Very likely. He preferred working with the authorities even OTL (even took government position in 1845) and in TTL, with a tad more liberal government it would be likely his dream come true.
Very likely. He preferred working with the authorities even OTL (even took government position in 1845) and in TTL, with a tad more liberal government it would be likely his dream come true.So Széchenyi would be big in the Hungarian government going forward
Very true. Although could he not also turn into one of those politicians who doesn't feel the "tad" is "far enough or fast enough"? Or would that be the province of the more radical leftists?Very likely. He preferred working with the authorities even OTL (even took government position in 1845) and in TTL, with a tad more liberal government it would be likely his dream come true.
Széchenyi was mostly concerned with the economy and infrastructure. He didn't really care about further democratisation or distancing Hungary from Austria. Afaik.Very true. Although could he not also turn into one of those politicians who doesn't feel the "tad" is "far enough or fast enough"? Or would that be the province of the more radical leftists?
Murat officially abolished it in 1811, but it ceased to function much earlier, in the 16th/17th century.
could King Bomba revive it, do you think? It was one of the foremost medical schools of the day, and I have this image of the Universities of Vienna and Salerno ending up as rival medical schoolsMurat officially abolished it in 1811, but it ceased to function much earlier, in the 16th/17th century.
Would need to be revived from the scratch and the money/energies would be better spent in expanding and improving the Federico II imhocould King Bomba revive it, do you think? It was one of the foremost medical schools of the day, and I have this image of the Universities of Vienna and Salerno ending up as rival medical schools
that's a pity tho. was hoping for some "friendly competition" between the two. Was there another university in the kingdom aside from the Federico?Would need to be revived from the scratch and the money/energies would be better spent in expanding and improving the Federico II imho
since when Frankie was married? Is it with Maria Caroline his cousin from Two Sicily? And who are Pauline and Francisca which likely to be his mistresses? In fact the girls Frankie in otl you mentioned have affairs I can't search them from google and yahoo. Expect Queen of Bavaria but if that affair ever happen, isn't this more like she took advantage on Frankie based on huge age gap. I am shock he has kids all of sudden, he don't even shown to be married or having sign of affairs.Soundtrack: Alfredo Catalani, La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Lontano [1]
*exterior shot of the Alps* *majestic* *snow covered* *we see a carriage rattling along the edge of Lake Constance as it climbs the hill to Schloss Arenenberg*
*shot of the carriage stopping in front of the main entrance* *zoom in on the door shows the two-right facing lions of the coat-of-arms* *door opens and next thing Therese practically tumbles out* *like she was leaning on the door and it opened unexpectedly* *she falls flat on her face* *dirtying the front of her coat and her face* *her hat also falls off*
Therese: *starts crying*
Karoline: *jumps down from the carriage* *looks at her sister* *then starts laughing*
Therese: *cries harder*
Frankie: *climbs out of coach with Poldchen in his arms* *he looks fed-up as any dad who's been cooped up in a car with his kids for a roadtrip* *he hands Poldchen to the nurse once she gets down* Karoline, stop laughing at your sister. I told you she'd fall out if you pushed the button [i.e. handle[1]]. *he helps a crying Therese up* *gently dusts off the front of her coat* *realizes its a bad job so takes his coat off and puts it around her* *then drapes her coat over his shoulder* *then practically grabs Karoline by the hand* *like to make sure she doesn't get up to any more mischief* *we also see Therese smirking behind her dad's head* *like to say "see, I get carried, you've gotta walk*
*Front door opens* *the little girls walk in* *in contrast to their palace in Venice or in Vienna that's mostly baroque interiors* *here it looks like Malmaison's holiday spot*
Frankie: *to Karoline* clean your shoes.
Karoline: *she stamps her feet like he does* *but its probably more for the sound than anything else if one judges by the big smile on her face*
Chamberlain: *to Frankie* she's been expecting you sir.
Frankie: anyone else here?
Chamberlain: no doubt they'll be back for lunch sir...but Abbé Bertrand is with her Majesty at the moment. But she asked for your Majesty.
Frankie: *motions like "lead the way"*
Chamberlain: *does* *finally stops at he door of Hortense's bedroom*
Frankie: *to Therese & Karoline* you wait here with Madame Rivelli *sternly* and no funny business.
Karoline&Therese: *both look at him as if to ask "what are you talking about?"
Chamberlain: His Majesty, the Emperor of the French
*Hortense's bedroom* *first we see "mementos" of the Empire* *several pots of violets* *Abbé Bertrand [3] is seated in the chair opposite to Hortense* *talking to her* *he is an old man* *wizened as a walnut* *Hortense is dressed and rouged* *sitting upright in her chair* *when she sees her stepbrother enter* *she rises to curtsey* *but you can see its difficult for her*
Frankie: don't get up Madame.
Hortense: *smiles in relief* *waves for the Abbé to leave*
*once alone*
Frankie: you look well, Madame
Hortense: *hoarsely* God bless you for a liar *clutches throat*[4]
Frankie: I can ring for some water-
Hortense: it won't help, your Majesty. I am very glad *swallows* that you did not die of measles
Frankie: I think you are possibly the only member of the family who would be so kind, Madame. Certainly Louis Philippe and Prince Metternich do not share the opinion
Hortense: I read *takes breath* about christening. *shakes head* ridiculous. Like yours crossed with *coughs* some pre-Revolutionary fare.
Frankie: I hear it was rather barbaric.
Hortense: I wanted to talk to you about my grandchildren. And Charles.
Frankie: of course.
Hortense: Charles is...a good boy...a kind boy...a bit of a dreamer.
Frankie: aren't we all, Madame?
Hortense: *smiles* *for a moment she looks like a young girl again* he needs someone to...watch over him. He needs to have something to do. Otherwise he...just...thinks-
Frankie: *thinking of Albert of Coburg* I know the type
Hortense: Louis Napoléon is well...he's due this evening from America. But I wanted to talk to you before he gets here.
Frankie: naturellement
Hortense: when I die-
Frankie: perish the thought. Your Majesty is still the picture of health-
Hortense: when I die, I want your Majesty to take them in.
Frankie: they go back to their father, Madame. That was what we agreed.
Hortense: *excitably* damn what we agreed.
Frankie: *stays silent*
Hortense: if they go back to him...they will be raised with all that...Bonaparte poison filling their ears. Their hearts. They will be raised on fever dreams and live in the past. Like Bonnie Prince Charlie. Of how things should've been instead of how they are.
Frankie: *nods*
Hortense: Louis Napoléon, for all his faults...he is his father's son. I've seen the war inside him between Bonaparte and Beauharnais. The new and the old. But now there is another war looming: between your Majesty, as his emperor, and his father, father-in-law and uncles.
Frankie: except none of us are generals, Madame. Not like my father-
Hortense: I watched your father ruin *coughs* himself through his love of family. Charles saw it. To them...they cannot accept that you have decided to throw your lot with all your father stood against. To them, you should be conquering those kingdoms and setting them back on the thrones they rightfully belong on. Even Jérôme has taken to referring to presenting his children now as the "Crown Prince, Prince and Princess of Westphalia, Princess Imperial of France". They will ruin you. They will ruin my sons. And they will use my grandchildren to do it. The Bonaparte and Beauharnais War will carry forward another generation. They already resent you for having arranged dear Théodelinde's match to the duke of Modena. They feel that that should've gone to Mathilde.
Frankie: Mathilde has no money, no dowry, no family background except Protestant...the d'Estes would never have agreed.
Hortense: they see it as you favouring us over them. And then they will force you into a position you do not wish to go.
Frankie: *about to respond* *noise of a squabble from the hallway* excuse me *walks to the door* *opens it* *finds Karoline and Therese are arguing* is this what no funny business looks like?
*lots of finger pointing between the two*
Frankie: *to his daughters* hands, now.
Therese & Karoline: *both look at one another* *then glumly extend their hands as though to be kissed*
Frankie: *strikes them both on the back of their hands* *like a schoolmaster or tutor would* now...what did I threaten in the coach about misbehaving here?
Therese: *obediently* that you'll tie us to the roof of the coach with the luggage.
Hortense: your Majesty can bring them in, I don't mind.
Frankie: *over shoulder* I'd rather not, Madame. They're not fit to be seen.
Karoline: *clutching his leg* I pwomise I'll bewave
Hortense: your pappa sounds like his pappa.
Frankie: *with a why do I do this? sigh* *takes his daughters by the hand and leads them into the room to Hortense* Majesty, may I present Mademoiselle Thérèse and Mademoiselle Caroline
*both girls make an awkward curtsey*
Hortense: *looks at Caroline* were you causing trouble?
Therese: yes, Majesty
Karoline: no *shakes head emphatically* neva make twouble
Hortense: *to Frankie* I'm sure your aunt and her namesake said the same thing when she was that age.
Frankie: having spoken to the duchesse de Berri, I could quite believe that. *i.e. implying that she's not named for Caroline Murat*
Hortense: *lifts Therese onto her lap* then this one is no doubt for Madame Royal?
Frankie: for my grandmother, the Empress
Therese: *points at Gerard's portrait of Josephine* who's that, Majesty?
Hortense: that's my mother.
Karoline: *walks over to portrait for closer look* she pwetty.
Hortense; *quietly* yes...she was. She was even more beautiful if you knew her.
Frankie: a better woman than one my father got. She would've joined him on Elba...on Saint Helena. Not...left him to rot.
Hortense: I see your views towards your mother haven't softened.
Frankie: when I called in Parma with these two on my way back from Madame Louise's wedding in Naples, I was told that her Majesty would receive me but not my daughters. So I climbed back in my coach and headed for Venice. But she will expect me to call that son of hers, my brother.
Hortense: family is a wonderful comfort and a terrible curse, your Majesty. Which is why I ask what I do. That school idea of yours is good. I heard that the Queen of Sicily has persuaded her mother-in-law to send Enrico [5] there as well. Josephine and her brothers will likely be better served there than Louis giving them private tutors in Florence.
Frankie: it was never supposed to be a school. It just...*pulls face* happened.
Hortense: your father wanted to do it.
Frankie: pardon?
Hortense: in Paris. Just before he went to Russia, he spoke of building an imperial academie on the Left Bank, opposite your palais. The princes of the empire would send their sons to be educated in Paris-[6]
Frankie: to make them all subservient bootlickers
Hortense: *smiles faintly like she agrees* of course then he went to Russia and everything went down from there. So I think he would approve of what you're doing.
Frankie: except-
Hortense: your Majesty attempts to go in the opposite direction to him in so many ways, yet the difference is only one of degree. What has started out of loyalty to your cousins [Paulina, Francisca, Theodelinde] - a notion I am sure he was very familiar with - has grown - organically - by accident into something that he wished to accomplish by design. I think he would be very proud of you, your Majesty, for accomplishing what he could not.
Frankie: *scoffs* he'd have called me a damned cowardly fool is what he'd have thought. He would order me shot as the duc d'Enghien.
Hortense: perhaps. But perhaps that is why you have succeeded better in eighteen months than he did in eighteen years. You have governments friendly to you in Portugal, Spain, England, Naples, Modena, Tuscany, without even unsheathing your sword. Perhaps because you haven't.
Frankie: you left out Greece. Cousin Othon's coming to Venice in the New Year.
Hortense: I rest my case.
Chamberlain: your Majesty, the children have returned
Hortense: *puts Therese off her lap* *stands up achily* *offers her arm to Frankie* *cheerfully* shall we go greet them your Majesty?
Frankie: of course, Madame
*cut to the rest of the afternoon* *in various rooms of the house we see Frankie showing off his daughters/son[7] to the other guests* *the Beauharnais have turned out in full force* *the Crown Princess of Sweden* *the Crown Prince and pregnant Princess of Modena* *the Empress Brasil and her daughter* *Prince Vasa, his wife and their daughter, Carola* *Stephanie de Beauharnais, Grand Princess of Baden* *the Prince of Sigmaringen, his wife and their children, Leopold and Stephanie* *Monsieur Charles arriving with his brother and sister-in-law* *their children excitedly running to greet them* *Hortense talking to her elder son, gesturing at Frankie. Louis Napoléon first shaking his head. Then his wife puts her hand on his arm and nods. He agrees* *Frankie sharing a cigarette in the courtyard with his nephew, Maximilien de Beauharnais* *the children running around together happily* *Hortense sitting at the head of the dining table as the family enjoys swapping stories* *in short, by comparison to the squabbling we've seen from the Bonapartes, the Beauharnais give the impression of a typical bourgeoisie family reunion*
*cut to morning* *the house is quiet*
Hortense: *lying in bed when the door to her bedroom opens*
Abbé Bertrand: you sent for me Madame?
Hortense: *smiles sweetly* oui Monsieur l'Abbé. But only for a moment...then we shall take our departure together.
Abbé Bertrand: *confused by her words* Madame? *walks over to bed when she doesn't respond* *he checks her pulse* *then kneels at the bed whispering* Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis...
*fade to black*
[1] Well, then? I'll go far away
[2] Karoline's a bit of a scamp, bit like her dad. She's also four, so she's going through that "wonderful" phase where they do the opposite
[3] I have no idea whether Abbé Bertrand was still alive or not, but I couldn't find the name of any other priest associated intimately with Hortense. He was tutor to her sons until roughly 1820 IIRC
[4] Hortense apparently died of cancer, but its not said "what" cancer. Some sources speculate it was uterine cancer while another calls it cancer of the throat, another speculates breast/lung cancer
[5] this would be the illegitimate son of Queen Maria Isabel by Count von Schmucker, born in 1833.
[6] this isn't Hortense flattering him, according to a book on Percier and Fontaine this was a genuine plan in the spring of 1812
[7] I know Frankie dragging his kids behind him like a frigging pull-toy sounds a bit extreme, but as a kid who was abandoned by his mother, he's going to want to make very certain that his kids a) don't feel like that and b) he probably doesn't trust anyone not to slip them something. They may be bastards, but according to the Napoleonic Constitution he has the right to adopt them and name them his successor if he so wishes
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You will do better to put the thread in reader mode and read ALL the story.since when Frankie was married? Is it with Maria Caroline his cousin from Two Sicily? And who are Pauline and Francisca which likely to be his mistresses? In fact the girls Frankie in otl you mentioned have affairs I can't search them from google and yahoo. Expect Queen of Bavaria but if that affair ever happen, isn't this more like she took advantage on Frankie based on huge age gap. I am shock he has kids all of sudden, he don't even shown to be married or having sign of affairs.
And I honest;y as Chinese speaker, I am here because I read a novel in Chinese which main character is Frankie, or his niknamed L'Aiglon
And in this novel his main goal is to reclaim his claim in France. But main plotline is having romance with Maria Theresa, daughter of Duke of Tsschen and he made Edmond Dantès as Count of Monte Cristo so Edmond works for him so do works help him. Other than that he had affair with Sofie of Bavaria and result a daughter, Chrystal. He plan to get her younger sister Maria which are twin in novel so Sofie and Maria can swap every few months to get exciting with one and other or threeome... He also had affair with a maiden, Chanel. And he has his paw on a french noble young lady: Agnes, who loves swords. Frankie is persuing her, that feisty lady
Right now Our Frankie, or L'Aigion is back on Château de Fontainebleau while the Bourbon are gone, he is facing Orleans now. As a matter of fact Orleans sent assassin to Frankie, which are that young lady master, a well trained sword master. Frankie sent Edmond caught her with scheme so he will use it against Orlean also forced Agnes be obdence.
There are also eastereggs in novels where in atl he become novelist gave up his ambition and live with Maria Theresa in Vienna(he and Sofie did exciting in emperor Franz's funeral); or he is in similar situation like Frankie here except he made Hapsburg royal line a de-facto Bonaparte line though his affair with Sofie and Sofie find a Savoy princess, (Theresa's predesasor as queen of two Sicily) as cover; He somehow made his way in California with Maiden Chanel and took Mexican throne; He become emperor and Agnes as emperoess
Author made big connection with her previous novel where set in July monarch and 2nd Empire, main character is Agnes's nephew Charles who step by step getting into the closer circle of empire and eventually made Napoleon IV a pappet( Napoleon IV is girl in her novel and Charles made Napoleon III die 10 yrs sooner) and by the way Charles married his cousin and secretly have taboo relation with his sister(likely she is adopted or bastard sister but sister regardless)
Sorry for my misspeal of letter, I dont have grammarly nw
reader mode.. I never know it meant unitl just now...You will do better to put the thread in reader mode and read ALL the story.
Frankie is NOT married and had NO intention to do it. Karoline and Therese are his illegitimate daughters by a former mistress (an actress who care nothing for them) while Leopold is his son by his actual mistress/partner and they have also another son (officially he has two more illegitimate sons but they are been fathered by Henri of Bordeaux/Chambord, who is Frankie’s protege)
Paulina and Francisca are Frankie’s protégés and cousins on his mother’s side (daughters of Leopoldine of Austria and Pedro of Brazil) AND are absolutely NOT his mistresses (and none of Frankie’s relationship was with women of royal blood).
Frankie also has decided to renounce to any Bonaparte claim (he has supported the last Restoration of the French Bourbons as now the Duke of Angouleme is King of France as Louis XIX with his nephew as heir. Louis Philippe d’Orleans had lost his crown, his line had been excluded from the French succession but they had kept their Orleans titles and properties and are still in France) and now (after the death of his maternal grandfather) is Regent of Austria for his uncle (who is unable to rule) waiting for the moment in which his cousin Franz (Joseph) will became old enough for taking the Imperial government in his hands (still years away from now)
Frankie’s action here more often than not bring order NOT chaos and he has no intention to get his own dynasty anywhere as the only dynasty to which he truly felt to belong is the Habsburg one. Right now Austria, in not small part thanks to him, has destroyed Savoy’s ambitions in Italy and curbed Prussian’s one in Germany AND he is busy in modernizing and pacifying the whole Austrian Empire so Austria will not have too many troubles in reaffirming his role as head of the German Confederation once Franz Joseph will take the reins of the powerreader mode.. I never know it meant unitl just now...
So Frankie has no plans to get any single crown for his dynasty Despite all of his actions bring all the chaos, but Austria fear chaos. I wonder if Frankie can make Austria unite Germany, become founding father of German nation state
the novel sounds interesting to be sure, and I've never thought about the idea of Frankie being an amateur novelist (his dad tried it once or twice OTL and his works are absolutely atrocious, even by the miserably low standards of the 1790s), but it could be an interesting "dilettante" project for him. Although - as he points out to his mother - "I'm too fucking busy and vice versa trying to fix Metternich's mess". As to him being horndog and pawing anything in a skirt, I decided for the middle ground for him: he's not some icy virgin (like his three biographers all seem to believe he was in absence of evidence to the contrary*) but he's not some raving sex-maniac.since when Frankie was married? Is it with Maria Caroline his cousin from Two Sicily? And who are Pauline and Francisca which likely to be his mistresses? In fact the girls Frankie in otl you mentioned have affairs I can't search them from google and yahoo. Expect Queen of Bavaria but if that affair ever happen, isn't this more like she took advantage on Frankie based on huge age gap. I am shock he has kids all of sudden, he don't even shown to be married or having sign of affairs.
And I honest;y as Chinese speaker, I am here because I read a novel in Chinese which main character is Frankie, or his niknamed L'Aiglon
And in this novel his main goal is to reclaim his claim in France. But main plotline is having romance with Maria Theresa, daughter of Duke of Tsschen and he made Edmond Dantès as Count of Monte Cristo so Edmond works for him so do works help him. Other than that he had affair with Sofie of Bavaria and result a daughter, Chrystal. He plan to get her younger sister Maria which are twin in novel so Sofie and Maria can swap every few months to get exciting with one and other or threeome... He also had affair with a maiden, Chanel. And he has his paw on a french noble young lady: Agnes, who loves swords. Frankie is persuing her, that feisty lady
Right now Our Frankie, or L'Aigion is back on Château de Fontainebleau while the Bourbon are gone, he is facing Orleans now. As a matter of fact Orleans sent assassin named Bianka to kill Frankie, which are that young lady master, a well trained sword master. Frankie sent Edmond caught her with scheme so he will use it against Orlean also forced Agnes be obdence.
There are also eastereggs in novels where in atl he become novelist gave up his ambition and live with Maria Theresa in Vienna(he and Sofie did exciting in emperor Franz's funeral); or he is in similar situation like Frankie here except he made Hapsburg royal line a de-facto Bonaparte line though his affair with Sofie and Sofie find a Savoy princess, (Theresa's predesasor as queen of two Sicily) as cover; He somehow made his way in California with Maiden Chanel and took Mexican throne; He become emperor and Agnes as emperoess
Author made big connection with her previous novel where set in July monarch and 2nd Empire, main character is Agnes's nephew Charles who step by step getting into the inner circle of empire by schemes and important role on industralize the nation and eventually made Napoleon IV a pappet( Napoleon IV is girl in her novel and Charles made Napoleon III die 10 yrs sooner) and by the way Charles married his cousin Charlotte and secretly have taboo relation with his sister after her countless persuing of suicidal acts(likely she is adopted or bastard sister but sister regardless)
What I saying is family of Agnes and Charles are politically rival and somehow they are in same team due to Frankie lust to Agnes and this is result of both family's work. What makes thing conplicated is that elderly sister of Agnes, Emelie, did Romeo and Juliet with Charles's dad Edgar, break away from her family, but Edgar still having affairs leave bastards around. In fact Emelie helped Edmond caught Bianka. She grow ambitions though connect with Edmond and might have bastard with Frankie in future after she fully disappointed to her husband. In the previous book where Frankie just die, she was fully pregnant when she caught her husband cheating, they had arguement and she was push down stairs. This result both mother and baby death but in public eyes, baby live(and yes she is the sis or not depend what you think) that's when Agnes began her hunt around Europe to kill Edgar eventually after 15 years Charles's wife help her kill Edgar in London. And trust me, Charles's cousin wife caught Charles and gave him a bullet. they still married. Their relationship is strong since they grew up together, Charles love her but cheat around regardless. Other then that Charles side of family is Bonapartist while charlotte is hardcore Bourbon, this is effected by their grandfathers which are brothers. The brothers truely royal to their famliy, these acts is to make sure who ever won their family overall is always winning, that's why they all hate Orleans. Funny to think bunch of fake Bourbonist raised a true hardhore Bourbonist
And all of these just side plot of these novels
Sorry for my misspeal of letter, I dont have grammarly nw
As to women where there actually is contemporary documented evidence that they were...more than friendly with Frankie:
- Franziska Kinsky of Wchnitz, Princess Liechtenstein (first child born in 1834)
- Her sister, Maria Anna, Princess of Solms (eldest son Ferdinand, born in May 1832, was purported to bear a striking resemblance to some members of the Habsburg family and there was suspicion that Ferdi was Reichstadt's kid)
- Luise Auguste of Solms, Princess of Schwarzburg (daughter of Friederike of Mecklenburg and stepdaughter of Ernst Augustus of Hannover), her shortlived firstborn son (Karl Gunther) in 1828 was rumoured to be Reichstadt's love child by contemporary gossips. Even Luise's mother in London had heard the rumours
Agnes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Princess Lowenstein (mother-in-law of Miguel of Portugal). No rumours that I'm aware of. Although the irony of Miguel I marrying Napoleon's granddaughter is hilarious.- Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria (she adored Reichstadt, following excerpt from the correspondence of his governor, Prince Dietrichstein)
- Prince Dietrichstein's daughter, Julie, Princess of Oettingen-Wallerstein was another favourite dance partner and salon friend of Frankie's. Her eldest daughter, Marie (born July 1832) was suggested to be Reichstadt's when the time came for her to make her debut at court in the 1850s. The rumour so incensed Julie and Marie and so put potential bridegrooms off that Marie only married 1867 at the grand old age of 35. Even Julie dismissed it as "stuff and nonsense", her father had been at her bedside in Würzburg (not Munich as is often given as Marie's birthplace) as she recovered from the birth, that was why Prince Dietrichstein wasn't at his pupil/friend's bedside.
- And finally, there's also a mention of a Princess Schönberg with whom Reichstadt was "friendly", but I can't find out who she is (since the Prince of [Erbach]-Schönberg only married in 1837, and it might be a spelling/transcription error of Schaumburg, Schonborn). An option is that it's Schomberg (as in Degenfeld-Schomberg), and the "Princess" would then be Charlotte von Durckheim-Montmotin (who died in 1831), but she was more than a decade older than Reichstadt. Then again, him having mommy issues wouldn't be the craziest thing. The other option for Degenfeld-Schomberg (although she wouldn't have been Princess Schomberg) is Mathilde of Schomberg (b.1812) who married a cousin, Paul of Schomberg, or Mathilde's sister, Ottolinde, who later became an abbess in Munich.
Transform German Confederation as single politica entity is tempting, but I think Frankie here won't do it. I felt it strange for he feel Hapsburg as he truly belong, does Hapsburg ever view him was part of him? Does otl he has the same view? I think otl he is definly not view himself as Haspburg and he felt proudly that he is the son of Napoleon, he is the L'Aiglon.Frankie’s action here more often than not bring order NOT chaos and he has no intention to get his own dynasty anywhere as the only dynasty to which he truly felt to belong is the Habsburg one. Right now Austria, in not small part thanks to him, has destroyed Savoy’s ambitions in Italy and curbed Prussian’s one in Germany AND he is busy in modernizing and pacifying the whole Austrian Empire so Austria will not have too many troubles in reaffirming his role as head of the German Confederation once Franz Joseph will take the reins of the power
assuming nobody does anything stupid going forward, of course. Both Prussia and Savoy are still smarting, and with Prussia being curbed, the next largest German power (other than Austria) is Bavaria. The Coburgs (excepting Prince Albert) also have an issue with Frankie. Although I think with them it's mostly because Leopold of Belgium is pulling one way (Prussia) and Albert is pulling the other way (Austria). Ludwig I of Bavaria is not the most likeable individual to his fellow princes (Frankie has no time for him - and vice versa - while he and Wilhelm of Wurttemberg don't agree on much) and he does have a bit of a chip on his shoulder (predating the Congress of Vienna already), but Ludwig isn't a genius of statecraft (I could be wrong, but that's the impression I get of him. He's better at collecting art and building museums).Frankie’s action here more often than not bring order NOT chaos and he has no intention to get his own dynasty anywhere as the only dynasty to which he truly felt to belong is the Habsburg one. Right now Austria, in not small part thanks to him, has destroyed Savoy’s ambitions in Italy and curbed Prussian’s one in Germany AND he is busy in modernizing and pacifying the whole Austrian Empire so Austria will not have too many troubles in reaffirming his role as head of the German Confederation once Franz Joseph will take the reins of the power
On her novels, in fact Frankie and Charles are quite excellent novelist, possibly the self reference.the novel sounds interesting to be sure, and I've never thought about the idea of Frankie being an amateur novelist (his dad tried it once or twice OTL and his works are absolutely atrocious, even by the miserably low standards of the 1790s), but it could be an interesting "dilettante" project for him. Although - as he points out to his mother - "I'm too fucking busy and vice versa trying to fix Metternich's mess". As to him being horndog and pawing anything in a skirt, I decided for the middle ground for him: he's not some icy virgin (like his three biographers all seem to believe he was in absence of evidence to the contrary*) but he's not some raving sex-maniac.
And even OTL, the potential mistresses of Frankie's were never royal women. Aristocratic women and (potentially) actresses /ballerinas like Fanny Eisler, but even he wasn't stupid. Plus, TTL Frankie is smart enough to know that nobody's ever going to let him marry, but he isn't going to have a roll in the hay with a common street-walker.
As I've pointed out elsewhere, according to contemporary gossip, none of Sophie's sons were her husbands: Franz Joseph was the son of Gustaf, Prince Vasa; Max of Mexico was Frankie's son; the next one was someone else's, and so it goes on. So I tend to discount any rumours that she and Frankie had an affair
* he was living in a state with one of the best secret police and tightest censorship laws of the time, and one never hears of Habsburg mistresses (except Karl V's or Katharina Schratt) even if one knows there were (like with Joseph I, Joseph II and Leopold II).
Honestly I feel like Bavaria overall don't have many genius of statecraft. Coburgs before Leopold become king of Belgium just minor noble with almost none inflence. Now sounds like their inflence is more in Britain and Belgium and thus the conferderation has no big inside threats now, Unless Hanover with Brits and Belgium do somethingassuming nobody does anything stupid going forward, of course. Both Prussia and Savoy are still smarting, and with Prussia being curbed, the next largest German power (other than Austria) is Bavaria. The Coburgs (excepting Prince Albert) also have an issue with Frankie. Although I think with them it's mostly because Leopold of Belgium is pulling one way (Prussia) and Albert is pulling the other way (Austria). Ludwig I of Bavaria is not the most likeable individual to his fellow princes (Frankie has no time for him - and vice versa - while he and Wilhelm of Wurttemberg don't agree on much) and he does have a bit of a chip on his shoulder (predating the Congress of Vienna already), but Ludwig isn't a genius of statecraft (I could be wrong, but that's the impression I get of him. He's better at collecting art and building museums).
L'Aiglon is posthumous, never during his lifetime. And his "disillusion" with his Habsburg family only began circa the 1830 Revolutions where he felt like the Habsburgs weren't doing enough to get him on a throne somewhere. The POD is in 1826 (when he caught the tuberculosis that would later kill him), so while the 1830 revolutions still happen, Frankie not being sickly (the doctors were already attending him as early as 1828 IIRC) means he's more privy to the irons his grandpa's got in the fire.I think otl he is definly not view himself as Haspburg and he felt proudly that he is the son of Napoleon, he is the L'Aiglon.
That actual sounds way more than the novel I reading. I actual start this account for you. I think this is works like otl Vicky's plan on prevents war happen on Europe except here is bulit on friendship. Howlong it last? who knows this time ww1 faction will be look likeL'Aiglon is posthumous, never during his lifetime. And his "disillusion" with his Habsburg family only began circa the 1830 Revolutions where he felt like the Habsburgs weren't doing enough to get him on a throne somewhere. The POD is in 1826 (when he caught the tuberculosis that would later kill him), so while the 1830 revolutions still happen, Frankie not being sickly (the doctors were already attending him as early as 1828 IIRC) means he's more privy to the irons his grandpa's got in the fire.
And Frankie not viewing himself as a Habsburg is potentially a boon to the dynasty. As Emperor Franz's will points out TTL that that makes him "flexible" in a way that a Habsburg can't be. Are the Habsburgs "using" him? Yes. But the Bonapartes would use him just the same, and better the devil you know... Besides, Frankie is ambitious as fuck, being "emperor" in all but name over central and parts of eastern Europe, being confidant of the future king of France and the future king of Spain, queens of England, Sicily and Portugal means that, without firing a shot (excepting France this was all in place before the war), he has managed to build up an "empire" bigger than his father's.
any ideas of how we can get Abdülmecid to undertake a European tour? Since most of the connections Frankie has built up are from personal contact (excepting Pedro II of Brasil) rather than just randomly dashing off a letter to someoneAnd why not add one more on friend list: potental Ottoman Sultan