondering what those more knowledgeable in the period though.

For the sake of discussion, let's invoke a butterfly net on the large scale up until about the Restoration in 1660. So the rest of Charles I's children are born on schedule and Charles doesn't become a great statesman.

I have two immediate questions and a follow-on.

1) Would Charles I do much, if anything different if his heir was three years younger. Let's just call him *James, even though he probably would have been called Charles.

2) Who would try to marry his eldest daughter to? Let's call her *Charlotte. Would the fact that she's a year or so older than Mary, make a difference? I'm assuming Balthasar of Spain still dies on schedule and that the Charles-the-Elector-Palatinate-to-be still screws up his relations with his English family. Who else is on the horizon in the mid-1440s? Would Charles approach Sweden about a marriage?

3) If *Charlotte marries the Stadtholder William II in place of her sister Mary, who could Mary marry? Or would she still be unmarried when the family goes into exile and really only become marriageable in 1660 at the age of 29.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts,

David
 
For the sake of discussion, let's invoke a butterfly net on the large scale up until about the Restoration in 1660.
I wonder about that. Charles I, after all, had started his period of personal rule around the time of this birth, and it was following the stillbirth of his last child and would-be heir; so if he gets a daughter instead and remains heirless until 1633, it seems we should start by asking if that affects this period at all.
 
Okay...I'm okay with that. Would Charles have been less certain and more conciliatory from 1630 to 1633 with two daughters and no sons?
 
  1. Charles James, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay (B&D. 13 May 1629
  2. Charlotte, Princess Royal (29 May 1630-6 February 1685) M. 1641, William II, Prince of Orange (1626–1650)
  3. Princess Mary (4 November 1631-24 December 1660) m. 1642, Prince Rupert of the Rhine (17 December 1619 – 29 November 1682)
  4. Charles II (14 October 1633 -6 September 1701) m. 1652 Maria Theresa of Spain (10 September 1638-30 July 1683)
  5. Princess Elizabeth (29 December 1635-8 September 1650) m. 1658, Louis XIV of France (5 September 1638–1 September 1715)
  6. Princess Anne (17 March 1637-5 November 1640)
  7. Princess Catherine (B&D. 29 June 1639)
  8. James, Duke of York (8 July 1640- )
  9. Princess Henrietta (16 June 1644-30 June 1670) M. 1661, Philip, Duke of Orléans (1640–1701)
 
  1. Charles James, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay (B&D. 13 May 1629
  2. Charlotte, Princess Royal (29 May 1630-6 February 1685) M. 1641, William II, Prince of Orange (1626–1650)
  3. Princess Mary (4 November 1631-24 December 1660) m. 1642, Prince Rupert of the Rhine (17 December 1619 – 29 November 1682)
  4. Charles II (14 October 1633 -6 September 1701)
  5. Princess Elizabeth (29 December 1635-8 September 1650) m. 1658, Louis XIV of France (5 September 1638–1 September 1715)
  6. Princess Anne (17 March 1637-5 November 1640)
  7. Princess Catherine (B&D. 29 June 1639)
  8. James, Duke of York (8 July 1640- )
  9. Princess Henrietta (16 June 1644-30 June 1670) M. 1661, Philip, Duke of Orléans (1640–1701)
 
  • Charlotte, Princess Royal (29 May 1630-6 February 1685) M. 1641, William II, Prince of Orange (1626–1650)
  • Princess Mary (4 November 1631-24 December 1660) m. 1642, Prince Rupert of the Rhine (17 December 1619 – 29 November 1682)
1642 as the marriage date is weird, but makes sence in context of upping Rupert (through his wife) in succession over his pro-Parliament brother. That said, through 1630ies Charlotte would probably be engaged to Charles Louis, as part of getting support for 1638 campaign, with engagement being broken only when said campaign fails.
That said, Mary would likely remain with Elisabeth of Bohemia's court in Hague since 1645 at the very least, if not earlier. With a weird/complex situation regarding land grants in 1657 (if the rest, including head wound in 1647 and Carribean naval campaign of early 1650ies is the same).

Re. Elisabeth marriage, I can see Charles Louis in fact proposing to her. In 1649, post his uncle's execution (if this goes as OTL), he in OTL joined in condemnation of regicides, being in "My god what have I done" situation. And marriage to younger cousin can be a way to repent this.

Double French match makes no/little sense to me (and the same amount of sense to contemporary French court, it seems).

TTL Charles II/Duke of York may marry differently, but Spanish match is not in the cards. At least not direct Spanish match. In OTL Margaret Theresa was pie in the sky, and Spain offered selection of Catarina Farnese (nun OTL), Anna Sophia of Denmark (OTL Electress of Saxony) & Erdmuthe Sophia of Saxony (sick of metabolic disease, died at the age of 26 OTL). Courting of Sophia of Palatinate/Maria of Nassau may also go differently with different king.
In fact, I can see Charlotte playing the matchmaker for younger bro and Maria of Nassau ending up as Queen of Britain.
 
With an older wife William II could possibly have more children.

Assuming her husband dies in 1650 as in OTL, Charlotte would be only a year and a half older than Mary, so that might allow for one, perhaps two more children... if she has one extremely early (like age seventeen, rather than nineteen like her OTL sister) more children. Still another boy or a William with a slightly different personality would have repercussions.

Not so sure about your proposed marriages above (leaving aside the fact that Elizabeth dies eight years before she marries Louis XIV.:). I would think this would require a totally different ending to the Franco-Spanish war, as well as a very different course to the English Civil War, so that the English Royal family aren't Louis' dependents at the time of his marriage. I suppose love matches have happened in stranger places, though.
 
On a slightly random side thread...what would the chances be of Charles I pursuing a Danish match for either of his elder daughters in the late 1630s/early 1640s.

The future Frederick III was unmarried until 1643, so either Charlotte or Mary would be few years younger that his OTL bride.
 
Assuming her husband dies in 1650 as in OTL, Charlotte would be only a year and a half older than Mary, so that might allow for one, perhaps two more children... if she has one extremely early (like age seventeen, rather than nineteen like her OTL sister) more children. Still another boy or a William with a slightly different personality would have repercussions.

Not so sure about your proposed marriages above (leaving aside the fact that Elizabeth dies eight years before she marries Louis XIV.:). I would think this would require a totally different ending to the Franco-Spanish war, as well as a very different course to the English Civil War, so that the English Royal family aren't Louis' dependents at the time of his marriage. I suppose love matches have happened in stranger places, though.

Well if for any reason Maria Theresa of Spain is not avalaible for Louis XIV, a English cousin is the next best bride for her son in the mind of Queen Anne (and a much better choice than a Savoy princess or one of the Orleans' girls who are the only other realistic canditates because the only thing sure about Louis XIV's bride is who she will be one of his paternal first cousins)
 
Well if for any reason Maria Theresa of Spain is not avalaible for Louis XIV, a English cousin is the next best bride for her son in the mind of Queen Anne (and a much better choice than a Savoy princess or one of the Orleans' girls who are the only other realistic canditates because the only thing sure about Louis XIV's bride is who she will be one of his paternal first cousins)

Would the English be prepared to accept the possibility, however remote, that a Bourbon could become king of England? It might be one ting to marry a princess to the brother of a King of France but to the King himself, with the attendant dynastic possibilities?

Surely that would trigger a War of the English Succession faster than anything else if it became a likelihood? I'm sure parliament would have assay in the matter. Still..is there a chance that a Bourbon scion might say "London is worth losing a Mass"?

Would a French king start a war with the goal of negotiating away his claim for territory?
 
The problem is with personality of Princess in question. While Henrietta was raised Catholic by her mom without knowing any better, Liz was of more Protestant breed.
In addition, I don't think that by 1659 a penniless dowry-less cousin is Anne's idea of a bride - a controllable one, yes, but what does she bring? Other than killing the chances of her brother being restored to the throne. So, in essence, I think that French-English marriage in 1657-1659 time span is unrealistic if the events preceding it transpire mostly as OTL (without ATL variables such as these discussed in this thread: https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/emperor-ferdinand-iv.437297/ )
Remember, Mazarin didn't want to marry his niece to Charles II in 1659, considering him the lost cause OTL. So... that's the problem with this.
 
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