A Frenchman in Vienna

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Prologue
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    Prologue

    22 July 1832
    Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte, Duke of Reichstadt, heir to Napoléon I, King of Rome, lay on his deathbed. The sickness had come upon him rapidly, filling his lungs with fluid and turning his brain near to mush. The doctors had no treatments left for him, no last minute efforts to save the young prince's life. He was as near to dead as one can possibly be without being classified fully as such. There was no hope left for the doctors, for the priests, for the young man's family. The last of his last rites were being read, to commit him to Heaven and the hands of God...

    "Per istam sanctan unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi Dominus quidqu-"

    The young prince's eyes opened with a fury. He jumped up to a sitting position. He looked the shocked priest in the eye.

    "I have seen Him, Father. I have seen Him."

    The priest ran to find help.

    "Quickly, quickly, find a doctor! Franz is awakened!"

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    Napoleon II stood in his room with the doctor, his mother, and his personal attendant Karl - staring at the last portrait of his father in the whole of Vienna while they discussed meaningless things behind him.

    "Franz, the doctor needs to examine you- you shouldn't... Doctor. What happened?" demanded the Duchess of Parma, as Napoleon remained still.

    "I cannot be certain until I have examined him completely, but it is most certainly an act of God Himself, my lady." stated the feeble old doctor.
    -
    "Karl." snapped Napoleon.

    "Yes my lord?"

    "I should like a new uniform. You will speak to the stewardess for me."

    "Yes my lord of course my lord. It is to be something special my lord? Perhaps you could discuss wi-"

    "I have it just in my mind Karl." He pointed to the portrait of his father. "That."

    He turned his focus to the bicorne on the mantel below his father's portrait.

    "Franz! Please we must have you examined, you are still dangerously weak, it cannot be s-"

    "Mother, I can no longer sit here trapped. The sickness was a blessing. I am not weak, nor shall I ever be. I am more alive than you could possibly know." said Napoleon, not turning his attention away from the mantel.

    The room was silent for some time.
    ----
    The Duchess of Parma tried once more to persuade her son.

    "Franz-"

    "I am not Franz. Franz is dead. Forgotten forever and you should do well to remember it. As should all the world." He stepped closer to the mantel. "I have sat here idly, trapped in my grandfather's home while my father's legacy lies crumbled. Forgotten." His very presence grew before the people of the room, trapping them dumbfounded into a trance. "The Emperor's heir will sit no longer. The impossibility of my return to my people. There is no such thing. Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools. I am Franz no longer. I am Napoleon II, Emperor of the French."

    He seized the bicorne from the mantel.
     
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    • Manlex

    This marks the point of divergence from our timeline. Napoleon II has survived his sickness which killed him in OTL and (with some magical God dust) has determined to reclaim his birthright.

    (“Magical God dust” meaning while he was unconscious he had a sort of fever dream- believing he saw God, who told him to reclaim his birthright. Regardless of whether this is something that actually happened to him in this timeline, it’s what he believed happened to him and I don’t plan on physically bringing God into this. This is the extent of His direct interference)

    The rest of this time line will likely not be in this format.
    This is my first attempt at a timeline, please feel free to leave any constructive criticism and I will take it into mind.

    The next update will be the first official chapter in this time line, covering Francis II/I's reaction, an imperial marriage, a rebellion, and a super epic totally not unrealistic battle demonstrating the pure awesomeness of Napoleon (sort of), not necessarily in that order

    Can be expected by Thursday night
     
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    Manlex

    UnaiB said:
    ASB?
    Click to expand...

    I definitely see what you mean, but the prologue's just a dramatic interpretation of what amounts to Napoleon II, being gravely ill, hallucinating some things in a fever dream and waking up.

    Nothing completely implausible will occur in this timeline, I won't give anything major away, but I will say I don't plan on him even leaving Austria (as in the Austrian Empire) for quite some time.
     
    Chapter 1: "Slovakia"
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    • Manlex

    Chapter 1: The First Slovak Uprising

    From the Diary of Karl Vallet,

    "Wednesday, August 15th, 1832

    My most urgent protestations against the awakening of Master Napoleon before 6 O'clock (half-past 4 to be exact!) found naught but deaf ears in the company of the most-esteemed Chancellor Metternich's servants. He (Napoleon) was himself a most t̶e̶r̶r̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶ upsetting sight if he found himself awoken before his typical rising time. Alas for myself he was taken to the chambers of the Chancellor with not so much as a chance to ready himself.

    I was lucky enough to be taken along to this most disturbingly early meeting. I ha-"
    ​
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It is there that Karl Vallet's journal refuses us the opportunity to relate the details of this meeting. All that can be said is that which transpired directly after the events of that morning.

    Napoleon's son left Vienna just three short hours after this meeting. It is still unknown whether or not Metternich, or even the Emperor himself had ordered Napoleon to leave Vienna, or Napoleon did it of his own volition. Whether it was punishment for his violent outburst upon his awakening the previous month, or some other reason is completely unknown to the people of today, and it is unlikely we shall know the reasoning behind this anytime soon. Regardless of the reasoning, Napoleon was no longer in Vienna, and the young prince made his way to Slovakia.

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    Napoleon arrived with his small company (the best sources indicate 100 fighting men) in Bratislava on the morning of August 17th, 1832 to city in utter chaos.

    It is here that Napoleon famously uttered the words,
    "Ah, c'est un peu la merde"
    (Well, that's a bit s***)
    What had begun as a minor bread riot in the streets of Bratislava had escalated into a full-fledged nationalist revolution, the likes of which would not be seen again until 1848. Previously unorganized and ruled by a mob mentality, several church leaders and prominent local politicians had seized the reins and organized the entire operations.

    The Hungarian government had sent various levels of troops to quell the rebellion over the past months, but had (quite embarrassingly) failed to secure the city. They eventually resorted to requesting urgent assistance from the Austrian government in Vienna, yet hardly described the situation in full, had they done so, the Austrians may have been able to send the level of men necessary to efficiently secure the city.

    As it were, the Frenchman in Vienna had been sent (it is, as stated above, unknown whether he did this willingly or not) to quell this, as described by the Hungarians, "minor riot." The Austrian forces under Napoleon brought with them a force of twelve hussars, sixty standard-equipped infantrymen, five light cannon with crew, and various supporting elements.

    The Slovak Uprising encompassed nearly all of Bratislava and the surrounding countryside.

    The leaders of the Slovak and the Austrian forces met and discussed how best to "rectify" the situation. Naturally, this meeting resulted in a full-fledged battle between the two opposing sides.

    The heavily-outnumbered force under Napoleon was forced to retreat after a drawn-out conflict which resulted in the heavy loss of nearly 30 men before the retreat could take effect.

    The Franco-Austrian immediately turned to ride for Vienna

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    Vienna

    The Emperor of Austria had absolutely no idea what to do. The young fool Napoleon had attempted a full-fledged assault on Bratislava. Granted, that was exactly what he had ordered, but for God's sake at least try to think of the consequences.

    Now, Francis had a bloody revolt in Bratislava, massive tension on the Russian border, and a Hungarian government that appeared utterly useless.

    Worst of all, he had a marriage to plan.

    He was so close to finally cementing the alliance with the House of Savoy, just one step away from securing Italy in his hands. The marked tension between them may finally be averted with just one damned marriage. They'd already taken his first son in marriage but they just have to have another.

    Unfortunately, his other son is already married, with no viable grandsons to be seen. The two-year old Franz Joseph was of course too young. His other grandchildren were not in his court. Except for one.

    Napoleon.

    Better than nothing.
     
  • Index

    • Manlex

    Disclaimers: (I should've said these sooner but I mean, whatever)

    English is not my first language

    This first chapter doesn't cover all of Napoleon's involvement in this "First Slovak Uprising" and the next chapter will finish that off

    The rest of the chapters won't be this short- I realized I had to either write a short chapter now or write a longer one in a week, I chose the former, obviously.

    -------------------

    Again, please feel free to leave suggestions, I'm open to them all.

    Next update can be expected next week and it will be a far longer and more in-depth one than the previous one (or the proglogue)
     

    Manlex

    Xgentis said:
    Would the Habsburg take the risk of marrying Napoléon off to foreign power?
    Click to expand...

    It's certainly improbable. But the fact that they are being promised an alliance (bought with Napoleon and Ferdinand's marriages) and what is effectively a stronger grasp on northern Italy does make it more appealing. Napoleon also has to get married sometime. It won't necessarily be marrying him off, since he will remain in Austria and his wife will be coming to him.

    Plus, future events (revealed in the next chapter) will make it much more appealing in general, the Emperor isn't committed to the idea yet, after all, it's a big thing
     
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