What if there would have been a War of the French Succession anytime between 1715 and 1728 as a result of French King Louis XV dying young and sonless and Philip V of Spain and Philippe II, Duke of Orleans and, after his death in 1723, his son Louis, Duke of Orleans, would have subsequently decided to fight each other for the French throne?
In this scenario, Philip V of Spain would have been the seniormost Capetian, but he would have also renounced his and his descendants' French succession rights in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. At the same time, though, there were some voices in France back then who believed that this renunciation was invalid. Meanwhile, if Philip V's renunciation of the French throne for himself and all of his male-line descendants is viewed as valid, then the agnatic successor to Louis XV of France after his death in this TL would have been either Philippe II, Duke of Orleans or, after his death in 1723, his son, Louis, Duke of Orleans.
Anyway, which side would actually win a succession war over the French throne in this TL, assuming that Philip V of Spain would have attempted to renounce his previous renunciation of his and his successors' rights to the French throne? My suspicion is that the rest of the European Great Powers would support the claim of the Duke of Orleans since they wouldn't want an international treaty like the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht to be so blatantly and openly disregarded like that, especially so soon (15 years or less) after it was signed. So, if the other European Great Powers will decide to give military support to the Duke of Orleans, then it would seem like he would have had this thing in the bag sooner or later--meaning the French throne, of course.
Anyway, though, what do you think?
In this scenario, Philip V of Spain would have been the seniormost Capetian, but he would have also renounced his and his descendants' French succession rights in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. At the same time, though, there were some voices in France back then who believed that this renunciation was invalid. Meanwhile, if Philip V's renunciation of the French throne for himself and all of his male-line descendants is viewed as valid, then the agnatic successor to Louis XV of France after his death in this TL would have been either Philippe II, Duke of Orleans or, after his death in 1723, his son, Louis, Duke of Orleans.
Anyway, which side would actually win a succession war over the French throne in this TL, assuming that Philip V of Spain would have attempted to renounce his previous renunciation of his and his successors' rights to the French throne? My suspicion is that the rest of the European Great Powers would support the claim of the Duke of Orleans since they wouldn't want an international treaty like the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht to be so blatantly and openly disregarded like that, especially so soon (15 years or less) after it was signed. So, if the other European Great Powers will decide to give military support to the Duke of Orleans, then it would seem like he would have had this thing in the bag sooner or later--meaning the French throne, of course.
Anyway, though, what do you think?