WI: Claude of France died young?

Be sickly, what if Claude of France died young, perhaps as an infant or young child? That leaves Renee of France as the Duchess of Brittany upon her mother's death and she's too young for Francis I of France, so whose going to marry her and become the Duke of Brittany?
 
Anne of Brittany, Duchess of Brittany (b.1477: d.1514) m. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (b.1459: d.1519) (a) *annulled*, Charles VIII of France (b.1470: d.1498) (b), Louis XII of France (b.1462: d.1515) (c)
1b) Charles Orlando, Dauphin of France (b.1492: d.1495)

2ab Charles, Dauphin of France (b.1496: d.1496)

3b) Francis, Dauphin of France (b.1497: d.1497)

4b) Anne of France (b.1498: d.1498)

5c) Claude of France (b.1499: d.1502)

6c) Stillborn Boy (b.1500: d.1500)

7c) Stillborn Son (b.1503: d.1503)

8c) Miscarriage (c.1503)

9c) Miscarriage (c.1505)

10c) Stillborn Boy (b.1509: d.1509)

11c) Renee of France, Duchess of Brittany (b.1510: d.1574) m. Henry (Henrique) of Portugal (b.1512: d.1580) (a)
1a) Anne of Brittany (b.1526)

2a) Stillborn Boy (b.1527: d.1527)

3a) Francis, Duke of Brittany (b.1530)

4a) Eleanor of Brittany (b.1532)

5a) Miscarriage (c.1532)

6a) Marie of Brittany (b.1534: d.1534)

7a) Louis of Brittany (b.1537)

8a) Miscarriage (c.1540)
12c) Stillborn Boy (b.1512: d.1512)
Charles of Orleans, Count of Angouleme (b.1459: d.1496) m. Louise of Savoy (b.1476: d.1531) (a)
1a) Margaret d'Angouleme (b.1492) m. Charles IV of Alencon (b.1489: d.1525) (a), Henry II of Navarre (b.1503: d.1555) (b)
1a) Jeanne III of Navarre (b.1528: d.1572)

2a) John of Navarre (b.1530: d.1530)
2a) Francis I of France (b.1494: d.1547) m. Isabella of Austria (b.1501: d.1526) (a), Joan of Foix (b.1513: d.1561) (b)
1a) Francis, Dauphin of France (b.1517)

2a) Henri, Duke of Orleans (b.1518: d.1519)

3a) Charles, Duke of Angouleme (b.1518: d.1518)

4a) Stillborn Boy (b.1520: d.1520)

5a) Louise of France (b.1522)

6a) Miscarriage (c.1523)

7a) Charlotte of France (b.1524: d.1526)

8a) Stillborn Boy (b.1525: d.1525)

9b) Henri, Duke of Orleans (b.1529: d.1530)

10b) Stillborn Boy (b.1531: d.1533)

11b) Anne of France (b.1532)

12b) Jean of France, Duke or Orleans (b.1533)

13b) Miscarriage (c.1535)

14b) Madeline of France (b.1538: d.1538)

15b) Margaret of France (b.1542)
 
I don't think she'd be too young for betrothal, tough I'd rather see her being kept "in a celibate fridge".

If not, you'd could except in the worst of cases a blunt Valois succession (Louis IX bought Penthievre rights on the duchy, and that could be a more or less credible argument), or Briton estates "spontaneously" asking for being merged with the royal demesne.

At this point, Valois presence was simply too important to have real alternatives, and neither Jean de Rohan and even less Philibert de Chalon (far too young to be really pretender) stands any much chances : I'd think their rights would be eventually brought even before Anne dies ITTL, probably in exchange for lands in France.

They could try to take their rights with arms. It's not going to end well for them.
 
Top