No Mary of Modena

The future James II of England married Anne Hyde, the daughter of Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. Anne died in 1671.
In 1673 James married his second wife, the Italian Mary of Modena.
Suppose James, Duke of York does not marry Mary of Modena.
Which lady shall be the second wife of James?
 
The future James II of England married Anne Hyde, the daughter of Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. Anne died in 1671.
In 1673 James married his second wife, the Italian Mary of Modena.
Suppose James, Duke of York does not marry Mary of Modena.
Which lady shall be the second wife of James?

Well, Mary of Modena was his second choice. Initially the plan was to propose to Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria, but the decision of the Emperor Leopold I to marry her changed his options. So, if Leopold doesn't marry Claudia, she probably would be James' wife.
 
Well, Mary of Modena was his second choice. Initially the plan was to propose to Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria, but the decision of the Emperor Leopold I to marry her changed his options. So, if Leopold doesn't marry Claudia, she probably would be James' wife.

Which can easily happen if Margaret Teresa's (Leopold's first wife/niece) death is butterflied just a few years more (she was only 21). Leopold can still marry Eleanore of Neuberg a few years later. Of course if James II behaves the same way, and Claudia Felcitias ALSO gives him a male heir it would be interesting to see if William/Mary/Anne and the Glorious Revolution conspirators would still be willing to fight not only James (with French financial support) but the Emperor as well (since it would mean a Catholic half-Habsburg on the British throne).
 
IDK if the French are still gonna be backing James in this scenario. France and Austria had a weird relationship, and Mary of Modena was the only candidate vetted by France since the other candidates were Klaudia and a Neuburg lady (AFAIK the OTL empress or the Portguese queen).

However, more interesting is that if Mary of Modena isn't duchess of York (it was only Duchess Laura's second choice) she has the possibility to end up married to Carlos II. Failing that, she'll be seen as a pro-French candidate for any marriage.
 
Maria Anna Josepha of Austria, the youngest surviving daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and his third wife Eleonora Gonzaga, is still single?

Or what about a Scottish noble lady, such as one of the two daughter of James Graham, 2nd Marquess of Montrose?
 
James marries Princess Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate, daughter of Prince Palatine Edward and his French wife, Anna Gonzaga.
 
Which can easily happen if Margaret Teresa's (Leopold's first wife/niece) death is butterflied just a few years more (she was only 21). Leopold can still marry Eleanore of Neuberg a few years later. Of course if James II behaves the same way, and Claudia Felcitias ALSO gives him a male heir it would be interesting to see if William/Mary/Anne and the Glorious Revolution conspirators would still be willing to fight not only James (with French financial support) but the Emperor as well (since it would mean a Catholic half-Habsburg on the British throne).

Would Louis XIV stop finnancing Charles II if James and Claudia marry? Or would the general French policy not be changed? If not, it would be quite a mess in 1685: assuming that Claudia manages to give James a son quite early in their marriage, you have a new Catholic king with a male Catholic heir (maybe almost 10 years old) that is married to Habsburg but is supported by France. His Dutch nephew wants to depose him and get England in order to fight France, but needs the support of the Habsburg against the French. It's quite a mess indeed. I imagine that Charles II would try to solve it before he dies. Maybe he insists that James' son is raised as Protestant?
 
James marries Princess Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate, daughter of Prince Palatine Edward and his French wife, Anna Gonzaga.

This is plausible as they are cousins. Benedicta, paternal grandmother is, Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James I of England, while James' paternal grandfather is James I of England.

Also a prince with Edward's features would be a ragged prince indeed.
th
th
th
th
 
James marries Princess Benedicta Henrietta in 1673.
Their children are:
Prince Edward born 1674
Princess Anne born 1676
Prince David born 1678 in Scotland
 
Top