WI: John, son of King Christian II of Denmark, does not die?

There was an older thread on this subject (https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/hans-crown-prince-of-denmark.299804/), but I'd rather not necro it.

IOTL, John (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Denmark_(1518–1532) ) died a year before his great-uncle, Frederick I of Denmark, and his father had already been captured. Age might not be an issue, as after Frederick's death, a majority of the Council of the Realm tried to make Christian III's 12-year-old half-brother, John, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev, the next king.

If John did survive and managed to come to the thrones of Denmark and Norway, what would that mean for Protestantism in those areas? As I understand it, the Council of the Realm was majority Catholic, and it was only after Christian III's election that Lutheranism really took hold. Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.

And if Catholicism remained strong in Denmark and Norway, what would it mean for Sweden? Would Sweden be more likely to remain staunchly Protestant, the way the Irish did against the English, or would the people/nobles begin to see it as a failed enterprise that's more trouble than it's worth? Just throwing it out there.

As for John's future marriage, I reckon the best match would be with Isabella Jagiellon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Jagiellon). John would gain a potential ally against Protestant Sweden, Ferdinand of Austria would succeed in diverting Polish support away from his Hungarian rival, John Zapolya. And both were said to be intelligent and well-educated.

Any thoughts?
 
Honestly if John regain power, I think he will have to convert. It's more interesting what would happen to John if he survives but doesn't gain power in Denmark, in that case I expect he would end up stadtholder for the Habsburg somewhere and marry a Habsburg princess. His descendent may end up much like Berg line of House of Oldenburg, having a princely title, but lacking a realm, but having fiefs in other prince's realms and serving as generals, viceroys and stadtholder for other royals marry surplus princesses and deliver wives to reigning families, when these need a fast or relative political neutral marriage, they could even end up like the Bergs did with becoming reigning princes again (the Bergs are today known as the Glücksburgs).
 
Honestly if John regain power, I think he will have to convert.

Because it's realistically/politically the best option, or because of how ingrained Lutheranism is by 1533?

It's more interesting what would happen to John if he survives but doesn't gain power in Denmark, in that case I expect he would end up stadtholder for the Habsburg somewhere and marry a Habsburg princess. His descendent may end up much like Berg line of House of Oldenburg, having a princely title, but lacking a realm, but having fiefs in other prince's realms and serving as generals, viceroys and stadtholder for other royals marry surplus princesses and deliver wives to reigning families, when these need a fast or relative political neutral marriage, they could even end up like the Bergs did with becoming reigning princes again (the Bergs are today known as the Glücksburgs).

That's no fun.
 
@ByzantineLover: thanks for the resurrection of one of my favourite topics.

Let's not forget that Isabella of Austria attended Lutheran services while in exile and she's was so partial to Lutheranism that the Habsburg had to issue a brief saying that she died a convinced Catholic, her husband was also sort of wonky as far as religion was concerned - IIRC, he became a Protestant at some point, but then converted back to Catholicism because he hoped he'd get more of an assist from Karl V that way. His daughters were both in Karl's (read: Mary of Hungary's) custody. Both married Catholic princes, but neither was exactly firebrand Catholic - Dorothea's wittum actually became a haven for Lutherans after the new elector palatine started enforcing Calvinism as state religion AFAIK; and while Kristina likewise married a Catholic (twice), she seems to have been politcally astute enough to realize that swimming against the tide wasn't always possible - see her daughters who both Erik XIII of Sweden and Frederik II tried to marry, and one of whom was apparently engaged for a time to the Lutheran Erbprinz Eberhard of Württemberg.

My opinion of Johan/Hans is that he might be outwardly Catholic - his son/successor will be full-bore one way or the other - but religiously tolerant (as his sisters OTL and his TTL brother-in-law, Sigismund II of Poland). His dad was trying to get him elected king of Norway when Johan died (which would've been the first step towards getting the crown of Denmark back - in theory). Another possible match - while he's landless - is to Mary Tudor (my personal favourite). She gets a domesticable husband, Henry doesn't have to shell out a huge dowry (Johan is neither king nor heir to the throne), he's Catholic so Mary will be pleased...

@Jürgen, I like your idea. A Catholic line of the house of Oldenburg should Denmark hit a bump and run out of princes would be fun.

@Milites
 
Age might not be an issue, as after Frederick's death, a majority of the Council of the Realm tried to make Christian III's 12-year-old half-brother, John, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev, the next king.

The royal election of 1533 is one of the most interesting and dramatic events in early modern Danish history. So thanks for bringing it up!

In 1523, the council of the realm had solemnly promised Frederick I that it would elect one his four sons to the throne upon just death. Ten years later, Frederick croaks and the council convenes in June to elect a new king.

The oldest son, Christian, was anathema to the ecclesiastical members of the council (which by default always included all 7 bishops of the realm) as well as the councillors who still kept the “old faith” because of 1) his evident evangelical convictions and 2) his equally clear desire to strengthen the crown vis-a-vis the council. Consequently, his younger brother Hans was proposed as a replacement candidate by the conservative or “reactionary” wing of the council of the realm, as it was believed he would be easier to influence in both ecclesiastical and constitutional matters.

However, the no conclusion could be reached other than postponing the election another year. In the mean time, the council would govern realm, effectively putting Denmark on the path towards a noble republic.

In this perspective, I really doubt Christian II’s son Hans had much chance of being elected at all. Why go for a candidate brought up, more or less, by the Emperor (Charles V being the closest thing Europe ever came to a universal Christian prince), who’s the son of the most despised monarch in living memory, when you have several other potential candidates, who can be molded and influenced into the puppet prince you really want?

Furthermore, there’s the fact that since the council couldn’t even agree on choosing one of Frederick I’s sons, they sure as hell won’t be able to agree on Hans of Oldenburg-Habsburg.
 
Because it's realistically/politically the best option, or because of how ingrained Lutheranism is by 1533?.

Lutheranism was winning in Denmark and Norway at that time, both burghers and nobles embrace the new faith while the peasantry mostly didn't care. If John was in a stronger position, he could have stay Catholic, but his position will be weak and he can't afford alienate people on religious issues.
 
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