What if Ferdinand of Austria, son of Emperor Charles V, had lived to adulthood?

Ferdinand of Austria was the third son of Emperor Charles and his wife Isabella. Ferdinand of Austria was born in 1535 and died in 1538. Let us suppose that Ferdinand is a strong healthy child and does not die young. What would be the effects of Charles V having another adult son? What lands would Charles V bequeath to Ferdinand in TTL? I imagine that Charles would give Ferdinand the entire Burgundian inheritance in TTL. Would Charles create a kingdom for Ferdinand in TTL? Whom might Ferdinand marry in TTL (Elizabeth I of England?)? What would be the relationship between Philip and Ferdinand in TTL?
 
Charles V would probably bequeath the (entire) Burgundian Inheritance to TTL Ferdinand. However raising one of the Burgundian Lands to a kingdom or granting the Crown of Burgundy (AKA Arelat, but not appropriate for this kingdom of Burgundy). In a way this would shift the kingdom of Burgundy northwards, just like how IOTL the duchy (later electorate) of Saxony shifted eastwards. However remember that the kingdom of Burgundy, the duchy of Burgundy and the Free County of Burgundy were separate entities (though the Free County (originally) was a fief of the kingdom).

Still even though in theory the Emperor could do so, in practice there would be negotiations with the prince-electors and with king of the Romans Ferdinand (the brother of Charles V). IOTL late in their reigns Charles V and Ferdinand I had a dispute over the succession in the Empire. Probably like IOTL Ferdinand wins the dispute, but maybe Charles can secure a Crown for TTL Ferdinand. Still this kingdom will like Bohemia remain a fief of the Empire.
 
My thinking behind Charles V creating a kingdom for Ferdinand in TTL was to transform the many lands of the Burgundian inheritance into a unified entity. In OTL, Charles issued the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 in order to streamline the succession laws of all Seventeen Provinces and I could see him wanting to give Ferdinand a kingdom to match the titles Philip II would inherit in TTL.

In TTL, Ferdinand would have probably been made regent of the Netherlands by Charles in this TTL before inheriting them. In OTL, Charles took Philip to Germany to introduce Philip to various princes in the Empire and made his daughter Maria and nephew/son in law regents of Spain in his absence. In TTL, Charles could have also used that time to introduce Ferdinand to his future domain and have his sister Mary train him in his future responsibilities. Regardless of what title Charles is able to grant Ferdinand in TTL, there will most likely be a rivalry between the Burgundian Habsburgs and their cousins in Vienna for the imperial throne. The Burgundian inheritance would make Ferdinand the wealthiest prince in the Empire, a prince rich enough to influence imperial elections.

The wife of Ferdinand in TTL could be any number of interesting candidates. If his brother Philip still marries Mary I of England in TTL, then perhaps Charles V would be able to convince Mary to betroth Elizabeth, her sister and heir, to Ferdinand. In OTL, Mary did not want Elizabeth to marry anyone because it would have required Elizabeth to made legitimate by the Pope, which would have called Mary’s own legitimacy into question, so I cannot see Mary ever allowing Elizabeth to marry anyone. Perhaps Elizabeth falls in love with Ferdinand “the Fair” at her sister’s wedding and marries him when she becomes queen. I guess I am looking for any excuse to form a personal union of England and Burgundy.

The relationship between Philip and Ferdinand in TTL would be fascinating. Even though they would both be raised in a similar manner, Ferdinand would probably be more tolerant than Philip was in OTL in his handling of the Netherlands. Imagine a Spain that does not bankrupt itself multiple times trying to pacify the Netherlands. Burgundy would still need the protection of Spain to defend itself against France in TTL.
 
Charles V had already noticed the difficulties to rule both the Spanish Kingdoms and the Burgundian Lands well, IOTL he even considered granting it to his daughter Mary (who married Maximilian II).
Having a second son to give to, would make it easier (since it would stay with his line of the dynasty). There will be a few conditions, like Philip and TTL Ferdinand being each others heir, if one of them lacks (male) heirs.

In the short run Charles V' brother Ferdinand will become the next Holy Roman Emperor, since he is King of the Romans, and he will have a head start to make his son the next Emperor. Unless Charles V decides relatively early to grant the Burgundian Lands to his son Ferdinand, then he will do more to get his son Ferdinand elected as the successor of his brother Ferdinand. Also TTL Ferdinand unlike his brother Philip would be a 'native' prince (just like his uncle Ferdinand was a 'native' prince) and thus more acceptable. Still IMHO Maximilian II probably will inherit, but after that things get interesting. OTOH they remain Habsburgs and TTL Burgundian and Austrian branch could remain close in most matters, given their shared interests in the Empire, they in some regards could be closer, then they both are towards the senior and more powerful Spanish branch.
 
In TTL, perhaps Emperor Maximilian II does not send his sons Rudolf and Ernest to be raised at the court of Philip II. Ferdinand and his children will be ahead of Maximilian and Maria’s kids in the line of succession of the crowns of Spain so Ferdinand might send his sons to Spain in TTL. Assuming Rudolf II is not butterflied away in TTL, I could definitely see conflict between the Burgundian Habsburgs and the Austrian Habsburgs during his reign. In OTL, Rudolf’s relations with the Protestant princes in the Empire were poor during his reign. Ferdinand of Burgundy and his heirs would probably have better dealings with Protestants in Germany due to their having to deal with Burgundian Protestants. With the Habsburg hereditary lands split between Maximilian’s brothers and sons, the Burgundian Habsburgs might be able to use their enormous wealth and better relationship with Protestant electors to get elected to the imperial throne.
 
Well that IMHO would depend on how the Burgundian Habsburgs of TTL would deal with their protestants. Besides before the 30 yrs' war Austria had a relatively large protestant population too.
Also Charles V was a convinced and devout Catholic, and most likely so will be his sons. Now did also applied to OTL (HRE) Ferdinand I of Austria, so they could be pragmatic, but Charles V probably was more pragmatic then he's given credit for, but then again one often only is pragmatic (just look at his relations with the Papacy) when one needs to be.
Any Habsburg based in Burgundy will adapt (maybe dreaming of a future counter reformation), but just as Protestants were convinced by their faith, so were those who remained steadfast Catholic.
Regarding any conflicts, IMHO there will be rivalry, but once those (the imperial succession) are settled they will share more, then what divides them.

Even when you aim for the Palatinate and Bavarian Wittelsbach division, though to be fair the Palatinate branch itself was more divided (IOTL the Palatinate branch who inherited Bavaria was Catholic). Still they were all members of the house of Wittelsbach; more in general doing something which could hurt dynasties across religious boundaries might have been unwise too.
 
My thinking behind Charles V creating a kingdom for Ferdinand in TTL was to transform the many lands of the Burgundian inheritance into a unified entity. In OTL, Charles issued the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 in order to streamline the succession laws of all Seventeen Provinces and I could see him wanting to give Ferdinand a kingdom to match the titles Philip II would inherit in TTL.
Wasn't the Holy Roman Empire very much dead set against the idea of having kingdoms, with the exception of the already existing Bohemia, within itself? The other electors could well take offence or feel slighted at the idea of someone new coming in and outranking them. There's also the fact that he would be the younger son, Charles could well decide that as such he's best kept one rung down from Philip as the head of the family. The idea of making him heir for the various titles of the Seventeen Provinces and pushing the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 through with the intention of Philip carrying on the centralising project later seems like a very good option though.


In TTL, perhaps Emperor Maximilian II does not send his sons Rudolf and Ernest to be raised at the court of Philip II. Ferdinand and his children will be ahead of Maximilian and Maria’s kids in the line of succession of the crowns of Spain so Ferdinand might send his sons to Spain in TTL. Assuming Rudolf II is not butterflied away in TTL, I could definitely see conflict between the Burgundian Habsburgs and the Austrian Habsburgs during his reign. In OTL, Rudolf’s relations with the Protestant princes in the Empire were poor during his reign. Ferdinand of Burgundy and his heirs would probably have better dealings with Protestants in Germany due to their having to deal with Burgundian Protestants. With the Habsburg hereditary lands split between Maximilian’s brothers and sons, the Burgundian Habsburgs might be able to use their enormous wealth and better relationship with Protestant electors to get elected to the imperial throne.
IIRC wasn't it from their long spell early on at the Spanish court that caused them to pick up the very conservative and formal views that were in vogue there as opposed to the more relaxed German court? If they stay at home then they might very well turn out to have much better relations with the Protestant princes. If Ferdinand's sons get sent instead as being senior in line to the throne like you suggest then it could be they that end up unknowingly picking up the Spanish attitudes and customs, which could lead to some real problems down the line once they got back home.
 
@ Simon: that's why I wrote in my post, that any promotion to the rank of king in the empire would require negotiations with the prince-electors (if needed king of the Romans). So I wouldn't say dead set against, also in essence this is an Imperial prerogative, not (!!!)an electoral one, though in politics nothing is set in stone. In short any (rare) Royal promotion would require compromises.
 
Well I guess Ferdinand is destined to be a king in TTL but is it possible to make him an imperial vicar and/or archduke? Charles V impresses me as someone who would seek to provide his sons with as prestigious inheritances as possible. As for the negative consequences of having Ferdinand’s sons raised at the court of Philip II, those consequences would be balanced by the potential of the sons marrying Philip’s daughters. Of course, the genetic inbreeding between the Spanish, Burgundian, and Austrian branches of the Habsburgs will be worse in TTL than it was in OTL.
 
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