Maria Theresa doesn't rule Austria: Leopold Johann survives

Before Maria Theresa was born, the Emperor Charles VI and his wife Elisabeth had a boy, Leopold Johann, who lived for almost six months, but died as infant. Six months after his death, Maria Theresa was born, and due to the Pragmatic Sanction she became the heir of the Habsburg territories.

But WI Leopold Johann had survived, making the succession continue through a male line? Maria Theresa birth isn't affected, but would she still be married to the Duke of Lorraine? Also, it would mean no War of Austrian Succession, and Prussia would have no reason to invade Silesia (at least not immediately). Would Austria still continue opposed to France ITTL?
 
This could be interesting. If Leopold rules as an enlightened despot then he would likely be able to push through major reforms beyond those of Maria-Theresa. Hopefully he'd also maintain the alliance with Britain and Holland, rather then sacrificing it because they're protestant.

It also means that Lorraine would continue independent of France , which would like not make Louis XV terribly happy.
 
This could be interesting. If Leopold rules as an enlightened despot then he would likely be able to push through major reforms beyond those of Maria-Theresa. Hopefully he'd also maintain the alliance with Britain and Holland, rather then sacrificing it because they're protestant.

It also means that Lorraine would continue independent of France , which would like not make Louis XV terribly happy.

Do you think that Maria Theresa would still be married to the Duke of Lorraine? I have the impression that, with a male heir to ensure the continuation of the Habsburg dynasty, she wouldn't be wasted in an alliance with a minor noble house, and probably they would find a more important husband to her.
 
Do you think that Maria Theresa would still be married to the Duke of Lorraine? I have the impression that, with a male heir to ensure the continuation of the Habsburg dynasty, she wouldn't be wasted in an alliance with a minor noble house, and probably they would find a more important husband to her.

It depends on if they meet; by all accounts, they actually loved each other, despite Francis' numerous sexcapades. If they meet under whatever circumstances, there's a chance Maria Theresa will fall for him and want to marry him anyway; and with a secure male heir, Charles will probably be more lax about what his other kids do.
 
It depends on if they meet; by all accounts, they actually loved each other, despite Francis' numerous sexcapades. If they meet under whatever circumstances, there's a chance Maria Theresa will fall for him and want to marry him anyway; and with a secure male heir, Charles will probably be more lax about what his other kids do.

I think it could have gone the other way: as Maria Theresa isn't the heir she would have less power to decide her own future. Also, I think Charles VI only allowed that IOTL exactly because the House of Lorraine wasn't important and was almost extinct, and they wouldn't care their descendents being called Habsburg. Without the need of preserve the dynasty, and as Maria Theresa would be a diplomatic tool rather than the heir of the Empire, I think it's less likely that the Emperor would care for what she wants.
 
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