Not the Duke of Cadiz

Whether Queen Isabella II of Spain should marry a Coburg, an Orleanist, or a Bourbon prince embittered Anglo-French relations.
Eventually she married Francis, the Duke of Cadiz.
Suppose Isabella II does not marry Francis. Who shall she marry?
 
Why on earth? AFAIK, no Habsburg archduke was ever even on the cards. The premier candidates were Bourbons.

Maria Cristina, the Queen-Regent, wanted her brother, the Conte de Trapani to marry Isabella, since she had the reasoning her own marriage with her uncle had been happy enough, why shouldn't a second avuncular marriage be.

England preferred the liberal duque of Seville - Enrique. While France preferred the more effeminate duque of Cadiz. Isabel herself wanted to marry Enrique, however, needs must, and she was married to his older brother instead.

The Carlists talked of marrying her to the Count of Montemolin, but nothing ever came of it.

Other possibilities kicked around were Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, a Saxe-Coburg-Prince (perhaps Franz, younger brother of the king of Portugal and the duchesse de Nemours) and a prince of Parma.

AFAIK, no Habsburg was ever seriously considered.
 
Smack'em'down Jonas
feel better now you have alerted us and LeopoldPhilippe
of your superior knowledge of Royal inter marriage's ?
Please don't look at Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany
and what an alt hist. marriage might look like with Isabella.
Sheesh!
 
Not a secret that isabel liked to get it on till the break of dawn so the Duke of Cadiz was a disaster. Enrique was probably a better choice. That's who she wanted after all.

This Ferdinand IV might keep her happy. He sure had a lot of kids! So no problem keeping keeping up with the Mrs. But England and France didn't want a Habsburg and the Habsburgs themselves were more on the side of the Carlists.

But could a consort she could ride like a mechanical bull stabilize her, her court, her government and her country? I think so. I think the Spaniards were grossed out by her antics (and her corruption). Maybe a happier family would prevent her being chased off the throne.
 
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Isabel, Carola of Vasa. Isabel, Carola of Vasa. Well, they say love is blind, right? So if marries this lovely Bourbon maiden does he renounce the throne of Saxony in favor of his brother George who then weds Carola?
 
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They were both horn dogs! Hormonally ever after?

He was already married was he not? If he were to marry her (fanciful as that idea may be), he would have to give up the throne. The Sardinian crown would pass through the Dukes of Genoa.

I think a happy sex life within marriage would stabilize Isabel and Spain (as I mentioned before).
 
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