Joseph II has a son

as the title says what would the consequences be if Joseph II and his wife Isabella of Parma had had a son born in 1762? Said son would grow up sharing his fathers views on reform for the empire but perhaps from seeing his fathers experience would see the need for slow reform

Thoughts on the consequences of this, as well as who the boy could marry would be most beneficial.
 
Not to distract from the main idea but wouldn't a son by Maria Josepha of Bavaria be more useful to Joseph II's ambitions? At least with regards to expansion within the HRE.
As to whom the boy would wed, I think that the typical candidates i.e. Welf, Bourbon (France, Spain etc), Wettin & Wittlesbach are more or less dead weight at this point. None had proven beneficial in the long run.

A Russian princess (Grandduchess Alexandra Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I) maybe best as Russia was the best ally Austria could hope for vis-a-vis Prussia at the time. Though considering the religious connotations (she refused in otl to convert to Catholicism when she married Leopold II's son, being Holy Roman Empress may change her mind though) unlikely to take place.

Internally, I honestly can't think of a German princess whose connections at this point would help further Austrian ambitions. The House of Welf was firmly in the Hohenzollern camp. Saxony though influential, with existing marriages still sided agx Austria/Joseph II, Bourbon's are likely in the throes of the Revolution or if they avoid it too mired in debt & Austrophobic (a least the French public & court) to be of any use.
 
Hmm very true re a child from his second wife being more useful. Would this then preclude much of his struggle toward the end internally?
 
A son from Isabella is more likely than one of Maria Josepha, but really a son from the second is more useful for Joseph's ambitions on Bavaria. The bride for that son wil be without doubt the OTL first wife of Francis II (who was choised by Joseph) the Duchess Elisabeth of Wurttemberg (for a son of Isabella also her older sister Friederike, born in 1765 and OTL married to a prince of Oldenburg can be an option). The Romanov princesses are both too young (Alexandra and Elena the two oldest girls were born in 1783 and 1784, while a son of Josepha will be born between the end of 1765 and 1767, or if his mother's OTL fate is butterflied is still likely he will be born before 1775 before Josepha will turn 36 in that year) and Orthodox, so Elisabeth of Wurttemberg (born in 1767 and youngest daughter of her parents) who was German, a Lutheran who OTL converted to Catholicism for marry Francis (so here will be the same) and still bring the russian alliance (Paul I was married to Elisabeth's oldest sister) is a more appropriate choice than her nieces
 
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A son of Josepha is surely more interesting and (if born in the years between 1765 and 1670 who are the more likely dates) easier to marry off but will not make Joseph's ambition on Bavaria much easier:
1) Bavaria still followed the Salic Law
2) Josepha's older sister, the Electress Maria Amalia of Saxony had many heirs
 
A son of Josepha is surely more interesting and (if born in the years between 1765 and 1670 who are the more likely dates) easier to marry off but will not make Joseph's ambition on Bavaria much easier:
1) Bavaria still followed the Salic Law
2) Josepha's older sister, the Electress Maria Amalia of Saxony had many heirs

Okay interesting, so this kid would be born in say 1768, would likely be named Joseph, and would likely be groomed for the position of Elector of Bavaria as well, if Joseph could have his way? Would it require a massive dying out of the mainline and their cadet branches in Bavaria for Joseph to even be considered?
 
Okay interesting, so this kid would be born in say 1768, would likely be named Joseph, and would likely be groomed for the position of Elector of Bavaria as well, if Joseph could have his way? Would it require a massive dying out of the mainline and their cadet branches in Bavaria for Joseph to even be considered?
I am not sure. Joseph will likely groom his son as his heir (for the Holy Roman Empire, Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, Austrian Netherlands and Milan), and OTL the main branches of Bavaria's royal house died without help (and surely the wedding between Karl Theodor and Marie Leopoldine of Austria-Este will never happen). If Maria Josepha will have two sons (if Joseph had a son by Isabella likely he will never remarry) the eldest will be Joseph's heir and married to Elisabeth and Joseph can try to take Bavaria for the second (maybe marrying him to another princess of bavaria or saxony). Is unlikely who either kid will be called Joseph... Franz and Karl are much more more likely names... Maybe Franz Joseph for the eldest (after paternal grandfather and father) and Karl (after his paternal great grandfather and maternal grandfather) for the second (As middle name for the second can be Stephan (both his paternal grandafather's middle name and patron saint of Hungary), Maximilian (after his maternal uncle and great grandfather and also a paternal uncle), Ferdinand (name of a paternal uncle, and a traditional Habsburg name like Karl and Maximilian), or a more bavarian name like Emanuel (middle name of his maternal great grandfather) or Albert (middle name of his maternal grandfather and name of a brother-in-law of Joseph) and considering their OTL relations I do not think Joseph will name one of his sons Leopold after his other brother)
 
Okay interesting so how about this: Ferdinand for the heir to the HRE, and Karl Albert for a future elector of bavaria?
 
Okay interesting so how about this: Ferdinand for the heir to the HRE, and Karl Albert for a future elector of bavaria?
Franz Joseph is still more likely to the heir if the second is named exactly as his maternal grandfather but is acceptable
 
Alright interesting. As for his reforms, would that be shelved, or pursued more vigorously with him having a son?
 
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