WI: Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia

Hoping not to distract from the original intention, but how about Liz as a second wife for Matthias instead? This way you avoid a succession crisis if say he married and had kids by Magdalene of Bavaria while maintaining the appearance of an empress of protestant origin in the imperial court. I think they might be able to avoid another defenstration but some form of religious conflict was to a certain degree unavoidable. The princes weren't following the Peace of Augsburg and eventually someone will try to enforce it which will lead to a conflict e.g. the cologne war.

As I suggested up the thread,"Liz as a wife for Matt is fine. In fact, I think it could be MORE interesting than her winding up as Ferdinand II's empress (since there, her issue wouldn't be close to the imperial throne until the next century if we work by an OTL scheme for the Habsburgs, if at all - her legitimate male line descent was gone by a century of her birth OTL. Here, as spares to spares (if she weds Ferdinand) that might go sooner. I mean it wasn't as though there was a rush to get married among Maximilian II's younger sons.
 
As I suggested up the thread,"Liz as a wife for Matt is fine. In fact, I think it could be MORE interesting than her winding up as Ferdinand II's empress (since there, her issue wouldn't be close to the imperial throne until the next century if we work by an OTL scheme for the Habsburgs, if at all - her legitimate male line descent was gone by a century of her birth OTL. Here, as spares to spares (if she weds Ferdinand) that might go sooner. I mean it wasn't as though there was a rush to get married among Maximilian II's younger sons.

Missed that, hmm I'm not sure how Liz would marry Ferdinand. He seems to have been quite the arch catholic due to the part of his upbringing in Bavaria even prior to the Italian journey. I can't seen him marrying Elisabeth. I still stand by my position on another round of religious confrontation in the empire though. The only way to force Ferdinand might be for Charles his father to arrange the marriage somehow, maybe through Albert of Austria during the negotiations of the Treaty of London? Although in such a scenario I'd bet it'd Maximilian Ernest instead if Albert & Isabella clara try to make him their successor.
 
Missed that, hmm I'm not sure how Liz would marry Ferdinand. He seems to have been quite the arch catholic due to the part of his upbringing in Bavaria even prior to the Italian journey. I can't seen him marrying Elisabeth. I still stand by my position on another round of religious confrontation in the empire though. The only way to force Ferdinand might be for Charles his father to arrange the marriage somehow, maybe through Albert of Austria during the negotiations of the Treaty of London? Although in such a scenario I'd bet it'd Maximilian Ernest instead if Albert & Isabella clara try to make him their successor.
Well the plan would be pratically to have Matthias persuading Ferdinand to marry the Protestant princess for securing his succession in Bohemia and to the Imperial crown plus he would be the only Archduke free to marry the English princess as he was widowed while Matthias and Albert were married and Maximilian in the church (sure Albert also was in the church before marrying Isabella but Maximilian was older and more interested in promoting Ferdinand than replacing him)
 
So, how's about this.

In 1611, Archduke Matthias becomes emperor. He has been betrothed to the Princess Elizabeth of England since 1609's Treaty of London. The girl is sent off with much fanfare from London - although there is almost as much muttering about her marrying a papist - and arrives in the Austrian Low Countries a few days later. She is received at Ghent by her brother-in-law, Archduke Albrecht, and his Spanish wife, Isabel Clara Eugenia. At Ghent she converts to Catholicism.
After a month fêted in the Low Countries, Elizabeth sets off across south Germany to the imperial capital of Prague. Matthias is impressed by Elizabeth's looks, calling her his English rose. The unhappy pro-Catholic courtiers (who had been hoping Matthias would marry a Catholic) react by remarking that she's more a Scottish thistle. Elizabeth is not impressed with marrying a man who is older than her dad, but she IS conscious of royal duty. And within a year of the wedding, Elizabeth has given birth to a boy, Ferdinand Jakob (b.1612). The royal couple will not be "in love" but they are certainly well-matched. Their second daughter, Elisabeth follows in 1614, then boys, Friedrich Matthias and Karl Maximilian in 1614 and 1616. Another daughter, Maria Luise is born in 1618. Maria Luise's twin, Anna Katharina, will unfortunately die shortly after her father, the emperor.

Of course, when Emperor Matthias dies, followed by the death of her youngest daughter, Elizabeth goes mad with grief. Her mother in England is concerned for her daughter - who refuses to eat or change clothes. The whole succession is also open to question. Matt's eldest son is the obvious choice as king of Bohemia and Hungary, but what of the imperial title? No way can a child control the princes of the empire. Archduke Albrecht in the Netherlands is the natural successor, but the electors regard him as a "more Spanish than German". However, he has no children of his own, so he would make a good interim emperor (just until Ferdinand Jakob comes of age). The other candidate for the job is Ferdinand of Inner Austria. However, he and Elizabeth don't get along, plus, he hasn't liked his namesake godson since the boy's christening (probably more due to his Protestant mother than anything else). So while the electoral college dithers, Elizabeth has her son crowned as king of Bohemia in St. Vitus' Cathedral. The archbishop comes forward, places the crown on Ferdinand's head and then removes it to Elizabeth's, signifying that the royal power will be exercised by the Queen Regent until the young archduke turns 21.
 
A follow up question to this, do you guys think that there'll be a sort of inter-dynastic squabble once Archduke Albrecht dies? I mean, the stress of being interim emperor is likely to finish him off sooner, most likely. Although, would he relocate to the imperial capital, or just continue to reside in Brussels? Particularly if when he dies, Ferdinand Jakob is not yet of age?
 
A follow up question to this, do you guys think that there'll be a sort of inter-dynastic squabble once Archduke Albrecht dies? I mean, the stress of being interim emperor is likely to finish him off sooner, most likely. Although, would he relocate to the imperial capital, or just continue to reside in Brussels? Particularly if when he dies, Ferdinand Jakob is not yet of age?
Good question. Hopefully Albert will live long enough to consent an election of Ferdinand Jakob. If he can not well I do not have any idea of what will happen as more or less anyone can get the Imperial Crown...
 
Good question. Hopefully Albert will live long enough to consent an election of Ferdinand Jakob. If he can not well I do not have any idea of what will happen as more or less anyone can get the Imperial Crown...

Could be interesting if a 30YW analogue breaks out and the election takes place in the middle of the war
 
Any ideas/suggestions for marriages of Matthias and Elisabeth's kids TTL?

Elizabeth has given birth to a boy, Ferdinand Jakob (b.1612). The royal couple will not be "in love" but they are certainly well-matched. Their second daughter, Elisabeth follows in 1614, then boys, Friedrich Matthias and Karl Maximilian in 1614 and 1616. Another daughter, Maria Luise is born in 1618.

I was thinking Ferdinand Jakob might make a decent match with Cäcilie Renata of Inner Austria (if there aren't any other candidates available).
Wladyslaw IV marries Eleonore of Brandenburg, so likely his son will be born in time for marriage to either Habsburg girl.
Karl Maximilian probably occupies a similar clerical niche to Leopold Wilhelm of Inner Austria OTL.
 
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