The Transylvanian Compromise
The Premier of Transylvania, Gheorge de Basesti, had risen from being an outcast and traitor under the old regime, to become one of the most senior officials of the United States of Austria-Hungary. He had achieved his ambition of equal rights for all Transylvanians after a quarter of a century of struggle. At the age of 84, he knew his time was short, but he had prepared the new generation - potential successors were Alexandru Vaida-Voevod (47) and Iuliu Maniu (46). Emperor Franz Ferdinand had appointed Bishop Miron Cristea of Karansebesch as the faciliator for a commission of reconciliation to heal the bitterness of the years of struggle.
However, the Premier had concerns for the future. On the other side of the border, in Romania, the Crown Prince Carol was a decadent playboy, renowned for his illicit dealings and affairs and hardly the candidate to ensure long-term stability. His socialisation with prostitutes and mistresses, his contravention of royal law, his anti-Semitism and manipulation of politics were all foreboding of trouble. As for the Emperor Franz Ferdinand, his recent bout with influenza had left him weakened. Doctors were doubtful that he would see the age of sixty (he was currently 56) and his "most likely to succeed", the Archduke Karl, had himself been struck by the Great Plague. Without their long-term survival, the Hapsburg Dynasty was short on potential candidates. Without their survival, there was every chance that a new dynasty would be founded and the continued equality of the Transylvanians would be left to chance. de Basesti was not prepared to take that chance.
On 11 January, 1919, the Premier sought an audience with the Emperor on matters of succession. He stated clearly his concerns and suggested that the Emperor groom another potential candidate, in case both he and Karl should die before Karl's son, Otto, reached majority. He insisted that his people would support Otto in the election should he be of age, but doubted his electability if he was still a minor. (At this time, Otto was only six years old.) He shared his preferred candidate with the Emperor, one he believed would guarantee the future for his people, and went his way. He would pass away only a month later, unaware of the outcome of the seed he had planted in the Emperor's mind.
The seed bloomed, however, and on 23 January, the Emperor of Austria-Hungary sought an audience with King Ferdinand of Romania, technically to discuss a border dispute in Bessarabia (Romanian officials had held up a Russian diplomat on his travels). In reality, Franz Ferdinand was there to scout out a potential successor. He considered that perhaps the king's Eton-attending liberal-leaning teenage son, Prince Nicholas, might be groomed as his successor. The alternative candidate was the King of Aragon, combining the Catholic powers and once again becoming a Holy Roman Empire.
Either way, he offered King Ferdinand the chance to send his second son to Vienna after he had finished his schooling, ostensibly to receive his officer training in the Imperial Navy. The King welcomed the offer heartily.
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