The Daughter of Charles II of Spain

The pregnancy of Marie Louise of Orléans, Queen of Spain in 1685 came as a surprise for all involved. The Spanish Consort, married already for 6 years to an invalid whose tongue was so large he could not shut his mouth, relayed the story of the conception to her uncle, who demanded every detail:

The King is prone to exorcisms so that he might be whole. And so, one night, the Queen (the old one) called myself and the King to her rooms. She had brought a mystic man in, from who knows where, and had me undress the King for him. After an hour or so of chanting and dancing, he had the King so riled up that he told me to undress, which I would not do. So they instead left the room, and it was then I undressed, and the King mounted me and the deed was finally done. We have not done this again, and for that I am glad. The mystic man has left, and the Queen searched for another to repeat his miracles. I remain in doubt she will succeed.

Thus, an heir was conceived. Marie Louise of Orléans was no longer the pretty girl she had been when she had arrived, but a fat, sickly woman who was perpetually homesick. However, with this pregnancy she did finally have some purpose, and in November of that year, four months pregnant, she demanded that new female attendants be sent from France to aide her during this time. Not something the Queen Mother wanted, she was at first denied, but she had the King's support, for he loved her in his own way. Thus, six women from the French court, all of high birth, joined her household.

With these women, Marie Louise was able to grown more comfortable during her pregnancy, and actually seemed to regain some of the youthful prettiness she had lost in the previous years at court. In particular, she seems to have leaned upon Mademoiselle de Bouillon, who would describe the situation of the Queen almost perfectly in a letter to her elder brother:

She is almost pretty, almost Queenly and almost happy. But none are quite there and that is a shame.

It was the 21st of May, 1686, when the Queen of Spain gave birth to her first and only child, a daughter, named Juana Maria Luisa Anna de Spain, who at birth became the heir to the Spanish Empire, falling though it was. The first person to hold the baby was the Queen Mother, who apparently had to be manhandled to have the baby given to it's mother. The mother herself looked down at her baby and said a quote that would become famous in time:

It is a girl. That means I shall have to do this all again.

However, she would not. It seems whatever that mystic man had done to push the King into such a state that he was able to impregnate his wife, it could not be repeated, and the King and Queen would not have another child. Instead, the heir to would stay Juana Maria, and all the hopes and dreams of the Spanish Hapsburgs lay in that infant girl's hands.
 
I think he obvious solution is for her to marry Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria, one of the male claimants to the Spanish throne who just so happened to be neither Hapsburg nor Bourbon.
 
Is she even the child of Charles II Isn't it logical that she is a Bastard?

The POD is that, during one of the many exorcisms that Charles II of Spain underwent with the goal of getting healthy, he managed to have intercourse with his wife. It's up to you to decide if this child is a miracle birth for the Hapsburgs or not his, but it's a subject that ITL will be highly debated.

EDIT: Bear in mind the Queen of Spain ITL seems never to be linked to anyone romantically, but then she also never conceived with Charles. Miracles do happen. But so do deceptions.
 
Having Charles II (allegedly) siring an heir has always been one of my favorite 'what if' scenarios.

I will be following this with interest. Bonus points if it turns out Juana Maria looks nothing like her dad and doesn't have any Habsburg traits at all :p
 
Last edited:
It was the health of the Infanta Juana that worried many at the beginning of her life. Tiny from birth, eternally pale and with a tendency for labored breath, the Princess of Asturias was not the picture of health wanted for what was the last heir of a royal house. In particular, the breathing problems would always be an issue for the Infanta as she grew into adulthood, and it was said she had to be carried up any hill for fear she might faint when she reached the top.

Juana Maria, Princess of Asturias was the jewel of her father's eye, although he was not of hers. Utterly enchanted by the existence of a child all his own, Charles II of Spain would spend hours sitting in a room with her, demanding total silence of the court in a rare display of force so that he might watch her breath. In one instance, he ordered seventeen birds that had awakened her during a sleep in the gardens have their throats cut. However, the Infanta never repaid this love with affection of her own. While as a baby she played along, in her early childhood she would hit and scream at her father until he left, and on one occasion bit his finger so hard it was feared it may have to be removed. However, this eventually settled into an uneven relationship, where Juana would tolerate and Charles would adore.

It must be said, the girl in question was not the hideous monster her father was. No beauty, her mother's favourite Mademoiselle de Bouillon would describe her somewhat unfairly to her brother in France at the Infanta's 13th birthday:

She stands barely a hand taller than a dwarf, which is not good as many can see her humped back. Her hair is thick, black and unruly. Whatever the quality of it, there is a problem as it sits much too far forward on her head, ending barely three fingers before her eyebrows. Her skin is quite pale, and when there is colour it is shocking and much too deep. Her eyes are dark, her nose is too long and her lips are thin at the top and thick at the bottom. There is a length to her chin, and the whole effect is what one would expect from her lineage. Overall, she would not do at home.

Her mother, a few months later, would have kinder words to say to her uncle:

She is almost pretty. In fact, if it was not for her chin, she would most definitely be amongst the most beautiful girls in the court. However, she is very short and very white. We are glad to have her.

Now the Infanta Juana Maria's parentage has been argued continuously. While accepted at the time she was the daughter of Charles II of Spain, others have been less sure. It has been that her father was one of many young men at the court. The main theory that has been agreed upon is that her father was a ward of the Queen Mother's, although who is not certain. In one version, it is a young man by the name of Juan, who may have been a nobleman's bastard. Another has the Infanta's father be a Hapsburg bastard or cousin.

Now what is interest in these theories is that, in general, they do not attempt to explain how the Infanta ended up with such a pronounced case of the Hapsburg lip. With an under bite almost as pronounced as her father's, Juana Maria's heritage was never questions. Theorists who do attempt to explain this look to her maternal grandmother Anne of Austria, who is her paternal aunt. These theorists claim that the pronunciation of her jaw came from there, and thus was continually referred to by people of the court in an effort to disguise the fact she did not in many other ways resemble her supposed father. However, these theorists are usually met with criticisms regarding their idea that only the courtiers with reasons to protect the Infanta commented on it. Visitors, rivals and even straight out enemies to Juana Maria would comment on her jaw, and those who mention the difference in her colouring have always attributed it to her mother, who had similar colouring.

However, it was not the appearance that mattered most for the Infanta, but her mental facilities. After decades of rule by the incompetent and partially insane Charles II of Spain, many hoped for a competent and mentally sound ruler in Juana. And at first, there was little hope. The Infanta was not able to walk until she was two, did not talk until she was three and a half, and struggled with lessons for most of her early childhood. Indeed, the biggest compliment regarding the Infanta's intellect at the age of 9 was that:

Although she cannot write, she reads well.

However, although her literacy skills were lacking, the Infanta did have many other talents that would become useful in the future. With her talent for public speaking and a certain level of wit, she easily outclassed her courtiers, even if it became more biting than necessary at time. She also knew how to dress well, and took to wearing platform shoes to give herself added height, with many of her shoes adding around half a foot or more. However, she was most certainly lacking in many areas and this was probably due to the lackluster efforts of her mother and grandmother, who frequently argued over what she should be studying. The Queen was for a more traditional Renaissance education, to give her scope, while the Queen Mother wanted a more pointed, etiquette based education, to make her less of an individual and more of an ornament, to be ruled by the Queen Mother, and later her husband.

The Infanta was betrothed, in 1693, to Charles von Hapsburg, her Austrian cousin, and the younger brother to the future Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor. However, from the first, her mother was against it:

Will someone not realize that we were lucky that she exists, and if we continue to intermarry, we may not have this change again.

However, the marriage was most definitely agreed to and the contracts signed, with the hope the two would be united sometime after the potential bride's 20th birthday. That clause was for the mother's benefit, as she felt her daughter's issues with height might mean she would not be physically able to handle such a relationship, and thus it was hoped maturity would come late for her.

Thus, the adolescence of the Infanta Juana Maria was one of hope for the future, if a poor reflection on the present. With the fighting influences of her mother and grandmother, the Infanta often sat on the sidelines and watched them bicker. She would remain distant from all, and often was repulsed by her father, who continued to be fascinated by his daughter. It might be said that the Princess of Asturias did not have the worst of royal childhoods, but she may be said to have had the least in royal childhoods. Under-educated, underlooked and frequently undermined, for a royal heiress with the Spanish Empire at her feet, she was unappreciated in many respects. It would be only through perseverance alone that the Infanta might be recognized as an individual, but that remained to be seen.
 
Really enjoying this!

I'm glad that her mother didn't die in 1689 as per OTL. I guess that having a child - and one who was heiress to the throne - would give her a reason to live. Will Charles still die in 1700? If so then the regency battle could be interesting!
 
Juana Maria, II of Spain, suffered through her regency with only one complaint after the death of her father in 1700. People kept wanting to marry her off. Under the influence of her mother, she set out to end her betrothal to Charles von Hapsburg and marry elsewhere. Now, where elsewhere was was subject to whoever she was talking to. To her mother and the French ambassador, it was the grandchildren of the King of France, either Philippe, Duc d'Anjou or Charles, Duc de Berry. To the Portuguese Ambassador, it was to John, Prince of Brazil. And to in some letters, it was claimed she would wed James Stuart, son of the crownless James II of England, who had lost his throne for the Catholic faith. None were sure where the Queen of Spain wanted to marry, and all that spoke to her were sure that she wanted to marry their candidate.

In her own time, the Queen kept her own thoughts as private as possible. Although she had spoken against a match with a fellow Hapsburg, both due to issues with her grandmother and because she personally found portraits of Charles von Hapsburg unappealing, she did not give any sign towards one candidate. Her mother herself found the inner workings of her daughter baffling and agitating, and at one point actually hit Juana Maria very hard on the face to get some form of reaction. Unfortunately, all that she got was a curt letter two days later demanding an apology.

The Queen of Spain's relationships with her mother and grandmother were both oddly similar. For Maria Luisa d'Orleans, Juana Maria seems to have not had the strongest relationship. Cold to a point of comment from even the stuffiest of courtiers, the Queen Mother and the Queen of Spain demanded respect from each other and very little else. In contrast, the Queen of Spain seems to have moved to hate her grandmother, who died in 1699 but who she referred to very often throughout her life. The words she used were very telling between the two. For Maria Luisa, it was all very formal and straightforward: "my mother", "the Queen", "our lady". However, for Marianna of Austria, the language was strong, particularly for the overly restrained Juana Maria: "that woman", "the most wretched", "my devil".

Indeed, Juana Maria took to keeping her family in check with nicknames. Her mother was "the lady" or "our lady". Her father would, after his death, by "the King" and "that smiling man", or in occasions with her mother, "our former burden". Her grandmother was "my devil", "our terror" and, in one memorable letter to her confessor around the time for her grandmother's death, "that awful and monstrous woman who has finally left us".
 
Last edited:
It's interesting that Juana Maria is the heir (maybe Queen based on your last post, but you forgot to mention if/when Charles II died) when it seems as though 'Spanish succession' at this time didn't allow for a woman to take the throne, but she could pass a claim to a son.

So unless there was some sort of change that you didn't mention, the line of Maria Theresa of Spain and her husband, Louis XIV of France would still have a good claim on Spain.
 
It's interesting that Juana Maria is the heir (maybe Queen based on your last post, but you forgot to mention if/when Charles II died) when it seems as though 'Spanish succession' at this time didn't allow for a woman to take the throne, but she could pass a claim to a son.

So unless there was some sort of change that you didn't mention, the line of Maria Theresa of Spain and her husband, Louis XIV of France would still have a good claim on Spain.

Female children could inherit. The Hapsburg lines claimed Spain through the line of Juana I of Castile and Aragon, and she claimed Castile through her mother, Isabella I of Castile.
 
Marie Louise and her daughter Joanne would be the Jacobite pretenders if the male line of James II are still extinguished..there might be an urgency for Consolatrice to be married..
 
The personal reign of Juana Maria I, Queen of Spain, began in 1704. Aged 18, the tiny young woman rose to the throne, having kept her head amongst the men and women of her court. Fully aware of her position as the greatest match since Elizabeth I of England, Juana Maria also knew she needed to marry. Solitary and imperious by nature, she was both intensely aware of her position and dignity, but fearful of a more powerful husband. Thus, that came into her consideration.

In the end, the choice was between the powerless Jacobite pretender, James Stuart, and the Duke of Beja. Rejecting the French Ducs outright, Juana Maria instead looked for the less Stuart Pretender Prince and the second son to the King of Portugal. The choice seemed obvious to her mother, who found the Stuart boy charming and thought his landlessness might be reversed by the Spanish army. Juana Maria was also seemingly charmed by the young man, but less inclined to attack England. Thus, the Stuart Prince was sent away from court, and the Duke of Beja made to Spain, to fill the position of King Consort.

Immediately, the Queen Mother complained that the new King was not as handsome as James Stuart. Solidly built, he lacked the gallantry of his rival, but brought with him a solid peace with Portugal, with the acceptance of the House of Braganza and the potential union of the crowns, should John, Prince of Brazil fail to father an heir. She also found the bluff, easy-going young man attractive, despite being 5 years her younger, and wanted him for herself. Thus, the 13 year old Duke of Beja married the 18 year old Queen of Spain.

It soon became clear that the Queen of Spain meant to dominate her husband. Unlike other candidates, this man was much younger than her and naturally able to take orders, something she wanted to take advantage of. Having seen her father be controlled by her mother and grandmother, she did not want to be treated as such by anyone, and if Francisco of Braganza was already under her thumb, she could not be under his. Of course, a young husband meant the tiny Queen was able to put back her own trials with childbirth back by a few years. Her own birth had been difficult, and her mother had been a hearty, larger woman. Juana Maria, in contrast, gave off a look of delicacy, made worse by her tiny frame. Bearing children would be difficult, and she was not willing to immediately do it. However, it could not be put off forever, and in choosing a young, hale man, she sped up the time considerably. Thus, in 1707, at the age of 21, with her 16 year old husband, the Queen of Spain announced her first pregnancy.

This was not, however, the only event to happen in the first 3 years of her personal rule. Having made peace with Portugal completely, Juana Maria had to face the criticism of the old Spanish Nobility, angered that the last Hapsburg had given up on the Portuguese issue. The Queen faced large amounts of doubts about her ability to rule then, and they were mostly attributed to her gender. Even her mother doubted her, proclaiming she had been given power too soon.
 
The birth of the Prince of Asturias in 1708 coincided with the death of the Queen Mother. Maria Luisa d'Orleans, aged 46, was massively obese at her death, and unable to walk up stairs or down long hallways, and thus usually stayed in her rooms, adjacent to her daughter's. She lived long enough, however, to see Felipe Francisco de Braganza's birth, and the beginning of a new dynasty on the Spanish Throne truly begun. The Queen of Spain thus ordered the celebrations for her son's birth cut short, and the court immediately fell into mourning.

This was not a choice made out of hard grief. Although apparently more saddened than she had expected to be, Juana Maria instead took her mother's death as an opportunity to economize. Spain was rich, but big celebrations could drain a treasury quickly, and after three days of high spirits, she saw her opportunity to save the country money. Thus, her mother's funeral took place, and the Queen wore black for six months for public mourning. Her husband, meanwhile, left for six months following the birth of his son and death of his mother-in-law to train as an officer and general of the army, a position his wife wanted him to have.

With an heir and a husband with high ambitions, the Queen of Spain entered the period of her life in which she was her happiest. Juana Maria seems to have especially fallen deeply in love with her child during this time, and Felipe Francisco himself was naturally deeply dependent on his mother, due to the whole infancy thing. The Queen wrote to her cousin, King Louis XIV of France, shortly after the birth, declaring that motherhood had fulfilled her. However, there was more in the letter to the King of France than a simple family discussion. Juana Maria was looking for a wife for her son, at this time with the only daughter of the Duc de Normandie, the eldest son of la Grande Dauphin by his second wife, Marie Anne de Neuburg, who had married the Dauphin in 1692, after his first wife's death. The had been through six pregnancies, of which the Ducs de Normandie and d'Aquitaine were the only to survive immediate childhood.

Anne-Diane d'Aquitaine, only daughter of the Duc de Normandie and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, who died in 1707, at age of 13, giving birth to the couples only child. The Duc de Normandie had recieved harsh words from his father and grandfather, who had warned him that consummation should have waited until he and his wife were older. His disposition, however, was much like his grandfather's and, having not begun with mistresses yet, took to his wife's rooms one night. Thus, Anne-Diane d'Aquitaine was the only French Princess of the Blood available at the time. And shortly, she was betrothed to the future King of Spain, Felipe Francisco de Braganza, Prince of Asturias.
 
Top