WI: Francis Duke of Anjou becomes King of the Netherlands

So researching the House of Valois I discovered this fine gentleman, who aside from courting Elizabeth (and according to the wiki reasonably well received) also made an abortive attempt to invade the Low Countries. The major difficulty in both cases seems to have been his Catholicism; as he was at the time heir to France it makes sense that both England and Holland would look skeptically on him. Let's say that somehow, Francis converts- imagine that he escapes scarring, and that his elder brother survives- and that he decides to convert to Protestantism to shore up his support in the Low Countries.

Even if he marries Elizabeth she is too old to have children, but his conversion- and Elizabeth's support- would probably be enough that, with French and/or English aid, he could wrest control of the Low Countries entirely from the Habsburgs. What would be the effects of this, especially assuming that his accession comes with the condition of remaining Protestant and thus, presumably, preventing the line from inheriting?
 
If I recall the Netherlands did request an English protectorate of Bess at some point.
Her wed to a Protestant Valois could tip the balance to acceptance and to him becoming King of the Netherlands.
What impact does this have on the English succession?
Could the English nobles favour Anne Stanley as his second wife and put them ahead of James Stuart? (A sort of earlier Glorious Revolution?)
 
If I recall the Netherlands did request an English protectorate of Bess at some point.
Her wed to a Protestant Valois could tip the balance to acceptance and to him becoming King of the Netherlands.
What impact does this have on the English succession?
Could the English nobles favour Anne Stanley as his second wife and put them ahead of James Stuart? (A sort of earlier Glorious Revolution?)

That would be intriguing, I do wonder whether they would prefer a Netherlands union versus a Scottish union.
 
Yeah, perhaps @Kellan Sullivan @desmirelle @Kynan etc could help with that?
And the plausibility of Francis converting too!

Elizabeth wasn't too fond of the idea. She told the Dutchmen who arrived in London to offer the crown at one point: "Milords, you country is like a sieve, into which we [not sure if this is the royal we or she's talking of the English] have poured much gold and extracted little good". So, an Anglo-Dutch union doesn't seem likely.

As to Anjou converting, why not put him a little more distant from the throne. Charles IX leaves a son instead of a daughter, OTL Henri III would probably still leave Poland to take up the reins in France (it's more secure for one thing). Then Anjou converting doesn't seem like such a big deal. Or, even so, let his Catholicism not be an issue. OTL he pissed a lot of Dutch people (his mother included) by his overhasty actions in the Low Countries. He wanted to be an absolute king the Dutch said "not a hope in Hell". And that led to the problems IIRC (although it's been a while since I've looked at that specific interlude in Dutch history)
 
Top