WI: No Belgium: Would Leopold I remain on the throne of Greece?

[PauL62]

Suppose for example, let's be crazy, that Belgium does not come into being, that Flanders remains Dutch, the south of the southern low countries remain French, that the Belgian revolution, therefore, does not happen. Would it be too late for Leopold of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (Leopold I) to reverse his decision for the crown of Greece or would, on the contrary, be likely to remain King of the Greeks, even if it means improving the situation in the country? If no Belgium nowadays, could the descendant dynasty of Leopold I have subsequently continued to rule over Greece, as well as Leopold himself? What butterflies are happening in Greece? Eventually, would he still marry the daughter of Louis Philippe I?

 

[Nivek]

that Flanders remains Dutch, the south of the southern low countries remain French, that the Belgian revolution, therefore, does not happen

Techically all was dutch, unless a butterfly happen and we got an early talleyard like partition?

 

[Osman Aga]

Suppose for example, let's be crazy, that Belgium does not come into being, that Flanders remains Dutch, the south of the southern low countries remain French, that the Belgian revolution, therefore, does not happen. Would it be too late for Leopold of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (Leopold I) to reverse his decision for the crown of Greece or would, on the contrary, be likely to remain King of the Greeks, even if it means improving the situation in the country? If no Belgium nowadays, could the descendant dynasty of Leopold I have subsequently continued to rule over Greece, as well as Leopold himself? What butterflies are happening in Greece? Eventually, would he still marry the daughter of Louis Philippe I?

Probably. Though I would invite @Lascaris to explain

I can't tell Kapsoditrias' stance on this considering how influential he was.

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

Would Leopold try to get a colony for Greece like he did for Belgium?

Perhaps eastern Libya or Eritrea?

Edit: Am I thinking of a different Leopold?

 

[Lascaris]

Probably. Though I would invite @Lascaris to explain

I can't tell Kapsoditrias' stance on this considering how influential he was.

Leopold went as far as trying to cause a political crisis in Britain and overthrow Wellington in order to get British agreement to Greece also getting Crete and Samos which were his terms to accept the terms. And he wanted the Greek throne enough that thirty years later he was writing to his nephew, then a candidate for the throne, that if he could he would leave the throne of Belgium to become king of Greece... in 1862.

So Wellington's ministry did fall only a few months after Leopold made his failed play and resigned. Affect a bit the timing one way or the other. Wellington falls early, the much more pro-Greek Whigs come to government and Leopold gets his throne... while Greece gets Crete and Samos on top of her OTL borders.

 

[pompejus]

Techically all was dutch, unless a butterfly happen and we got an early talleyard like partition?

I think he assumes the far too common misconception that Wallonia used to be French, while Flanders used to be Dutch. This was not the case. Wallonia never was French, except during the revolutionary/Napolenic period. While Flanders (together with Wallonia) did used to be Dutch, but only in the 15th-16th century*. The history of Belgium is far more complex than people realise.


*when it was actualy the core area of the (Burgundian/Habsburg) Netherlands, while the northern Netherlands (and Wallonia) was more or less the periphery of the Netherlands.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

What butterflies are happening in Greece? Eventually, would he still marry the daughter of Louis Philippe I?

In Orthodox Greece? No French wife. However, Leopold is screwed as far as the ideal Orthodox bride is concerned (Romanovs won't touch him, bad memories of Leo's sister, Juliane/Anna Feodorovna). The eldest half-Romanov girls (in Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Weimar) are already married by 1830. So in all likelihood, he settles for another Russian adjacent girl (as Othon did).

Leo himself won't convert. He didn't for Belgium. Even on his deathbed, when he was asked if he'd accept the Catholic last rites, his response was a firm "nein". So marrying an Orthodox wife (or at least, one who'd be willing to convert) would be important.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Would Leopold try to get a colony for Greece like he did for Belgium?

Perhaps eastern Libya or Eritrea?

Edit: Am I thinking of a different Leopold?

Yes. That was Léopold II.