Fernando the Catholic's Second Wife

The POD here is that Germaine de Foix marries the Jagiellonian prince (either the king of Poland or that of Hungary/Bohemia) she was promised to by treaty. Fernando is thus left high and dry in terms of a second wife in order to prevent a Habsburg absorption of his realms. So who might he marry?

Originally he offered to fetch La Beltraneja from her convent and marry her, at his first wife's death, he'd come into the possession of the late Enrique IV's will which supposedly declared that she was Enrique's daughter and successor, and Fernando was reportedly more than willing to name his late wife a usurper to prevent the Habsburgs from taking over. However, la Beltraneja refused him, and he moved on.

While he could simply marry Anne d'Albret, daughter of Queen Catherine, I feel that the king of France might have other ideas (Germaine was his niece, Anne was not). Of course, the only ranking French princesses available are Marguerite d'Angoulême (already married); and the two daughters of the late duc d'Alençon (all of whom might be considered a bit young).

Which got me thinking: Isabella d'Aragona, dowager duchess of Milan planned to marry her eldest daughter, Ippolita, to Fernando's cousin - the duke of Calabria; and after Ippolita died, she offered to marry her second daughter, Bona, to whichever grandson Fernando named as his successor. I could see Fernando, as an extra screw-you to the French king, marry Bona and start claiming the duchy of Milan as soon as her brother's dead. I mean, Bona's OTL husband is possibly married to Fernando's OTL wife, so there's a certain symmetry there.

He was also determined to bring Naples under direct Aragonese control, and so, a marriage to a Neapolitan princess - Giulia and Isabella, along with their mother were at court in Valencia IIRC - would not be off the cards.

Who do you guys think he'll marry? And would he have better luck producing a surviving son from his second marriage than OTL? How will it affect things if said son is the fruit of one of the heiresses mentioned and Aragon puts a claim in for that throne (Milan/Navarre/Naples) against the Habsburgs?
 
Other option, though maybe a bit unlikely: as Germaine of Foix is married to a Jagielon, maybe Ferdinand could be compensated with a Polish princess. Elizabeth, the daughter of Casimir IV, is available (she only married in 1515 IOTL, but was born in 1482).
 
Other option, though maybe a bit unlikely: as Germaine of Foix is married to a Jagielon, maybe Ferdinand could be compensated with a Polish princess. Elizabeth, the daughter of Casimir IV, is available (she only married in 1515 IOTL, but was born in 1482).

Well, considering Fernando's antipathy towards the Habsburg in-laws (prompted by Philippe and Maximilian's actions), I could see him going for a Polish match out of spite. Trying vainly to prove to the Habsburgs that he can also play the "encircling" game.
 
If Fernando married Bona, does Aragon have the power/might to project it's power that far north into Italy? Or will the title of duke of Milan exist for the Aragonese simply like king of France existed for the English between 1558-19th century?

Also, how might Germaine affect the Jagiellonian futures? Would she be regent for her underage son?
 
What dates are we talking? Iirc France occupied Milan c1500 and later agreed to divide Naples with Fernando.

True, but roughly around the same time as his OTL marriage to Germaine - i.e. 1505. So, Giulia of Naples is 13yo, while Bona is 12yo - young, but not obscenely so, (since both married comparatively late for the 16th marriage market - Giulia at 41yo, Bona at 25yo) as they would, under normal circumstances, have been propelled onto the marriage market within a year.

Now, I get that Fernando married Germaine to seal a treaty with France, but let's say that here he decides to flick the bird at Louis XII, maybe marrying Bona with the knowledge that her brother's good as dead at the French court, or Giulia, because he doesn't feel like sharing Naples with the French.
 
How does the affect things in central Europe? Germaine marries Wladyslaw II or Sigmund I (not sure why Siggie took so long to get his first wife - 6years). Clearly she's fertile-adjacent, she had one kid with her first husband and then another a decade later (not sure why Fernando attempted no kids after their first one - maybe he did, maybe he couldn't). This gives Hungary/Poland a solid connection to the French/Valois - saw in a TL offered by @Svetonius21 that in this scenario (the partition of the Jagiellon realms (Lithuania, Poland, Bohemia and Hungary) amongst the sons of Casimir IV) led to (talk of) a marriage TTL between the king of Hungary and Renee de France; because the Congress of Vienna plays out differently).

So how could this shift things in Poland/Hungary/Bohemia if Germaine winds up in Prague/Krakow?
 
So either John Albert lives longer (unlikely with his lifestyle) or Alexander predeceased him, thus Sigismund rules from 1501 and marries Germaine in place of his brother. IOTL question of Jagiellon marriage of Germaine died with John Albert because Alexander was already married to Helen of Moscow when he took Polish throne.
And about simply switching Sigi's and Fernando's wifes-wasn't Bona too young for Ferdinand? He is in hurry to get heir, he'll not wait.
 
So either John Albert lives longer (unlikely with his lifestyle) or Alexander predeceased him, thus Sigismund rules from 1501 and marries Germaine in place of his brother. IOTL question of Jagiellon marriage of Germaine died with John Albert because Alexander was already married to Helen of Moscow when he took Polish throne.
And about simply switching Sigi's and Fernando's wifes-wasn't Bona too young for Ferdinand? He is in hurry to get heir, he'll not wait.

I was thinking about that. Elena Ivanovna's last pregnancy was in the 1490s, if the latter one were to result in her death (miscarriage gone wrong, troublesome birth to a stillborn baby etc), then Alexander would be free to remarry. Would it be impossible for Sigismund to succeed Jan directly in Poland while Alexander continues to rule Lithuania until his death?

About a Fernando-Bona marriage, fair enough. Any suggestions for other non-French ladies (although having them dissolve Marguerite d'Angoulême's marriage to the duc d'Alençon (apparently considered OTL) so that she could marry Fernando would be interesting)?
 
So this is a list of possible candidates considered for Fernando as a second wife, take note, all are born more or less the same time as Bona/Giulia.

From Spain:
-Juana 'la Beltraneja', Queen of Castile

From France:
-Germaine de Foix
-Marguerite d'Angoulême (who although married, this was not considered a problem by either the French or the Aragonese)
-Anne d'Albret or one of her sisters
-Françoise or Anne d'Alençon

From the Holy Roman Empire:
-Sibylle or Sabine of Bavaria
-Amalie or Helene of the Palatinate
-Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg

From Italy:
-Filiberta of Savoy (supported by Louis XII)
-Bona Sforza
-Eleonora Gonzaga
-Giulia or Isabel of Naples

I've also seen it posited that had Henry VII's second daughter, Elizabeth, lived, it's likely her name would've made the list, as she would've been too old for Karl V, whilst Mary would've been too young for Fernando. Filiberta of Savoy seems an odd choice, given how young she was, which means that Mary could've probably made the list, had Fernando been willing to wait a year or so. I wonder, the dowager comtesse d'Angoulême was only shy of 30 when Fernando was looking for a wife, might Louis have offered her instead of her daughter? Yeah, age is perhaps against her, but, at the same time, if he wanted to get her out of France (there was reportedly little love lost between the Orléans and the Angoulême branches of the family), would she be in a position to refuse?
 
Looking at the ladies on offer:

Germaine or Anne would be the best match if Fernando wants to annex Navarre. Anne's first brother is born in 1502 - no promises he's gonna survive. The other French ladies from the d'Angoulême and d'Alençons are pretty "low". Yeah, they're the highest ranked girls Louis XII has got, but they're mere princesses du sang, who's closest crowned ancestor is Charles V.

Bavarian girls are out. Fernando is trying to get rid of a Habsburg tie (his view was that he'd fixed his cart to too strong a horse), I can't see him wanting another one, since their main political draw would be as Maximilian's nieces. The Palatine girls MIGHT happen, slim end of the wedge. And Elisabeth of Brunswick had no kids by her husband, OTL (and the problem lay with her - most likely she was passed her sellby date - since hubbyhad no problem making bastards), so if your goal is a separation of Aragon from Castile she's not a good choice.

In Italy Filiberta's too young. IDK about Eleonora though. A royal marriage would be a hell of a step up for the Gonzaga (who are only marchesi at this point IIRC) and traditionally pro-French, aren't they?

My favourite would be if Ippolita Sforza (Bona's elder sister) could survive her OTL death. Isabella of Aragon (their mum) offered Ippolita to the duke of Calabria and Bona to Fernando's grandson who would succeed him in Italy. Thus, I don't think it's entirely outside ofthe bounds of possibility that Isabella would offer her daughter to the widower king of Aragon if the chance arose. She's 12yo (Ippolita would be 15yo) when the marriage happens, with a good chance of a son and heir arriving in the next year or two (1506-1508). If Bona's record in Poland OTL is anything to go by, I'd say she'd be a more than a capable regent in Aragon when Fernando dies.
 
How's this look for a rough outline?

Ferdinand II, King of Aragon (b.1452, d.1516) m: 1505 Bona Sforza, Duchess of Bari, Princess of Rossano (b.1493)

- Juan III, King of Aragon (b.1507) m: Katharina of Austria (b.1507)

- Isabel (b.1509) m: Ferdinand of Austria, Viceroy of Castile (b.1503)

- Alfonso, Duke of Milan (b.1510)

- Juana (b.1511, d.1514)

- Bona (b.1512)

- Stillborn Son (b.1515, d.1515)

Germaine de Foix (b.1490) m: 1502 Wladyslaw II, King of Hungary, Croatia & Bohemia (b.1456, d.1516)

- Maria (b. 1505) m: Karl V, Holy Roman Emperor (b.1500)

- Ludwik II, King of Hungary, Croatia & Bohemia (b.1507, d.1525) m: 1524 Renée de Valois (b.1509)

OR:

Germaine de Foix (b.1490) m: 1505 Sigismund, King of Poland (b.1467)

- Elisabeth (b.1507) m: 1524 Ludwik II, King of Hungary etc. (b.1506); 2m: Janos I, King of Hungary (b.1487)

- Jadwiga (b.1509) m: 1526 Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg (b.1505, d.1571)

- Sigismund II Franciszek (b.1514)

- Anna (b.1517) m: 1536 Gustaf I, King of Sweden (b. 1495)

- Zofia (b.1519, d.1536)

- Jan Kasimierz (b.1520)
 
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Firstborn daughter of Jagiellon king of Poland should be named Jadwiga/Hedwig. And name Maria was not given to girls in Poland-it was reserved for Virgin Mary (the same way name Jesus was reserved for Jesus Christ and not used as common name in most of Christian world) only after Marie Louise Gonzaga and Marie Casimire D'Arquien became Polish Queens during 17th century name Maria gained popularity in Poland.
 
Firstborn daughter of Jagiellon king of Poland should be named Jadwiga/Hedwig. And name Maria was not given to girls in Poland-it was reserved for Virgin Mary (the same way name Jesus was reserved for Jesus Christ and not used as common name in most of Christian world) only after Marie Louise Gonzaga and Marie Casimire D'Arquien became Polish Queens during 17th century name Maria gained popularity in Poland.

I went with Elisabeth since I planned to marry her to her Hungarian cousin, and didn't want it to seem like it was an outright Polish take-over - say Sigismund and Wladyslaw sign a treaty following Sig's accession saying that if Queen Germaine's pregnancy is a boy, he'll marry Wlad's daughter, if it's a girl, she'll marry Wlad's son. Figured that if all else fails, she can be born on the feast of St. Elizabeth, the Visitation or some other holy day. Plus, that there's a Saint Elizabeth of Hungary doesn't hurt. But if you think that Jadwiga and Elisabeth should still switch I'll do that.
 
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