WI: Louis XI Has Children By His Scots' Wife

[Kellan Sullivan]

Louis, dauphin de Viennois (future Louis XI) married Princess Margaret of Scots in 1436, when she was twelve and he a year older. She died, nine years later, without having borne him any children. He remarried to Charlotte of Savoy and had three surviving children by her – Anne de Beaujeu, St. Jeanne de Valois, duchesse d’Orléans and Charles VIII.

Margaret was the eldest daughter of the King of Scots by Joan Beaufort, a granddaughter of John of Gaunt. Thus, any of her children would’ve had a very distant claim to the English throne. OTL, Anne de Beaujeu as regent supported Henry Tudor’s expedition to reclaim the crown of England, but here, the French kings would have their own distant claim.

But, more to the point, Anne de Beaujeu’s regency after Louis’ death was plagued by civil strife with several of France’s dukes. Would an adult male heir (born in the late 1440s; Margaret survives whatever killed her OTL, but her previous children have either been female or stillborn) have made any difference? A marriage to Marie of Burgundy seems likely (especially if she’s still an only child), as a way of assuring that the Burgundian provinces return to French control. Or would Louis’ heir have indulged in the same plotting and scheming against his father that Louis himself had once indulged in?

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Bumping this

 

[kasumigenx]

Louis, dauphin de Viennois (future Louis XI) married Princess Margaret of Scots in 1436, when she was twelve and he a year older. She died, nine years later, without having borne him any children. He remarried to Charlotte of Savoy and had three surviving children by her – Anne de Beaujeu, St. Jeanne de Valois, duchesse d’Orléans and Charles VIII.

Margaret was the eldest daughter of the King of Scots by Joan Beaufort, a granddaughter of John of Gaunt. Thus, any of her children would’ve had a very distant claim to the English throne. OTL, Anne de Beaujeu as regent supported Henry Tudor’s expedition to reclaim the crown of England, but here, the French kings would have their own distant claim.

But, more to the point, Anne de Beaujeu’s regency after Louis’ death was plagued by civil strife with several of France’s dukes. Would an adult male heir (born in the late 1440s; Margaret survives whatever killed her OTL, but her previous children have either been female or stillborn) have made any difference? A marriage to Marie of Burgundy seems likely (especially if she’s still an only child), as a way of assuring that the Burgundian provinces return to French control. Or would Louis’ heir have indulged in the same plotting and scheming against his father that Louis himself had once indulged in?

If he has a son with Margaret of Scotland, the likely bride of that son would Isabella of Castille to keep away Isabella from pestering her niece or the candidates for wife of Edward IV, meaning Bona of Savoy and even Catherine of Portugal.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

If he has a son with Isabella of Scotland, the likely bride of that son would Isabella of Castille to keep away Isabella from pestering her niece or the candidates for wife of Edward IV, meaning Bona of Savoy and even Catherine of Portugal.

Louis married Margaret of Scots not Isabella - who married the duke of Brittany. But I agree that in the event of daughters existing, Louis would probably marry one to Edward IV, maybe another to Carlos of Viana (he sued for Isabella of Scots hand after her widowing OTL, as well as for Catarina of Portugal). I could see him attempting a double marriage pact with Spain - son to Isabel of Castile, daughter to Carlos of Viana - if it suits his purposes. Of course, Enrique might end up with a French second wife rather than a Portuguese one. Could make for interesting times south of the Pyrenees..

 

[kasumigenx]

Louis married Margaret of Scots not Isabella - who married the duke of Brittany. But I agree that in the event of daughters existing, Louis would probably marry one to Edward IV, maybe another to Carlos of Viana (he sued for Isabella of Scots hand after her widowing OTL, as well as for Catarina of Portugal). I could see him attempting a double marriage pact with Spain - son to Isabel of Castile, daughter to Carlos of Viana - if it suits his purposes. Of course, Enrique might end up with a French second wife rather than a Portuguese one. Could make for interesting times south of the Pyrenees..

Louis XI's son would not support Isabella of Castile's claims..and everyone would be against them claiming castile.

 

[Jonathan]

It is said that marriage was unhappy, with the wedding itself being seen as rushed and an insult to the Scottish guest.

Her death from a fever at the age of 20, could be avoided so maybe at least two sons and one daughter.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

It is said that marriage was unhappy, with the wedding itself being seen as rushed and an insult to the Scottish guest.

Her death from a fever at the age of 20, could be avoided so maybe at least two sons and one daughter.

From what I gather the marriage was unhappy because of the fact that the spouses seldom had time together, and perhaps because of that, had little time to bond. Things didn't get any better when someone started spreading rumors about Margaret.

But, I agree, we could easily see kids start arriving with a sort of monotonous regularity from the late 1440s on.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

An interesting thing would be if France and Scotland end up in personal union - she was the eldest daughter of King James I, and only had one brother. And, yes, I know that Scotland didn't allow female succession if there were still male heirs stashed somewhere, but it makes for an interesting situation.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Okay, so here's what I'm thinking:

In the event of Margaret giving Louis a daughter, let's call her *Marie, after his mother. He's likely to offer her as a wife to Edward IV, rather than Bona of Savoy, no? And if Edward slights the French court by marrying Dame Grey, it's going to be more of an issue, since he's slighted the king's daughter, rather than his "foreign" niece. That said, if there's a younger daughter, let's call her *Jeanne, after her mother, would she, instead be offered for Edward of Westminster, while *Marie marries Ladislaus the Posthumous of Hungary (as one of Louis' sisters was originally slated to do) or whomever French policy dictates that she be offered to (where?).