Marie Thérèse de France, duchess of Teschen

Considering that she was in Vienna for nearly three years before the Holy Roman Emperor sent her on to her uncle and her match with her cousin, the duc d'Angoulême, Marie Thérèse Charlotte de France, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, a match was proposed several times with the duke of Teschen (and sometime last governor of the Austrian Netherlands).

The corrollary to this match was that the duc d'Angoulême would be compensated for his lost bride by marriage to the emperor's sister, the Archduchess Maria Amalia (b. 1780) who would be given several border counties in the Netherlands as her dowry. Unfortunately, Maria Amalia decided she didn't like the idea of being another l'Autrichenne and went and died in the following year. Franz II attempted to rescue the situation by offering another Habsburg archduchess (probably his only unmarried sister, Maria Anna (b. 1770)), but Louis XVIII had an ally in his niece whom he had tricked (her into thinking that the match with Angoulême was what her parents had wanted) by sending her love-letters supposedly from Angoulême.

Say Marie-Thérèse is married off (whether willingly or by force) to her Austrian cousin, and his sister is sent to marry Angoulême (his childlessness might not necessarily be affected by a different bride though). What might this mean for the relationship between Austria and France for the remainder of the Revolutionary-Napoleonic Wars? What does the future hold for Marie-Thérèse?
 
Something else I was musing on, is that around the time of Angoulême's marriage, the duc de Berri was sent to pay court to two unmarried daughters of the Neapolitan king (unspecified who they were, but considering the only ones available were Maria Cristina, Maria Amelia and Maria Antonietta let's go with the elder two).

Now there was some sort "scandal" involving Berri and the two girls. History books are strangely silent on this matter, some never going so far as to even mention Berri's suit. But either way, Berri came home without a wife.

Now, Berri marrying Cristina doesn't affect things too much, except that now we've got two childless heirs to the Bourbons (assuming the problems lay with her and not her husband) instead of one. But Berri marrying Maria Amelia gets rid of all ten children she bore to Louis Philippe, while still making them conveniently French and members of the royal family. So what about a triple butterfly (does such a thing exist?)?: Marie-Thérèse is duchess of Teschen, Angoulême marries his Austrian archduchess who may or may not die on schedule (can't find out what killed her) with or without a child, and Berri gets Maria Amelia.

Could make for fun times for the 19th century French Bourbons.
 
Considering that she was in Vienna for nearly three years before the Holy Roman Emperor sent her on to her uncle and her match with her cousin, the duc d'Angoulême, Marie Thérèse Charlotte de France, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, a match was proposed several times with the duke of Teschen (and sometime last governor of the Austrian Netherlands).

The corrollary to this match was that the duc d'Angoulême would be compensated for his lost bride by marriage to the emperor's sister, the Archduchess Maria Amalia (b. 1780) who would be given several border counties in the Netherlands as her dowry. Unfortunately, Maria Amalia decided she didn't like the idea of being another l'Autrichenne and went and died in the following year. Franz II attempted to rescue the situation by offering another Habsburg archduchess (probably his only unmarried sister, Maria Anna (b. 1770)), but Louis XVIII had an ally in his niece whom he had tricked (her into thinking that the match with Angoulême was what her parents had wanted) by sending her love-letters supposedly from Angoulême.

Say Marie-Thérèse is married off (whether willingly or by force) to her Austrian cousin, and his sister is sent to marry Angoulême (his childlessness might not necessarily be affected by a different bride though). What might this mean for the relationship between Austria and France for the remainder of the Revolutionary-Napoleonic Wars? What does the future hold for Marie-Thérèse?

I've never seen anything suggesting that an Archduchess was offered to d'Angoulême. However, Marie-Thérese and Archduke Karl of Teschen is a very interesting match. Another thing to remember however, is the fear that Louis XVIII felt over the marriage. Emperor Franz intended to make Marie-Thérese and Archduke Karl co-rulers of France. Chances are, despite Salic law, the Emperor could have succeeded considering his would be sister-in-law was the only Royal the French people kept in their minds and hearts during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. A very different future indeed.
 
I've never seen anything suggesting that an Archduchess was offered to d'Angoulême. However, Marie-Thérese and Archduke Karl of Teschen is a very interesting match. Another thing to remember however, is the fear that Louis XVIII felt over the marriage. Emperor Franz intended to make Marie-Thérese and Archduke Karl co-rulers of France. Chances are, despite Salic law, the Emperor could have succeeded considering his would be sister-in-law was the only Royal the French people kept in their minds and hearts during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. A very different future indeed.

Things could have gone very different had Marie-Therese been ambitious. She was the only real Bourbon with a fervent following (as the Orphan of the Temple) and was respected by her enemies (like Napoleon) in the way her uncles and cousins were dismissed. But she was haunted by what had been done to her entire family (father, mother, aunt executed, brother was basically neglected and mistreated to death) and her own imprisonment. She was then then doubly (during the 100 Days when the troops in Bourdeux would not fight for her against Napoleon) and triply (by Louis Phillip and the House of Orleans who she had never trusted - rightfully as it turned out) betrayed and spent three different period in exile in France. BUT let's say she married Karl of Austria, stays in Austria during the Napoleonic wars (and not in exile with Louis XVIII), Louis XVIII is restored WITHOUT her by his side, the 100 days still happens. That gives a perfect excuse not to restore Louis XVIII a second time (Alexander of Russia certainly didn't want to and considered giving the throne to Louis Phillipe) and break the Salic Law (which SHOULD have been a dead letter after so many revolutions/constitutions) and have Marie-Therese be Queen Regnant with Karl of Austria as her consort (the French couldn't complain - it's not like they didn't accept Marie Louise for their "Emperor" after decrying Marie Antoinette as the Austrian You-Know-What just a decade before) and a more liberal constitution (Marie-Therese might not have gone for it but the Habsburgs would have if it enabled them to get France).

Of course Marie-Therese never really trusted her Habsburg relations - and with good reason. They made little effort to save her mother, or her brother or herself (until she was the only one left and her continued presence in the Tower, embarrassed the Directory since she became an object of sympathy not only in Europe but within France as well) and any of the numerous treaties that Austria signed with Revolutionary and then Napoleonic France compensation of any kind (even for her captivity without trial or for the properties personally owned by her parents) for Marie-Therese was NEVER mentioned. They had no real interest in her, beyond a potential political tool. True, Louis XVIII was the same, but at least she knew him.
 
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Alexander of Russia certainly didn't want to and considered giving the throne to Louis Phillipe)

Surprisingly I was reading recently that Sasha of Russia wasn't the only one who preferred Louis Philippe. Apparently HRE Franz II considered him the better horse to back rather than say Louis XVIII/Charles X, it was only Franz's own desire to set everything back to pre-1793 that made him support a Restoration of LXVIII.

That said, Constantine, all of this about the marriage was gleaned from Nagel's biography of Madame Royal. The archduchess remains unspecified IIRC, but I somehow recall reading that the Austrian Low Countries (or part thereof) were offered as part of a dowry elsewhere.
 
Bumping this

And wondering if Karl's offer of the Mexican imperial diadem after all the Bourbon princes refused it might be affected by this marriage. Since it's clear from her obstetrical history that MT could have children, though AFAIR her OTL hubby suffered from neurasthenia, asthma and some other health issues. Karl OTOH only had a mild case epilepsy from what I remember, and it didn't really affect him too badly considering his track record.
 
I'm reviving an old thread of mine, since I've been thinking on it of late.

I think the only way Marie Thérèse is going to be able to marry the duke of Teschen is if Louis XVII survives. Which might necessitate a slightly earlier POD. So, say Louis XVII survives - would the Revolutionary government hand him over alongside his sister? And how might he be received abroad? He's still a child (technically) and, much like his sister, been emotionally and physically abused for the last stretch. Might he - being younger - be able to "bounce back" from his imprisonment (excuse the gross over-simplification, I realize he's not just breaking his arm or something). Or would he end up as an Ivan VI type - where even if he were freed, he'd be carrying the PTSD scars and withdrawing into himself that he'd be king in name only?
 
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