Help with alternate Austrian succession shenanigans

So I have a POD that Maria Theresa's older brother, Leopold Johann, survives through his childhood. Through butterflies and my ham-handed contrivances, Maria Theresa is married off to Frederick II (who converts to Catholicism).

Leopold succeeds his father as Leopold II, but then dies suddenly in an accident (he trips in a set of stairs and breaks his neck or something, I dunno). Leopold II never issued a Pragmatic Sanction of his own because his wife had a propensity for giving birth to sons. Who all died in infancy. =/
altaustriansuccession.gif

Who has seniority in the succession? Will the succession be contested? Can we have a war, partition, or both?
 

Susano

Banned
Its not like the Pragmatic Sanction avoided a war? So of coruse there would be one. The question is whom the Austrian territories would follow. The Pragmatci Sanction at least ensured taht IOTL they followed Maria Theresia. ITTL, they might well support different claimants, just like different Spanish regions did during the Warof the Spanish Succession.

Of course, Frederick II nilly-willy converting to Catholicism is silly and borderline-ASB. That just doesnt work.
 
Who has seniority in the succession? Will the succession be contested? Can we have a war, partition, or both?

I think that theoretically the eldest daughter of Leopold II would be the successor. After all, HE would be the last Emperor, so his issue would have a higher claim. Of course, it depends on how is the situation of his daughters at the time he dies. Are they infants? Unmarried ladies? Already married to someone?
About the Pragmatic Sanction, well, it was already published in 1713, before Charles had any child, male or female (his son Leopold was only born in 1716, 3 years after the Sanction). So he wouldn't have to worry about it because there would already exist a law regarding this succession problem.
 
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Susano

Banned
I think that theoretically the eldest daughter of Leopold II would be the successor. After all, HE would be the last Emperor, so his issue would have a higher claim. Of course, it depends on how is the situation of his daughters at the time he dies. Are they infants? Unmarried ladies? Already married to someone?

Oh I didnt adress that question. Well, see, the reason it comes to war is that its not entirely clear which principle of succession is the right one. The most widely used principle in female succession was proximity of the body, that is, the closest relationship to the last ruler. As such, Maria Theresia as brother of the last Emperor (and IOTL daughter of the last Emperor) would be successor. But going by dynastic seniority, it would be Joseph's daughters (specifically of course his eldest daughters) who would have the best right. And it isnt decided which principle is the right one, so, well - war ;) With both sides having a legal justification. Really, the pragmatic sanction changed nothing about that.
 
Since many believed that the PS was invalid for the HRE and the title for that went to the Bavarian claimant, does he not have a claim in descent from the Habsburgs at all?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 

Susano

Banned
Actgually Im a bit unsure about that, I must admit. I dont know why Bavaria was the main contenter of the succession, since it was the Saxon elector who had married Jopsehs eldest daughter - the Bavarian elector had merely married a younger daughter, IIRC...
 
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