WI William III was born a female?

As says in the title. What could be the possible consequences of Mary, Princess Royal, giving birth to a girl instead of the boy that would become William III?
 
As says in the title. What could be the possible consequences of Mary, Princess Royal, giving birth to a girl instead of the boy that would become William III?

Realistically she would be relegated to a position of little importance. After all, girls couldn't inherit the Principality of Orange or be elected to the Stadtholdership. I mean suppose that she could be used in a marriage alliance but other then that I can't see what she could do.
 
The throne would go to Wilma's male cousins such as:
- Frederick who later is Frederick I of Prussia joining the two nations (like king George I's Hanover and Great Britain)
- Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz
- Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

What impact this has on Britain is we just see Mary II of England marry a different prince, maybe marrying Prince George of Denmark (before her sister Anne.) or maybe even marry into the House of Braganza, with Pedro, Duke of Beja (future Peter II of Portugal) forming the British-Portugal Empire :D
 
I don't think they'd be to keen on one of their princesses and heirs marrying anyone Catholic.

Furthermore,with a POD in 1650 there is no guarantee that history would remain the same in England. James of York might not marry Anne Hyde or one of his early sons might live. Or hell Charles II might have children with Catherine of Braganza. Really there's no telling what would change.
 
The throne would go to Wilma's male cousins such as:
- Frederick who later is Frederick I of Prussia joining the two nations (like king George I's Hanover and Great Britain)
- Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz
- Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

What throne? :p ... the Dutch Stadtholdership was still very much a elective seat (which became an empty seat for a couple of periods) and House of Orange was 'merely' first among equal, from what i'm aware.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
The throne would go to Wilma's male cousins such as:
- Frederick who later is Frederick I of Prussia joining the two nations (like king George I's Hanover and Great Britain)
- Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz
- Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

What impact this has on Britain is we just see Mary II of England marry a different prince, maybe marrying Prince George of Denmark (before her sister Anne.) or maybe even marry into the House of Braganza, with Pedro, Duke of Beja (future Peter II of Portugal) forming the British-Portugal Empire :D

Frederick of Prussia inheriting the Principality of Orange and all other hereditary titles of Willem II could really have some interesting effects. Being appointed as Stadholder right away is pretty much impossible but would still be the most important Dutch noble and gain a lot of influence in the Republic. Everything could happen. In 20 years he could gain control over the Republic or he could be totally sidelined with his Dutch possessions seized.
 
Frederick of Prussia inheriting the Principality of Orange and all other hereditary titles of Willem II could really have some interesting effects. Being appointed as Stadholder right away is pretty much impossible but would still be the most important Dutch noble and gain a lot of influence in the Republic. Everything could happen. In 20 years he could gain control over the Republic or he could be totally sidelined with his Dutch possessions seized.

But wouldn't Mary's daughter (let's call her Amalia, after her grandmother) be the Princess of Orange? The title was held by women before, it wasn't something linked to the Nassau dynasty.

Also, as the young girl would have no political value to the Dutch, if the Restoration still happens in England (I see no reason for it not to happen) probably Mary would go back to London as IOTL, but with her daughter too, instead of living her in Netherlands as she did IOTL with William III. Amalia would be used for political marriages, but to the English instead of the Dutch.

Also, would it mean that the Stadtholder age is completely over, or the other branch of the Nassau family could try to take this position?
 
But wouldn't Mary's daughter (let's call her Amalia, after her grandmother) be the Princess of Orange? The title was held by women before, it wasn't something linked to the Nassau dynasty.

Also, as the young girl would have no political value to the Dutch, if the Restoration still happens in England (I see no reason for it not to happen) probably Mary would go back to London as IOTL, but with her daughter too, instead of living her in Netherlands as she did IOTL with William III. Amalia would be used for political marriages, but to the English instead of the Dutch.

Also, would it mean that the Stadtholder age is completely over, or the other branch of the Nassau family could try to take this position?

Nope to her as Princess of Orange. The Principality was never held by a female.

As for her moving to London, that would be a likely possibility, considering that I doubt there would be any issue of custody over a girl. As for a marriage, who knows. Maybe a noble or maybe a lesser Prince.

And yes the Nassau-Dietz could in theory become candidates for the Stadtholdership, as the Orangists would have no choice but to support them, but William Frederick (the head of that branch) had little support in Holland and the other states.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
Nope to her as Princess of Orange. The Principality was never held by a female.

As for her moving to London, that would be a likely possibility, considering that I doubt there would be any issue of custody over a girl. As for a marriage, who knows. Maybe a noble or maybe a lesser Prince.

And yes the Nassau-Dietz could in theory become candidates for the Stadtholdership, as the Orangists would have no choice but to support them, but William Frederick (the head of that branch) had little support in Holland and the other states.

Without Willem III Willem Frederick will be the only choice for Dutch Orangists though. They can't wait the 40 years it would take for Amalia to produce a adult son. This gives Willem Frederick more power but as you said he had little support in the Western provinces and was downright hated in Amsterdam.

It would be interesting if Frederick of Prussia and Amalia married to unite their claimants after which Frederick could very well (with the help of the Prussian Army) take over the Netherlands after aiding them against the French. However, Frederick was only born in 1657 so couldn't possibly inherit in 1650.

While it's obvious that Willem Frederick becomes the (probably ineffective) leader of the Dutch orangists I'm not sure who would be the heir of Willem II's possessions. Would it be Amalia or would someone else inherit?


EDIT: I have just found out that per the last will of Frederick Hendrik the heirs of Louis Henriette would inherit. That means it doesn't matter if Frederick of Prussia wasn't born yet I presume? Possible German Netherlands!
 
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Without Willem III Willem Frederick will be the only choice for Dutch Orangists though. They can't wait the 40 years it would take for Amalia to produce a adult son. This gives Willem Frederick more power but as you said he had little support in the Western provinces and was downright hated in Amsterdam.

It would be interesting if Frederick of Prussia and Amalia married to unite their claimants after which Frederick could very well (with the help of the Prussian Army) take over the Netherlands after aiding them against the French. However, Frederick was only born in 1657 so couldn't possibly inherit in 1650.

While it's obvious that Willem Frederick becomes the (probably ineffective) leader of the Dutch orangists I'm not sure who would be the heir of Willem II's possessions. Would it be Amalia or would someone else inherit?

William II left a will appointing his wife as guardian of his child. There is anything in the document that shows what he planned for his succession if the child was a female?
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
William II left a will appointing his wife as guardian of his child. There is anything in the document that shows what he planned for his succession if the child was a female?

Willem II didn't leave a proper will. There were only several concept wills with instructions for when there were no children. Each named either his sister Louis Henriette or his sister Albertine Agnes as heirs if he would die childless.
 
EDIT: I have just found out that per the last will of Frederick Hendrik the heirs of Louis Henriette would inherit. That means it doesn't matter if Frederick of Prussia wasn't born yet I presume? Possible German Netherlands!

So, if Amalia dies young, we would probably have Prussia trying to mess with Dutch politics (maybe even allying with England)? It would be fun to watch.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
So, if Amalia dies young, we would probably have Prussia trying to mess with Dutch politics (maybe even allying with England)? It would be fun to watch.

I'm not sure if they would actually ally with England as the Prussian King quarreled with Mary Stuart a lot. With their possessions in the western part of the HRE though they do have a base to get involved with the Republic. I could also see a Prussian army coming to the rescue of the Dutch in a 1672-like scenario. Never to leave again.

EDIT: A Prussian-French alliance (like OTL) is also very much in the charts.
 
The possibility exists of course, that Brandenburg takes over the Nassau-Oranje inheritance and becomes more westward-focused than east. Or a younger son is designated to inherit the Dutch titles, perhaps?
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
The possibility exists of course, that Brandenburg takes over the Nassau-Oranje inheritance and becomes more westward-focused than east. Or a younger son is designated to inherit the Dutch titles, perhaps?

Frederick Willem tried to make Willem III assign his fourth son Louis as heir. All I can find about that son is that he died at the age of 21. Does anyone know his cause of death?

Frederick Willems first son Charles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Electoral_Prince_of_Brandenburg) would get the Oranje-Nassau inheritance before he would be made Prince-Elector (that is if his illness of OTL is butterflied which is very much possible).
 
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