Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria, Prince of Asturias

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Duke Joseph Ferdinand Leopold of Bavaria, also known as Infante Jose Fernando de Baviera y Austria, Prince of Asturias (28 October 1692 - 6 February 1699) was the son of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria (1679-1705, 1714-1726) and his first wife, Maria Antonia of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, maternal granddaughter of King Felipe IV of Spain.

Before the War of the Spanish Succession, Joseph Ferdinand was the favored choice of the Kingdom of England and the Dutch Republic to succeed as the ruler of Spain, young Charles II of Spain chose him as his heir. The unexpected death of Joseph Ferdinand in 1699 at the age of six rendered the Anglo-French treaty inoperative and led to the Second Partition Treaty (1700), agreed upon by France, England, and the Netherlands; under its terms, Philip of Anjou was to receive the Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily and the Duchy of Milan, while the rest of the Spanish dominions were to go to Charles, son of Leopold I. But Leopold did not accept this treaty and Louis XIV of France broke the treaty, when he enthroned Philip in Spain.

Joseph, also known as Infante Joseph Ferdinand of Spain, was a result of extreme inbreeding within Spanish Habsburg dynasty. Joseph Ferdinand's mother's (Maria Antonia of Austria) immediate pedigree was exceptionally loaded with nieces giving birth to children of their uncles: Maria Antonia was daughter of Margarita of Spain and Emperor Leopold I, Margarita being Leopold's niece, being daughter of Marie-Anne of Austria and Philip IV of Spain, that Marie-Anne (Maria Antonia's aunt and grandmother) being Philip's niece - was also daughter of Maria Ana of Spain (1606-46) and Emperor Ferdinand III, who were Leopold's parents too. Thus, Empress Maria Ana was simultaneously Margarita's aunt, mother-in-law and grandmother.

Joseph Ferdinand's great-uncle was the so-called Bewitched Charles II of Spain, who was the degenerated last Habsburg monarch of Spain, whom Joseph was destined to succeed, had he not himself predeceased Charles.

[edit] Ancestors

Joseph Ferdinand's ancestors in three generations

Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria	Father: Maximilian II of Bavaria	Father's father: Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria	Father's father's father: Maximilian I of Bavaria
			Father's father's mother: Maria Anna of Austria
		Father's mother: Henriette Adelaide of Savoy	Father's mother's father: Victor Amadeus I of Savoy
			Father's mother's mother: Christine Marie of France
	Mother: Maria Antonia of Austria	Mother's father: Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor	Mother's father's father: Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
			Mother's father's mother: Maria Anna of Spain
		Mother's mother: Margaret Theresa of Spain	Mother's mother's father: Philip IV of Spain
			Mother's mother's mother: Mariana of Austria

Spanish Habsburgs Born: October 28, 1692 Died: February 6, 1699
Vacant Title last held by Prince Charles his great-uncle who already held the throne	Prince of Asturias 1698-1699	Vacant Title next held by Prince Louis