WI: Charles VIII marries Joanna of Portugal

After vehemently refusing several proposals of marriage, Joan joined the Dominican Convent of Jesus in Aveiro in 1475.[1] Her brother had, by then, been given an heir, so the family line was no longer in danger of extinction. Still, she was compelled several times to leave the convent and return to the court. She turned down an offer of marriage from Charles VIII of France, 18 years her junior. In 1485, she received another offer, from the recently widowed Richard III of England, who was only 8 months younger. This was to be part of a double marital alliance, with his niece Elizabeth of York marrying her cousin, the future Manuel I. However, his death in battle, of which Joan allegedly had a prophetic dream, halted these plans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanna,_Princess_of_Portugal

What if this marriage pushes through?
 
Even if it does go through - the chances of there being issue is on the slim side. By the 1480s she's old enough for Richard, (albeit older than most first time brides) - who can start producing heirs straight away. Charles, she most likely has to wait for him to grow up enough to father kids first.


The earliest possible issue would be in 1483 and the latest would be in 1492...the marriage was offered to her in 1483-1485, Charles at his young age would be forced to consummate the marriage at that time, the same issue would be if he marries Mary of Burgundy.
 
The earliest possible issue would be in 1483 and the latest would be in 1492...the marriage was offered to her in 1483-1485, Charles at his young age would be forced to consummate the marriage at that time, the same issue would be if he marries Mary of Burgundy.

Again, the question of what's in it for Joana arises. Her brother was not overly eager to marry her off, and after Louis XI's death, Charles' fate is in the hands of his sister, Anne de Beaujeu, duchesse de Bourbon. Now Annie is unlikely to want a possible rival who can force her out of her place (which Joana would be - because queen consort being regent for a minor would trump king's sister - and besides, Joana's served as regent of Portugal already). What would Joana bring to the table that the marriage could happen anyway? It's not like it's obvious in 1483-85 that Joao II is gonna die without children. Maybe if he's contemplating war with Castile-Aragon, France is a logical ally, but his son is betrothed to Ferdinand and Isabella's eldest daughter, and he has no reason to rock that boat. Now, if France wants to go to war with Castile-Aragon, Portugal is a logical ally, but France was kinda busy with it's own internal struggles going on after Louis XI died to contemplate an external conflict. Besides, attacking Spain (while they're Crusading against the Moors) would turn them into pariahs in Christian Europe.
 
Again, the question of what's in it for Joana arises. Her brother was not overly eager to marry her off, and after Louis XI's death, Charles' fate is in the hands of his sister, Anne de Beaujeu, duchesse de Bourbon. Now Annie is unlikely to want a possible rival who can force her out of her place (which Joana would be - because queen consort being regent for a minor would trump king's sister - and besides, Joana's served as regent of Portugal already). What would Joana bring to the table that the marriage could happen anyway? It's not like it's obvious in 1483-85 that Joao II is gonna die without children. Maybe if he's contemplating war with Castile-Aragon, France is a logical ally, but his son is betrothed to Ferdinand and Isabella's eldest daughter, and he has no reason to rock that boat. Now, if France wants to go to war with Castile-Aragon, Portugal is a logical ally, but France was kinda busy with it's own internal struggles going on after Louis XI died to contemplate an external conflict. Besides, attacking Spain (while they're Crusading against the Moors) would turn them into pariahs in Christian Europe.
Perhaps if Louis XI survives longer we can have that marriage push through but goodbye Rousillon..for the catholic monarchs.
 
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King John's sons still die ITTL we would have a French heir to Portugal, how will the Catholic monarchs do about it.
 
Lets say, Charles VIII marries Joanna of Portugal and they have two children

*Charles of France, Dauphin b. 1484
*Jeanne of France b. 1486

If we don't butterfly Joanna's OTL death, we can still marry Anne of Brittany to Charles VIII.

Charles VIII m. Joanna of Portugal d.1490(a) Anne of Brittany d. 1517(b)

1a. Charles IX of France and I of Portugal b. 1484 m. Isabella of Aragon b. 1470(a) Maria of Aragon b. 1482 (b)
1a1a. Louis XI of France and I of Spain b. 1499.
~
2a. Jeanne of France b. 1486 m. James IV of Scotland
3b. Francis III of Brittany b. 1492
4b. Anne of France b. 1497
 
1a. Charles IX of France and I of Portugal b. 1484 m. Isabella of Aragon b. 1470

Think the Spanish would be a bit wary of marrying their eldest daughter to the king of France. Not to mention the age gap. I could see Maria or Catalina ending up in Paris, but not anything older. Isabel might be married to Edward V/Richard III, Anne of Brittany to Juan of Castile/the dauphin (the French wouldn't want Brittany splitting off from France again (as it would if Anne becomes Charles VIII's second wife)).
 
Think the Spanish would be a bit wary of marrying their eldest daughter to the king of France. Not to mention the age gap. I could see Maria or Catalina ending up in Paris, but not anything older. Isabel might be married to Edward V/Richard III, Anne of Brittany to Juan of Castile/the dauphin (the French wouldn't want Brittany splitting off from France again (as it would if Anne becomes Charles VIII's second wife)).
But Charles marrying Joanna means that the Dauphin takes the place of Manuel in succession, unless if the catholic monarchs would want to support manuel's claim.
 
But Charles marrying Joanna means that the Dauphin takes the place of Manuel in succession, unless if the catholic monarchs would want to support manuel's claim.

I think they're gonna support Manuel (like they did OTL). They didn't like it when Philipp of Austria started styling himself prince of Spain in letters before the younger Isabel (or her son) was in the ground, and when they wrote in protest to Maximilian begging him to rein his son in, and Max responded by pointing out that he had a superior claim to the throne of Portugal and started using the style of king of Portugal in his letters IIRC,
 
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