Juan of Austria and Mary Queen of Scots.

[maverick]

What if the Scottish Queen had been able to marry John of Austria after the death of Francois II of France? how would that have changed the european politics of the 16th century? could it have saved John's life? could it have saved Scotland?

 

[Calgacus]

could it have saved Scotland?

Saved Scotland from what? From being an independent sovereign state for 50 more years, and then having her king take over England as well? From becoming a vital component of the greatest empire in the world? From being today a prosperous, peaceful and generally fairly happy country?

Nothing against Mary, but her deposition had no grave effects for this country in the long term.

 

[maverick]

Yet, but they are not independent.

Could someone say anything about the idea?

 

[Philip]

What if the Scottish Queen had been able to marry John of Austria after the death of Francois II of France?

Wasn't he supposed to invade England for that to happen? The Duke of Parma had to rescue him in the Low Countries. Likely John would have needed him in England too.

how would that have changed the european politics of the 16th century?

Roughly the same as a Spanish victory over Drake and Howard, I imagine. (But WI's involving that usually involve a different Duke of Palma.)

could it have saved John's life?

From typhus? Maybe. But the war in England would have provided another opportunity for him to catch it.

could it have saved Scotland?

From becoming eventually forming the United Kingdom with England? I am not sure that counts as 'salvation'. Perhaps it would have delayed the union.

 

[Rick Robinson]

What if the Scottish Queen had been able to marry John of Austria after the death of Francois II of France? how would that have changed the european politics of the 16th century? could it have saved John's life? could it have saved Scotland?

Elizabeth would have come down on Mary like a hammer if she tried to marry Don John of Austria. Remember also that a) Elizabeth was rather well-disposed toward Mary in the beginning, and less inclined to side with Protestant rebels than almost any of her councilors were, and b) Philip II at this time did not wish to antagonize her, and so would not favored the prospect.

Don John was also a teenage boy at the time you're presumably looking at - he was only 23, IIRC, at Lepanto. Of course he was eligible to marry by the standards of the time, but not yet a commanding figure in his own right. By the time he was, and Philip would support the idea, Mary was already under lock and key in England.

-- Rick

 

[Calgacus]

Yet, but they are not independent.

Could someone say anything about the idea?

Mary was still the heir apparent to the English throne. Of course if she was cosy with Spain (or cosier at least), I could imagine the English parliament giving the throne to someone else. They only gave it to James because he was protestant.

Possiby consequences - separate England and Scotland, England effectively has Glorious Revolution 100 years early, probable war over the succession, with at least Spain and Scotland against England.