What if William Duke of Austria has male issue with Joanna II of Naples?

I presume the main consequence of this is that the Habsburg's will inherit Naples far earlier than the did in OTL.

I also presume that the presence of another Habsburg cadet branch which happens to be the ruler of Naples which cause significant butterflies in the Holy Roman Empire.

As I am not that knowledgeable about the politics in this period I am not sure what the other significant changes will be.
 
I presume the main consequence of this is that the Habsburg's will inherit Naples far earlier than the did in OTL.

I also presume that the presence of another Habsburg cadet branch which happens to be the ruler of Naples which cause significant butterflies in the Holy Roman Empire.

As I am not that knowledgeable about the politics in this period I am not sure what the other significant changes will be.

I think Giovanna's son, Wilhelm (Guglielmo in Italy) will probably either have ro renounce his rights in Austria or appoint a caretaker regime there (first Wilhelm's brother Leopold, and then, if Leo's Burgundian marriage remains without issue, Wilhelm's brother Ernst (father of OTL Friedrich III (a.k.a. King Sleepyhead)).

However, if the Habsburgs are in possession or will be in possession of the Neapolitan crown, it might affect the marriage of Emperor Sigmund's only child, Eliska. A marriage between her and Albrecht might be seen as a bridge too far (Habsburgs are too powerful - since IIRC it was also around the time of the Wilhelm-Giovanna marriage that Ernst was mentioned as a possible husband for Brites of Portugal, daughter of King Fernando), Habsburg scions in Lisbon, Naples AND now, Prague too.

Yes, the Habsburgs and Luxemburgs had a mutual succession pact, but a) it was drawn up in the previous century AFAIK; and b) the electors might not be comfortable electing a guy who is relative of the (future) king of Naples AND the jure uxoris king of Portugal. It wouldn't matter to them that the Albertine and Leopoldine branches hate each other's guts. When the king of Spain threw his hat in the ring in 1518 they were uncomfortable enough IIRC, here, Albrecht would be a RELATIVE of these guys and might take into his head to go after the Leopoldine line's lands once he becomes emperor... but that's in the future. My fantasy match is between Henry IV's grandson, the Erbprinz of the Palatinate, Rupprecht (son of Ludwig of the Palatinate and Blanche of England) and Eliska.

But I think Guglielmo might also try for Eliska's hand if he can SURVIVE THE SNAKEPIT THAT IS THE LATE ANGEVIOVESE COURT

@Yanez de Gomera
 
I think Giovanna's son, Wilhelm (Guglielmo in Italy) will probably either have ro renounce his rights in Austria or appoint a caretaker regime there (first Wilhelm's brother Leopold, and then, if Leo's Burgundian marriage remains without issue, Wilhelm's brother Ernst (father of OTL Friedrich III (a.k.a. King Sleepyhead)).

However, if the Habsburgs are in possession or will be in possession of the Neapolitan crown, it might affect the marriage of Emperor Sigmund's only child, Eliska. A marriage between her and Albrecht might be seen as a bridge too far (Habsburgs are too powerful - since IIRC it was also around the time of the Wilhelm-Giovanna marriage that Ernst was mentioned as a possible husband for Brites of Portugal, daughter of King Fernando), Habsburg scions in Lisbon, Naples AND now, Prague too.

Yes, the Habsburgs and Luxemburgs had a mutual succession pact, but a) it was drawn up in the previous century AFAIK; and b) the electors might not be comfortable electing a guy who is relative of the (future) king of Naples AND the jure uxoris king of Portugal. It wouldn't matter to them that the Albertine and Leopoldine branches hate each other's guts. When the king of Spain threw his hat in the ring in 1518 they were uncomfortable enough IIRC, here, Albrecht would be a RELATIVE of these guys and might take into his head to go after the Leopoldine line's lands once he becomes emperor... but that's in the future. My fantasy match is between Henry IV's grandson, the Erbprinz of the Palatinate, Rupprecht (son of Ludwig of the Palatinate and Blanche of England) and Eliska.

But I think Guglielmo might also try for Eliska's hand if he can SURVIVE THE SNAKEPIT THAT IS THE LATE ANGEVIOVESE COURT

@Yanez de Gomera

So the descendents of William Duke of Austria in this scenario would not be as involved in German politics?

I wonder how this would affect the Italian wars as I assume the butterflies would be huge as the Habsburgs would already control Naples. I assume it may also affect how the Iberian kingdoms think of the Habsburgs.

As there would now be two branches of the Habsburg Leopoldian line I assume that means the Habsburg territories never become as united?

Would Frederick the Third still be elected Holy Roman Emperor in this scenario or would the more senior Leopoldian Habsburg be elected Holy Roman Emperor instead?
 
wonder how this would affect the Italian wars as I assume the butterflies would be huge as the Habsburgs would already control Naples. I assume it may also affect how the Iberian kingdoms think of the Habsburgs.

Well, the duc d'Orléans would still want Milan (unless the Visconti are still surviving in the male line), but there'd be no reason for Aragon or Anjou to get involved in southern Italy. Giovanna can't adopt one heir and then another if she HAS an heir of her body. So the Aragonesi-Angiovesi feud down south presumably morphs into an Aragonese (who rule the island of Sicily, the Barcelonid line ended through a series of flukes IIRC, all AFTER Wilhelm died) versus Habsburg (who rule Naples) instead. No Anjou heir to Naples means that the king of France has no claim (at least, his OTL claim is gonna be pretty shaky) through Le Bon Roi René's sister.

As there would now be two branches of the Habsburg Leopoldian line I assume that means the Habsburg territories never become as united?
Never is a long time. Friedrich III might marry a Neapolitan princess instead of a Portuguese infanta, and the marriage contract might cede the Wilhelmine lands to Friedrich in lieu of a dowry or somesuch. Albrecht might decide to seize them or Emperor Sigmund might bestow them on his son-in-law as "lapsed fiefs" or somesuch. Guglielmo could have no children and then we're right back where we were OTL.

So the descendents of William Duke of Austria in this scenario would not be as involved in German politics?

Maybe. Maybe not. If Guglielmo is an only child/son it might be a temporary caretaker regime in Styria et al, with the understanding that if he has 2 sons, one gets Naples and the other will be sent to Germany. One son and a daughter, the girl marries Friedrich III/Albrecht's son in the situation I outlined above.

Would Frederick the Third still be elected Holy Roman Emperor in this scenario or would the more senior Leopoldian Habsburg be elected Holy Roman Emperor instead?

Friedrich got elected OTL where the legal heir (Ladislaus the Posthumous) was underage. He also made a try for the Hungarian crown in the 1450s IIRC. So just because there's a senior member of the family doesn't mean much. Friedrich OTL played on the electors' xenophobia to get Maximilian elected king of the Romans by pointing out that the other candidate was the Hungarian king, Matyas Corvinus (and basically saying "just look what he's done to the magnates"). King Sleepyhead isn't necessarily given a fair evaluation by most historians IMO. He was shrewd and calculating. But because of his general inaction, the argument that he won simply by outliving his enemies is oft-repeated and his more ambitious actions (being elected emperor when there is a legal heir - more along the lines of the Wittelsbach-Luxemburg alternation of the previous century; or claiming the Hungarian crown when you likewise have a very weak claim (if any); or the xenophobia that he played on to get his son elected king of the Romans (this wasn't a surefire way to ensure his son would be emperor after him, look at Karl IV and his eldest son, but it's ambitious enough for his day); keeping lands that his cousins were supposed to get on attaining their majority; arranging the marriage of his son to Europe's richest heiress; etc. All of these, to my mind, show that he was as shrewd and ambitious as anything...
 
Well, the duc d'Orléans would still want Milan (unless the Visconti are still surviving in the male line), but there'd be no reason for Aragon or Anjou to get involved in southern Italy. Giovanna can't adopt one heir and then another if she HAS an heir of her body. So the Aragonesi-Angiovesi feud down south presumably morphs into an Aragonese (who rule the island of Sicily, the Barcelonid line ended through a series of flukes IIRC, all AFTER Wilhelm died) versus Habsburg (who rule Naples) instead. No Anjou heir to Naples means that the king of France has no claim (at least, his OTL claim is gonna be pretty shaky) through Le Bon Roi René's sister.


Never is a long time. Friedrich III might marry a Neapolitan princess instead of a Portuguese infanta, and the marriage contract might cede the Wilhelmine lands to Friedrich in lieu of a dowry or somesuch. Albrecht might decide to seize them or Emperor Sigmund might bestow them on his son-in-law as "lapsed fiefs" or somesuch. Guglielmo could have no children and then we're right back where we were OTL.



Maybe. Maybe not. If Guglielmo is an only child/son it might be a temporary caretaker regime in Styria et al, with the understanding that if he has 2 sons, one gets Naples and the other will be sent to Germany. One son and a daughter, the girl marries Friedrich III/Albrecht's son in the situation I outlined above.



Friedrich got elected OTL where the legal heir (Ladislaus the Posthumous) was underage. He also made a try for the Hungarian crown in the 1450s IIRC. So just because there's a senior member of the family doesn't mean much. Friedrich OTL played on the electors' xenophobia to get Maximilian elected king of the Romans by pointing out that the other candidate was the Hungarian king, Matyas Corvinus (and basically saying "just look what he's done to the magnates"). King Sleepyhead isn't necessarily given a fair evaluation by most historians IMO. He was shrewd and calculating. But because of his general inaction, the argument that he won simply by outliving his enemies is oft-repeated and his more ambitious actions (being elected emperor when there is a legal heir - more along the lines of the Wittelsbach-Luxemburg alternation of the previous century; or claiming the Hungarian crown when you likewise have a very weak claim (if any); or the xenophobia that he played on to get his son elected king of the Romans (this wasn't a surefire way to ensure his son would be emperor after him, look at Karl IV and his eldest son, but it's ambitious enough for his day); keeping lands that his cousins were supposed to get on attaining their majority; arranging the marriage of his son to Europe's richest heiress; etc. All of these, to my mind, show that he was as shrewd and ambitious as anything...

Another question, as William Duke of Austria died in 1406, his young son could at maximum be 4 years old. This would mean he would need a regent for his Austrian lands. Would it be possible for a conflict over the regency to emerge between Joanna of Naples and one of William's brothers?
 
Another question, as William Duke of Austria died in 1406, his young son could at maximum be 4 years old. This would mean he would need a regent for his Austrian lands. Would it be possible for a conflict over the regency to emerge between Joanna of Naples and one of William's brothers?

Regency will belong to an uncle alone (presumably Leopold, Wilhelm's next brother), since AFAIK Giovanna never left Naples on her marriage. Friedrich III as oldest male relative served as regent for both Ladislaus the Posthumous and Sigmund of Tyrol, despite, AFAIK, both their moms still being alive. Plus, the Habsburgs might not be entirely comfortable if the regent is a foreign queen.
 
Another question, as William Duke of Austria died in 1406, his young son could at maximum be 4 years old. This would mean he would need a regent for his Austrian lands. Would it be possible for a conflict over the regency to emerge between Joanna of Naples and one of William's brothers?
Unlikely as an uncle would have ruled them for him in any case...


Federick III was able to get the Imperial Crown as the son of the previous Emperor was legally excluded from the list of the candidates for his age as having at least 18 years was an essential requisite for being elected as Hol6 Roman Emperor
 
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