WI: Surviving Valois Lorraine?

The Valois-Anjou ruled Lorraine by dint of René d'Anjou's marriage to Isabelle, duchess of Lorraine. Originally René wasn't even supposed to end up as duc d'Anjou, his brother was engaged to a daughter of the duke of Burgundy, but this was later cancelled, and he finally married Margherita of Savoy, but had no children with her before he died, leaving his titles of duc d'Anjou and 'king of Naples, Cyprus, Jerusalem and Armenia' to his brother. René had two sons who survived infancy, Jean, who succeeded his mother as duke of Lorraine; and Louis, marquis de Pont-á-Mousson. Jean only left one child, Nicolas (who sometimes crops up in alt-history TLs as an alternate spouse for Isabel the Catholic), Duke of Calabria and Lorraine; while Louis died of pneumonia a Burgundian hostage.

Nicolas predeceased René, leaving no legitimate issue, although he had at times been engaged to Marie of Burgundy, Anne de France, Vicomtesse de Thouars and even rumored for Isabel of Castile. The Lorrainer succession passed to Nicolas' eldest surviving aunt, Yolande (who had been married to her cousin, the comte de Vaudémont as part of an agreement between the Valois-Anjou and the house of Lorraine), and thence to her issue.

But what if Lorraine had remained in Valois hands? What differences would this mean in the grand chessboard that was Europe? If Nicolas outlives Charles the Bold, is he a shoe-in to marry Marie of Burgundy? Or does she still marry Maximilian of Austria?
 
Interesting. I can see a Lorraine Burgundy match here. The King if France could see it as an allied buffer against the Habsburgs. Or perhaps another family threat.
 
Interesting. I can see a Lorraine Burgundy match here. The King if France could see it as an allied buffer against the Habsburgs. Or perhaps another family threat.

Knowing what I do of Louis XI's relations with the Anjous (is Angevin correct or not?), he might see it as another family threat, esp. if he's just faced off (and won) against Charles of Burgundy.

It depends if Henry IV of Castile shifts support to John of Lorraine Nicholas would marry Isabella..

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Now if I could just think of a way to do it, though.
 
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