Male After Pragmatic Sanction?

[Asami]

Probably done to death, but:

I'm kind of curious how something like this would play out -- What if Charles VI had a son a few years after the birth of Maria Theresa? I know the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was already in place at the time, but the birth of a male Hapsburg would certainly change it.

So, let's say that this male is born in... 1720-1721 (making him 19-20 by the death of his father).

What kind of effects do you think this has on Europe?
Does Prussia ever get Silesia?
Does Austria have a bit more power come Napoleonic War (if it happens at all?)

I'm not very well versed at the whole medieval/Renaissance European blood politics, so I'm asking y'all.

 

[Emperor Constantine]

Probably done to death, but:

I'm kind of curious how something like this would play out -- What if Charles VI had a son a few years after the birth of Maria Theresa? I know the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was already in place at the time, but the birth of a male Hapsburg would certainly change it.

So, let's say that this male is born in... 1720-1721 (making him 19-20 by the death of his father).

What kind of effects do you think this has on Europe?
Does Prussia ever get Silesia?
Does Austria have a bit more power come Napoleonic War (if it happens at all?)

I'm not very well versed at the whole medieval/Renaissance European blood politics, so I'm asking y'all.

Well first off it means Charles VI doesn't have to bind over backwards for the Great powers to accept his daughter as heiress. Second it butterflies away the Austrian succession war (after all how can there be a succession war with nothing to contest?). As to Prussia getting Silesia, I think it depends on the kind of ruler "Leopold II" is (Leopold was the name of Charles VI's son who died in infancy so I assume the name would be reused). Remember when Maria Theresa ascended the throne Austria was nearly bankrupt, and its army numbered only 80,000 men, most of whom had not been paid in months. So without an immediate war Leopold II has a chance to salvage the situation. He'll have to build up the army and treasury, but as long as he has a few peaceful years then there's a strong chance that Austria will retain Silesia, keeping Prussia from threatening its German supremacy. This will also have affects in the Duchy of Lorraine and Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

OTL Lorraine's Duke, Francis III, married Maria Theresa and had to give up his Duchy, under the demand of his father-in-law, so France would recognize the pragmatic succession. Here he won't have to (and might not even marry Maria Theresa), so Lorraine remains independent. As to Tuscany, the original heir was Don Carlos, son of Philip V and Elisabeth Farnese, who was forced out of Tuscany so the Grand Duchy could go to the deposed Francis. As to Naples and Sicily, who knows if it will remain with Austria or be conquered by Carlos of "Tuscany".

 

[Asami]

But by 1720/1721, the Pragmatic Sanction had already been approved by all the powers of Europe for nearly 7 years, so wouldn't Leopold's birth do little to change it? It would just serve as a way for a female Habsburg to enter power if Leopold II has no sons or something of that line? (Not saying he will, just a note)

 

[Emperor Constantine]

But by 1720/1721, the Pragmatic Sanction had already been approved by all the powers of Europe for nearly 7 years, so wouldn't Leopold's birth do little to change it? It would just serve as a way for a female Habsburg to enter power if Leopold II has no sons or something of that line? (Not saying he will, just a note)

No. The Pragmatic sanction was issued in 1713, not accepted by any means. Charles VI was getting Nations to accept well into the 20s and 30s, and many would later reject it.

 

[JonasResende]

AFAIK the Pragmatic Sanction's acceptance required some very large concessions and/or bribes. If Karl doesn't have that to pay out/give away, the Empire might be in a better state when Leopold II succeeds. Also, Karl never discussed affairs of state or even trained Maria Theresa for the position she occupied. With a son, he will likely pay far more attention to the education of his heir.

Also, he won't have to dissolve the Ostend Company to get Britain, the United Provinces and France to play along. Maybe the Empire can build up overseas trade yet.

 

[Asami]

No. The Pragmatic sanction was issued in 1713, not accepted by any means. Charles VI was getting Nations to accept well into the 20s and 30s, and many would later reject it.

Ah. I know they rejected it, but I thought they agreed to it first in the 1710's and then backstabbed Austria. My mistake then.

 

[jlk7e]

Your key changes are going to be taking place in the 1730s, especially wrt the Polish Succession War. Charles VI made substantial concessions - notably, kind of giving up Naples without much of a fight - in order to secure French agreement to the Pragmatic Sanction. And as Emperor Constantine points out, the Tuscany for Lorraine swap was related. Italy is going to look substantially different in 1740 than OTL in this scenario. No Prussian invasion of Silesia happens in ATL 1740. There will be some sort of conflict in Germany in 1742 when the Palatinate-Neuburg line dies out. The Prussians were claiming the right to Juelich and Berg in this event. OTL they were claimed by the new Elector Palatine, Karl Theodor of Sulzbach, but who knows what happens in the ATL?

 

[jlk7e]

Ah. I know they rejected it, but I thought they agreed to it first in the 1710's and then backstabbed Austria. My mistake then.

They all agreed to it, but most much more recently than the 1710s. The only country that didn't accept it, iirc, was Bavaria.