Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine have a son

(I know, it's other thread abouth Eleanor, but I didn't find any earlier discussion about this possibility).

So, WI instead of two daughters Eleanor of Aquitaine had given birth a son from Louis VII? Let's say her second daughter (Alix) was born a boy. Louis would probably still dislike her, but with a male heir he wouldn't have reasons to annull their marriage. How would it affect the balance of power in France, given that the resources from Eleanor's territories wouldn't go to Henry II and his sons, but to the Capets?
 
Interesting.
Who would Henry II hook up with instead?
We could see him with a single son who marries into Brittany and a grandson who gets Flanders-Hainaut...
 
Just because she bears a son does not mean that Louis will stay with her.
They may divorce anyway, he may try to send her to a convent or something. I think her son will inherit her lands regardless, plus Louis'
domains. France may be a strong, centralized nation much sooner in its' history. England would have no claims, so much warfare (like the 100yrs war) may be avoided.
 
Louis would probably still dislike her...

Louis didn't dislike her, he loved her dearly. But pressure from his nobles to divorce and his fear that she would continue producing girls led him to relunctanly grant her a divorce. When Eleanor was pregnant with Alix she feared it would be a boy and then she would never get the divorce she wanted.
In the early years of their marriage she became pregnant but when she was 17 or so she either miscarried or the baby was stillborn. You could make this be the boy who survives and it would take a lot of pressure off their marriage. Eleanor may still seek some sort of seperation, for instance they just decide to live apart, he in Paris and she in Aquitaine.
 
Interesting.
Who would Henry II hook up with instead?

Was there any other important heiress available?
BTW, without Eleanor's resources, would Henry still be able to get the English throne?

Just because she bears a son does not mean that Louis will stay with her.
They may divorce anyway, he may try to send her to a convent or something. I think her son will inherit her lands regardless, plus Louis'
domains.
Sending her to a convent is possible (although Eleanor wouldn't probably accept that) but I think that a divorce isn't so likely in this case. An annullment could mean that a claimant could say that Louis and Eleanor's son isn't legitimate and so couldn't get the crown. Louis would probably be more careful about it.
 
If Stephen's sons still die as OTL then it is likely that Henry would still be granted the Kingship though in 1159 rather than 1154.
And he could be married to his second cousin Marie (a daughter of Stephen) to solidify his claim.
With a stronger France (at least until the Eleanor's son Phillippe divides it up between his heirs) Henry would be more circumspect about extending his authority. I think he'll likely arrange marriage alliances with Flanders and possibly increase Scotland's vassalage.
 
Top