Franco-Aragonese Union

Okay, so this one may be a bit of a long shot, but bear with me: How likely is a lasting personal union between France and Aragon pre-1400, given the cultural and historical ties of the latter to the south of France?

The scenario I'm considering is one in which Jean I of France manages to survive to adulthood. ITTL Alfons IV of Aragon fails to sire a surviving male heir (for whatever reason) and gets the Corts of the Aragonese realms to accept his eldest daughter as Princess of Girona. Perhaps he is at war with Castile at the time and needs a strong ally, perhaps he is simply weak and fears civil war due to the limited powers of the Aragonese Crown, but, for whatever reason, Alfons proceeds to betroth said daughter to Jean I (France and Aragon being traditional allies in OTL). Given the right circumstances (i.e. a bit of luck), could this personal union be brought about? And if so, would it likely be broken within the space of a few generations, or, possibly endure for at least a few centuries (again, with a bit of luck)? What would be the effects of such a union, especially in terms of French foreign policy?

Again, I apologize beforehand if this is ASB or too far-fetched. I just have always been interested in the idea of a French Aragon.
 
Endymion said:
(France and Aragon being traditional allies in OTL)

I've always thought it was Castille that was the traditionnal ally of France south of the Pyrenees. Plus, there was some bad blood with Aragon, including the infamous Aragones Crusade of 1284, when the Pope excommunicated & deposed Peter III of Aragon then offered the crown of Aragon to Charles of Valois, second of son of Philippe III of France. Speaking of which, why didn't you consider it as the POD? It seems much easier to achieve.

To answer your question, I think a Franco-Aragonese Union is likely to last, given the fact that there were no real "nationalism" pre-1400. So, Aragon could quite likely blend into the French culture. Regarding the effects, then I guess it could move France's interest a bit southward, towards the Mediteranean.
 
I've always thought it was Castille that was the traditionnal ally of France south of the Pyrenees.

Indeed. The time Aragon drew closest to France was when Peter the Cruel of Castile decided to throw that alliance off the window and approached England instead. Most of the time, not so much.

BTW, this is during the reign of Peter IV in Aragon (1336-1387), son of Alfonso IV, who had to face a country ravaged by the plague, drought and locusts, three Castilian invasions,a rival claim to the throne from his brother because he had no male issue from his first two wives (who died in a period of two years from each other because of the plague, plus a small daughter and a newborn son) and an attempt to restore a Kingdom of Mallorca independent from Aragon.

Yet he managed to survive all that with his kingdom intact and annex Sardinia, Sicily and two duchies in Greece in his old age. Go figure.

But suppose he had not chosen a Sicilian princess for his third marriage, but a French one that had not bore him a male heir, and then that things had gone really bad, with Peter the Cruel managing to stay on the throne of Castile for long, maybe conquering Valencia and imposing the restitution of Mallorca. With the alternative prospect being future destruction/conquest of the kingdom by Castile the Corts might accept a dynastic union with France especially if Peter IV's daughters have married there rather than in Sicily or to local nobles as IOTL.

Although things in France wouldn't be sunshine and rainbows either since a continued Anglo-Castilian alliance would have prevented the inversion of the course of the Hundred Years War during the 1370s caused in no small part by the now Trastamara Castile joining France and sending her fleet to raid the English coast and its supply lines. Damn you butterflies. Always making though experiments even more difficult.
 
what about a Hispanic Marc that do not go "free" and keeps itself loyal to the French throne? I know is borderline ASB but I think is a bit less improbable ...
 
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