Hello all, I am not sure if the subject has come up before on AH.com, or how often. In 1889 Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria - Hungary was killed at Mayerling along with his mistress Maria Vetsera (and the back - and - forth as to what REALLY happened will most likely never be settled). As he was Franz Josef's only son, the death of Rudolf destroyed any hope the Emperor had for the future; indeed, after Mayerling a fatalistic subculture grew up in Imperial Vienna.
Anyway, one of the greatest what - if scenarios for the Dual Monarchy is, I believe, what if Rudolf had lived? What might be the consequences if he becomes Emperor around 1881? (I chose that date because historically, that was the year he was forced to marry Princess Stephanie of Belgium - a union that he never wanted and a marriage in which both were absolutely miserable). Perhaps our unfortunate young man will be too busy to be pressured into marriage until he finds someone he might actually like.
In any case, I am not very familiar with his domestic/foreign policies, other than that according to some biographers he was a "liberal" and may have penned newspaper articles critical of the government under a pseudonym.
According to one author, Rudolf believed the solution to the Polish Question was for Austria and Germany to divide and annex Congress Poland in the event of a war with Russia.
So, I would be interested to know what you fine gentlemen (and ladies) could suggest as to a potential reign by the young Rudolf; I am interested in doing a timeline where he is in a position to take the reigns of power but don't really know what that would be like.
Anyway, one of the greatest what - if scenarios for the Dual Monarchy is, I believe, what if Rudolf had lived? What might be the consequences if he becomes Emperor around 1881? (I chose that date because historically, that was the year he was forced to marry Princess Stephanie of Belgium - a union that he never wanted and a marriage in which both were absolutely miserable). Perhaps our unfortunate young man will be too busy to be pressured into marriage until he finds someone he might actually like.
In any case, I am not very familiar with his domestic/foreign policies, other than that according to some biographers he was a "liberal" and may have penned newspaper articles critical of the government under a pseudonym.
According to one author, Rudolf believed the solution to the Polish Question was for Austria and Germany to divide and annex Congress Poland in the event of a war with Russia.
So, I would be interested to know what you fine gentlemen (and ladies) could suggest as to a potential reign by the young Rudolf; I am interested in doing a timeline where he is in a position to take the reigns of power but don't really know what that would be like.