AHC: A Hapsburg Emperor of Persia

Colonial Persia, where Austria somehow acquires it as a colony, making himself Emperor of Persia?
For about ten minutes. Austria with colonies isn't going to end well unless they fix the situation at home. And if they do that, then the colonies are all gonna want the same thing.

An alternative would be to have a POD further back with a Habsburg Spain, or even a Habsburg Netherlands (if it forms out of our far back POD), but then the pieces coming together for colonialism as it was to happen simply aren't there. So really, it's pretty implausible. Like having a Safavid Emperor of Austria.
 
A Spanish Hapsburg inherits the Portuguese throne. He or his son then place a junior son, an explorer Infante in the mold of Henry the Navigator, atop the Persian throne, to secure Portuguese interests in the region and ward off/encircle the Ottoman threat.
 
The Ottomans fail to conquer Hungary for some reason and Habsburgs still gain title of Duke of Burgundy and the other parts of the Burgundian inheritance. Without Hungary the Habsburg empire is divided in such a way that the Netherlands go to the Austrian Habsburgs rather than the Spanish Habsburgs. The Austrians maintain control of the Habsburg Netherlands and eventually you see the power shift from Austria to the Netherlands. The Habsburgs build a great colonial empire in South East Asia, but eventually suffer from the Dutch Disease and the empire declines until nationalism sees the political unification of Germany (including the Netherlands) under the Habsburg monarchy. The German empire conquers Persia after a war with Russia over the region. Several decades later the new German Emperor, who is a bit of an Orientalist with a love for the Achaemenid Empire decides to take the title Shahenshah.
 
The Ottomans fail to conquer Hungary for some reason and Habsburgs still gain title of Duke of Burgundy and the other parts of the Burgundian inheritance. Without Hungary the Habsburg empire is divided in such a way that the Netherlands go to the Austrian Habsburgs rather than the Spanish Habsburgs. The Austrians maintain control of the Habsburg Netherlands and eventually you see the power shift from Austria to the Netherlands. The Habsburgs build a great colonial empire in South East Asia, but eventually suffer from the Dutch Disease and the empire declines until nationalism sees the political unification of Germany (including the Netherlands) under the Habsburg monarchy. The German empire conquers Persia after a war with Russia over the region. Several decades later the new German Emperor, who is a bit of an Orientalist with a love for the Achaemenid Empire decides to take the title Shahenshah.

Remix: The Netherlands passes to the Austrian branch, but the Imperial title passes to the Spanish branch. Similar to Victoria OTL, the Austrian Hapsburgs adopt the Imperial style from their colonial possessions in Persia to reassert their equality with their Spanish cousins and rivals.
 
Does he need to be male line and Catholic?

If the Ottomans take Vienna and any Hapsburg womenfolk fall into their hands, one might be sent to the Safavids as a present in some diplomatic thing. Her son by the Shah might be his successor.
 
A von Habsburg goes as part of the Crusades, and, when they eventually lose, the pragamatic/cynical/opportunistic young leader of the branch converts to Islam, eventually finding his way to Persia.

His grandson serves under *Timur loyally, and is made lord of Shiraz. Eventually, the Timurids collapse, and, in the chaos, the Shirazi Habsburgs, still cognizant of their ancient, European origins despite being Persian Muslims (and devout ones at that) declare themselves Shahanshah Eranshahr, of the von Habsburg dynasty.
 
The Ottomans conquers Austria, kidnaps a few Hapsburgs, sells them to Persia and the Safavids marry into them.
 
Does he need to be male line and Catholic?

If the Ottomans take Vienna and any Hapsburg womenfolk fall into their hands, one might be sent to the Safavids as a present in some diplomatic thing. Her son by the Shah might be his successor.

Why would the Ottomans send a present to their most vile hated enemy? I mean they fought Persia almost as much as they fought the Europeans.
 
No but its also not like they where exchanging gifts with the Safavid Shah let alone giving them their valuable political prisoners.

It is not like a Hapsburg Emperor of Persia is very possible either. Unless it is epic such as the Ottomans conquering the Hapsburgs, several survive, and break free into Persia where they go under assumed names and conquer Persia where then they reveal themselves as Hapsburgs. Kind of like how The Emirate/Caliphate of Cordoba was founded
 
No but its also not like they where exchanging gifts with the Safavid Shah let alone giving them their valuable political prisoners.

Eh. The Mughals and the Safavids had a similar relationship, but officially they always made it look nice and courteous. I'm pretty sure the Ottomans did the same, though I could be wrong. Besides, however, sending a Habsburg out to Persia could be a statement that the Turks want the Habsburgs to surrender lest their whole family be forcibly removed as far as possible.
 
No but its also not like they where exchanging gifts with the Safavid Shah let alone giving them their valuable political prisoners.
Well on the other hand the Safavid Shahs were giving them gifts like the Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp, which was notably made for Tahmasp I(and by the cream of the imperial workshop at that) but then given to Selim II as a diplomatic present.
 
Maybe something similar to the Mexican affair inspired by Napoleon III? France intervenes in Persia and puts Hapsburg on the throne. This would subordinate the new Shah from French help and thus give Paris real control over Persia. Not to mention that it would also involve Austria in some way, supporting French position in political game with Russia in the Central Asia.
 
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