In 1759, following a supposed regicide, José I of Portugal decreed the expulsion of Jesuits from the entire Portuguese Empire. However, there was some serious opposition to these plans, and there were rumors that a possible new assassination attempt could happen against José I. WI this were the case? Say a Jesuit or a Jesuit-sympathizer kills José I on October 1759.
There are two matters of consideration in this WI:
1) Maria would probably assume the throne of Portugal in the event of José's assassination, at the age of 25. It's possible she enters into her OTL maniac and depressive episodes due to the loss of her father. She would likely give birth to the heir José II, who was born in August 1761 (so a little over an year from the POD).
2) The Marquis of Pombal. How would Maria I treat him? IOTL she was very much opposed to the reforms (including the expulsion of the Jesuits) that the Marquis implemented, so the question is whether he would fall out of power earlier than IOTL and the impacts of that
What do y'all think of this scenario and how would Portugal develop in it?
There are two matters of consideration in this WI:
1) Maria would probably assume the throne of Portugal in the event of José's assassination, at the age of 25. It's possible she enters into her OTL maniac and depressive episodes due to the loss of her father. She would likely give birth to the heir José II, who was born in August 1761 (so a little over an year from the POD).
2) The Marquis of Pombal. How would Maria I treat him? IOTL she was very much opposed to the reforms (including the expulsion of the Jesuits) that the Marquis implemented, so the question is whether he would fall out of power earlier than IOTL and the impacts of that
What do y'all think of this scenario and how would Portugal develop in it?
