WI : Louis the Grand Dauphin as King of Spain?

[Yorel]

As we all know, via dynastic marriages, the Spanish Hapsburg family ended with the mad and childless Charles II, who died in 1700. After a quick war of succession between (mainly) France and the Austrian Hapsburgs, the succession went to Philip V, a grandson of Louis XIV (who had married Maria Theresa of Spain, and older sister of Charles II).

However, Philip V was not forcibly the main french candidate for the Spansih succession. In fact, his father Louis the Grand Dauphin, being Maria Theresa's son, would have had a better claim to the throne than his second son. To do so would have paused a major problem however, since this could have caused a Personnal Union of France and Spain under the Grand Dauphin. The Succession was given to Philip V because the chances of a Personnal Union happening would have been greatly reduced, though this was to be ensured in the treaty that concluded the War of Spanish succession, when Philip V officially renounced his claims to the French throne.

However, for a very long time, Louis XIV considered the possibility of giving the Spanish throne to his son from what I read. What if he had chosen to have the Grand Dauphin crowned as King Luis I of Spain? How would the other European powers react?

 

[Janprimus]

Well I guess that they would recognize archduke Charles of Habsburg and start a war of the Spanish succession. oh wait

The point is that this would have increased the resolve of the rest of Europe to prevent this and as a consequence would have supported their candidate longer. The grand dauphin as king of Spain isn't a good compromise candidate, whereas OTL Philip V was.
Maybe a treaty where Luis gives up Spain to his second son, once he inherits France, but given the risks I doubt that the other European powers are willing to take this risk.
Do not forget that the rest of Europe also wouldn't have accepted the heir of the Austrian Habsburgs*; no one wanted, except maybe Paris and Vienna, to recreate a situation in Europe similar to the empire of Charles V of Habsburg.

(*= once that became a real possibility IOTL the Austrian Habsburgs were forced to accept a compromise by their allies)

 

[Antipater]

I agree with Janprimus, I think it would just mean that the Grand Alliance would be far more willing to fight on than they were IOTL. Since they were willing to fight for thirteen years to prevent merely a Boubon Spain, I imagine they would have been willing to go even further if they were faced with the possibility of a personal union between those two countries. Since the War really did not go in France's favor, the Allies would probably force France to have Louis renounce his claim to the French throne in order for them to recognize him as king of Spain.

However, I think this would be a moot point, since IOTL Louis the Grand Dauphin died in 1711, before the War was even concluded, as did his first son, also named Louis. That would leave Philip as the logical successor to the thrones of France and Spain...exactly as IOTL.