DBWI: Napoleon IV Killed By the Zulus in 1879?

Anaxagoras

Banned
It is fairly well known that, before he came to power in France, Emperor Napoleon IV served in the British Army as sort of an observer, during which he learned much about warfare that would serve him well in the future. What is not widely known is that, during the Zulu War of 1879 in South Africa, Napoleon was very nearly killed in a skirmish with the Zulus while he accompanied a British patrol.

How might history have been different if Napoleon IV had been killed by the Zulus in 1879? I cannot see how the Bonapartist dynasty would have survived his death, and that would obviously have resulted in massive changes for French and European history over the next century.

Thoughts?
 
he wasn't an observer, he was a full member of the British military, by the time the Germans and Brits made him Emperor of France in 1919 after the Great War he was a full blown Field Marshal, the Bonapartist dynasty likes to down play these things, French views on the Great War being what they are.
 
If Napoleon IV had died, the Bonapart dynasty would not have died out anyway. The claim would have just passed to the bloodline of Jêrome Bonaparte, youngest brother of Napoleon I. Thus, the successor of Napoleon IV would have been his cousin Jerôme "Plon Plon", although I think Napoleon IV was rather wishing for the latter's son, Victor, to be his heir.

Also, I think it was a chance to have him sit on the French throne after the Great War : he brought France back to prosperity. He even allowed her to become once again a Great Power.
 
But Napoleon IV was the last serious contender for a Bonapartist candidate for the throne before the birth of his son in 1885. They were wistfully remebering the Empire right the way through the 3rd Republic, but Plon-Plon was detested by many and his son was unispiring by all accounts.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Also, I think it was a chance to have him sit on the French throne after the Great War : he brought France back to prosperity. He even allowed her to become once again a Great Power.

While no one can be put in the same category as his great-uncle, I think it's fair to say that Napoleon IV was one of the greatest leaders in French history, and the way he restored France after the Great War was an amazing achievement. A pity his great-grandson lacks his vision.
 
I think that without the consecutive Napoleon ready to chase the claim there wouldn't be any Great War at all. A the end of XIX CE people started to realize that they live in the most advanced civilization on Earth and in the most enlightened epoch. Only the internal European wars could destroy its advantage over the rest of the world. But any chances for peaceful cooperation of nations and states vere destroyed by this stupid squabbling between French and Germans over the title which gave the illusion of supremacy over other monarchs. Pretty stupid thing.
 
Top