Napoleon and Spain

Napoleon goes another way dealing with Spain. He still deposes Charles IV, but not Ferdinand. Instead he encourages him to marry either Elisa Bonaparte or Pauline. Pauline is already married, but Napoleon can force the divorce. Elisa is of more political mind but tend to be more independent-minded.

Moreover, Napoleon backs up Godoy's position.

Thus, France and Spain can beat Portugal and resist any British advance.

Would Ferdinand be at least somewhat loyal to Napoleon if he was tied to him via marriage? Will avoiding Spanish Campaign allow French Empire to live longer?
 
Not that Pauline divorcing Camillo Borghese would sadden her, but the Italian prince had at least some prestige an fortune : marrying Ferdinand would be stepping lower, for her (and she was not the kind of person you just could force to marry).

Furthermore, Camillo was someone Napoleon often relied for diplomatical and political purposes (in Italy and Russia, for exemple). Rejecting a popular prince so boldly would have bad consequences.
 
Not that Pauline divorcing Camillo Borghese would sadden her, but the Italian prince had at least some prestige an fortune : marrying Ferdinand would be stepping lower, for her (and she was not the kind of person you just could force to marry).

Furthermore, Camillo was someone Napoleon often relied for diplomatical and political purposes (in Italy and Russia, for exemple). Rejecting a popular prince so boldly would have bad consequences.

Sounds reasonable. What of Elisa than? As far as I remember she is already divorced by 1808.
 
Sounds reasonable. What of Elisa than? As far as I remember she is already divorced by 1808.

Elisa was a really independent person, with her own ideas and own policies (quite good ones, actually). If Napoleon wanted to have a real personal influence on Ferdinand, marrying him with Elisa could backfire, up to actual abdication eventually (as with Louis Bonaparte IOTL)
 
Elisa was a really independent person, with her own ideas and own policies (quite good ones, actually). If Napoleon wanted to have a real personal influence on Ferdinand, marrying him with Elisa could backfire.




Well, I don't know much about Elisa in particular, but it seems that if Napoleon was in mood for an idea stated OP he has little choice. There are simply no close female relatives of decent age to marry Ferdinand.
 
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There are simply no close female relatives of decent age to marry Ferdinand.

We're talking about Napoleon there : decent age or not, if he really wanted to marry Ferdinand with a Bonaparte, he would take the first that would not be too much of a problem for his ambitions, even if it wouldn't be one of his sisters.
 
We're talking about Napoleon there : decent age or not, if he really wanted to marry Ferdinand with a Bonaparte, he would take the first that would not be too much of a problem for his ambitions, even if it wouldn't be one of his sisters.

What about his mother, then? :D Nobody said anything about perpetuating the Spanish Bourbons' line.
 
What about his mother, then? :D Nobody said anything about perpetuating the Spanish Bourbons' line.

Yeah, you can go as far as offering Joseph's infant daughters.

I guess, there were certain cousins or kind of...

One more option Napoleon had I didn't state in OP is actually deposing Ferdinand as well and installing Infante Franciso, marrying him to Napoleon's nieces. Thus, Spain will have an impression of self-rule.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infante_Francisco_de_Paula_of_Spain
 
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