Gonzaga said:
Depending on when Napoleon Jr. is born (let's say 1796 or 1797) maybe he could have been married to Marie Louise instead. Napoleon himself was younger than Josephine, so I believe he would have no problems marrying his son to an elder princess, even more if it is for reasons of state.
Funny, that thought crossed my mind at one point
I'm not sure how this would fit though... Napoleon met Josephine in 1795 and married her the next year. The earliest date for the birth of Napoleon Jr would thus be 1795 or 1796, making him 14 or 15 in 1810 when Napoleon married Marie Louise (who was 16 if I'm not wrong) OTL.
I know monarchs could marry very young (Such as Louis XVI who married Marie-Antoinette while they were respectively 16 and 15), but would Napoleon go for a mariage for his son as he is 14/15?
Of course, he could arrange the marriage for the next year...
seraphim74 said:
And what if Napoleon and Josephine have a daughter?
Captain Poplar said:
Salic Law applies according to the 1804 (an XII) Constitution. Napoleon's daughter would not be an Empress.
This said, the Constitution (which curiously states that : "the Government of the Republic is entrusted to an Emperor, whose title is Emperor of the French") also stated that Napoleon could adopt his successor, which he didn't. He could marry his daughter to one of his nephews, who would become the Emperor, the marriage prospect helping to convince one of his brothers to let a son to Napoleon.
Captain Poplar, your arguments are true and quite good. However, maybe Napoleon could be tempted to let his legacy be perpetuated if he had a daughter and thus he would not apply Salic Law. I don't know if this a very likely scenario, but it is another possibility.
Your scenario is the most likely though. As for the candidates to marry Napoleon's daughter, I'd go for one of Louis's son : Napoleon was very close from Napoleon Louis, the second son of Louis who he made Grand Duke of Berg.
On the Republican Emperor note, Napoleon had established the French Empire on the model of the Roman Empire : the Roman Empire was technically a Republic BUT with an Emperor who had a very great amount of powers as its head of state.
Not to mention that Napoleon took the Imperial Crown (ironically I must say) to preserve the attainments* of the Revolution. It was proven on the french coins during the Empire which stated on one side "Napoleon Empereur" and on the other "Republique Française".
*Sorry if my phrase isn't correct but I'm not a native english speaker and I have a doubt on how to translate the French word I want to say wich is "acquis"...
Gonzaga said:
If he has a daughter, would he still divorce Josephine in order to try to have a son?
That depends on how his mind evolve now that he has a child.
If he still wishes for a son and Josephine doesn't give him one in the following years, he could still divorce her although maybe later than OTL.
Same happens if she gives him another daughter after the one we're talking but it also push back the divorce from some more years as he could think Josephine can have another child.