Elfwine said:
Does Henry have any claim in his own right (as opposed to via marrying Eleanor) to Aquitaine, though?
Henry doesn't. Marie of France does on the other hand : she is the daughter of Eleanor, which makes her the Duchess of Aquitaine technically in that scenario.
kasumigenx said:
Then that means the TL where in Louis VII dies and his daughter marrying Henry has a consequence similar to OTL?
Not exactly. Let's have a look.
First, the situation in France. If Louis VII and Eleanor die on the Second Crusade in 1147, they only leave behind a two year old daughter (Marie) as heir to the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Aquitaine.
Marie is probably going to keep Aquitaine as she will inherit it from her mother in that scenario. France, on the other hand, is likely not to go to her but to one of her Uncles. Two of Marie's Uncle have higher chances of getting the throne than her :
-Henri, the third son of Louis VI and the first younger brother of Louis VII, who became a Bishop in 1149 OTL. He would be 25 in 1147, but a priest by that point.
-Robert, the fifth but fourth surviving son of Louis VI and second surviving younger brother of Louis VII, who became Count of Dreux in 1152 OTL. He would be three years younger than Henri but he wouldn't be a cleric like his brother.
Why would Marie have less right than one of those two? Because 1) She is a child, they're adults and 2) She is a female, they're male. Plus, French Nobles are still pretty strong by that point : the French King only secured their positions with Philip II Augustus OTL, though Philip I (political schemer but had trouble with the papacy), Louis VI (first great and effective king of France) and Louis VII (good administrator despite two huge failures, namely the failed second crusade and marriage to Eleanor) had started the movement a bit. Why do I mention the nobles? Because they are likely to choose the Next King in that situation as Royal Control was still weak in 1147.
Second, there's Henry's own situtaion. Without the marriage to Eleanor, he won't have the ressources of the Duchy of Aquitaine in 1152, which might weaken him in his fight against Stephen of Blois. Not saying he wouldn't succeed in getting the English crown but could probably have a harder time. In any case, his Henry's "Empire" ITTL will only be made of England, Normandy and Anjou (and maybe Britanny indirectly like OTL) if he succeeds.
The solution of Henry marrying Marie would be interesting : it gives Henry a claim to the French throne
jure uxoris (in right of his wife), as well as makes him Duke of Aquitaine the same way. This could thus pave the way for an Anglo-French Empire via a French War of Succession.
The problem is that the King of France in this timeline (be it Henri II or Robert III) would probably want to secure his position in France by marrying their heir to the daughter of their predecessor and brother. This would secure the French throne for the next King, and it would bring Aquitaine into the Royal Dosmaine as the marriage of Eleanor and Louis VII intended to do (but failed to realise). Not to mention young Marie would probably be in the care of her Uncle the King.