No Pragmatic Succession: The Spainish Empire under King Carlos?

Basically what it says on the tin: Let's say that for some reason King Ferdinand either never establishes the Pragmatic Succession decree in Spain, or reputed it before his death. Maybe he has a fallout with the like regent candidates for his daughter, or his priests convince him it's God's plan. Whatever the case, his brother the Infanta Carlos ascends to the Spanish throne following his death, peacefully and with great legitimacy bringing his conservative faction into power at court. How would this diverts development of the Spanish Empire from our timeline?
 
Problem with this idea is that IIRC Carlos IV was afraid of dying without sons (Fernando VII had something like 6 older brothers who preceded him to the grave), and wished to prevent one of his brothers gaining the Spanish crown when he died, so he inserted his daughters in the succession ahead of his brothers. I'm not sure if it was an alteration to the succession laws as with the Pragmatic Sanction per se, but I wouldn't be surprised if the liberales/Queen Dowager Maria Cristina claim that it WAS.

That said, Fernando having a falling out with the possible regent (his wife) seems unlikely. He was head over heels for her from all accounts. Even D. Carlos' wife's attempts to slander her before the marriage (by spreading the rumour that she had borne a Neapolitan royal guardsman an illegitimate child) backfired poorly (Fernando heard about it and remarked: "What? A princess who can HAVE children, let her be brought to Spain immediately!")
 
Problem with this idea is that IIRC Carlos IV was afraid of dying without sons (Fernando VII had something like 6 older brothers who preceded him to the grave), and wished to prevent one of his brothers gaining the Spanish crown when he died, so he inserted his daughters in the succession ahead of his brothers. I'm not sure if it was an alteration to the succession laws as with the Pragmatic Sanction per se, but I wouldn't be surprised if the liberales/Queen Dowager Maria Cristina claim that it WAS.

That said, Fernando having a falling out with the possible regent (his wife) seems unlikely. He was head over heels for her from all accounts. Even D. Carlos' wife's attempts to slander her before the marriage (by spreading the rumour that she had borne a Neapolitan royal guardsman an illegitimate child) backfired poorly (Fernando heard about it and remarked: "What? A princess who can HAVE children, let her be brought to Spain immediately!")

Would such a claim stick in such a vague and contested state though, particularly since Isabelle was still in her minority? I'd argue it's hardly ASB to say there's a real possibility the continuation of Salic Law would be the assumed legal state by the more moderate/less certain elements of Spainish society to the point Carlos can safely be corinated and recognized as the legitimant King by the majority of the population.

That's not to say there isent also a possibility that the liberal faction in the court would try to violently contest this; one possible result may be an attempted "Isabellist War".
 
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