WI/TL: Serial-Killer King of France?

156px-Gillesderais1835.jpg


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilles_de_Rais

^ this was a nasty guy.

But, I had an idea for a TL on him becoming the King of France and wanted to flesh it out.

The PoD to make this happen is basically 1420.

15 year old Gilles was being shopped around for marraige by his grandfather Jean de Cracon in Brittany.

At the same time, the Duke of Brittany, John VI was imprisoned by rebelious nobles, seeking said title, which they lost in the Breton War of Succession.

John VI wife, Duchesss Anne, Daughter of Charles VI King of France was in a precarious position during this period and did literally everything she could to rescue him, ultimately succeeding.

So what if John VI for whatever reason dies during his imprisonment and Anne, looking for a way to resetablish the legitmacy of her position in Brittany, marries the young Gilles. This would also satify the local nobles as Gilles was a decendant of Breton Kin.

Then, just as OTL, Gilles goes on to fight nobily with Joan of Arc, while Charles VII, stays in southern France after his father dies. Charles VII then dies or is murdered for whatever reason

Then after victory, as the House of Valois has no more male heirs descendant from the Charles VI, remnants of the French Court has Anne proclaimed Queen of France with Gilles as King/Prince-Consort in Paris.

Then the murders and occult stuff starts to happen.

Is this Doable? And would you be interested in reading?
 
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That is also to presume about Gilles de Rais' guilt. Some people think that his trial had more to do with a political machination with usual charges to discredit him rather than an actual heresy and murder case. I don't say I subscribe to this theory, but I'm open to this possibility.
 
No, not doable. The French were ardent followers of Salic Law and Male Primogeniture. The French would do as they did OTL, moving up the line and over, to the Valois-Orleans branch.

At this point, Charles VI's younger brother

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_I_de_Valois,_Duke_of_Orl%C3%A9ans

is already dead, so his son

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Duke_of_Orléans

becomes King.

OTL, Charle's son

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XII_of_France

would inherit after the main Valois line went extinct. All you've done is move it up a generation early.


So in the case of all viable male heirs in the house of Valois perishing, the house would literrally end with no consideration given too the daughters?
 
There is also the House of Valois-Burgundy, issued from Prince Philip, fourth son of John II, of which the head is currently Philip III the Good, father to Charles the Bold.

If this is not enough, the nearest male relative is Charles III of Navarre, great grandson of Louis X through his only daughter Joan of Navarre and her son Charles II the Bad. Ironically, as per English arguments of rights to the throne through female lines, Charles the Bad, and his son, had a better claim than Edward III, not to speak of Lancastrians.
 
Shit.

One more...

Well Charles VI effectively ended the primogenture line of Valois when he allowed Henry V and his daughter Catherine to marry, proclaiming their future heir as the next King of France, right?

Any chance an entirely new Regal House could be established after Joan of Arc's campaign?
 
And even if you kill the Bourbons as well, you get

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_of_Artois,_Count_of_Eu
as King.

who is a descendant of

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_I,_Count_of_Artois,

second son of

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_VIII_of_France

EDIT: Genealogy is a hobby of mine, so this was a fun thread even if not a plausible POD/story

And then the Courtenays, I believe. While "there's always an heir" is an overstatement, King Gilles won't happen unless he physically takes over by force and beats off all the alternatives.

It's also worth noting that in a Treaty during the Bourbon period, it was agreed that in the event of the Bourbons becoming extinct (which was a genuine possibility at that point) the House of Guise/Lorraine would inherit the French throne. The Courtenays complained, but nobody paid them any attention.
 
And then the Courtenays, I believe. While "there's always an heir" is an overstatement, King Gilles won't happen unless he physically takes over by force and beats off all the alternatives.

It's also worth noting that in a Treaty during the Bourbon period, it was agreed that in the event of the Bourbons becoming extinct (which was a genuine possibility at that point) the House of Guise/Lorraine would inherit the French throne. The Courtenays complained, but nobody paid them any attention.

Dang.

You and Caoster are right.

This seems to be a non-starter
 
And then the Courtenays, I believe. While "there's always an heir" is an overstatement, King Gilles won't happen unless he physically takes over by force and beats off all the alternatives.

It's also worth noting that in a Treaty during the Bourbon period, it was agreed that in the event of the Bourbons becoming extinct (which was a genuine possibility at that point) the House of Guise/Lorraine would inherit the French throne. The Courtenays complained, but nobody paid them any attention.

Ironically, the Guises went extinct first.

Also realize that the reason the Guises were considered at this point--and during the War of Religions--was because they were believed to be Charlemagne descendants, in addition to being powerful nobles. It really wasn't a job they would give to just anybody.

Also, put me with those who suspect that Gilles may not have been guilty of anything more than holding a lot of land that the crown wanted.
 
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