DBWI WI: Alexander the Great has son(s) instead of only daughters

As we know, shortly after Alexander the Great's death his first wife, Roxana, gave birth to twin daughters. Inn theory that left full power in the hands of Philip III, but in practice meant that power-hungry generals of Macedonian army immediately started fighting among themselves for a control over Empire. Infant princesses became merely useful pawns.

What if Alexander would have a legitimate son? Let's say Roxana could give birth to twin sons instead of daughters, or princess Stateira, his second wife, could avoid poisoning - there were rumors that it was done on Roxana's orders, due to fear that she was pregnant as well.

Could a male heir turn out to be a unifying force for the Macedonian Empire? I think that the reverence surrounding the name of late king could force at least part of generals to rally behind him. What do you think?

//My first DBWI, I hope everything is in order.
 
It's not only enough to pump out a couple of sons, but to have them at a decent age before the old man crocks, a POD of shortly after his death is already far too late. Also you need Alexander to do more to build lasting institutions rather than just go off and conquering things.

However I would hazard a guess that a POD in which he had sons would just have the effect of stirring the pot more, probably with someone popping out decades later being a claimant to the throne or something.
 

Kaze

Banned
Last I checked Alexander did produce sons - one with Roxana (Alexander IV), one bastard (Hercules of Macedon) (supposed), and if you believe Alexander Legend (there is one in Africa with Queen Candice, one with Thalestris the Amazon, one in Pakistan / Afghanistan with Cleophis, and one in India with a random Hindu). The problem is - they did not live long enough to succeed his father. It is likely the generals would not let them live long enough to succeed.
 
It's not only enough to pump out a couple of sons, but to have them at a decent age before the old man crocks, a POD of shortly after his death is already far too late. Also you need Alexander to do more to build lasting institutions rather than just go off and conquering things.

However I would hazard a guess that a POD in which he had sons would just have the effect of stirring the pot more, probably with someone popping out decades later being a claimant to the throne or something.

Wasn't any of his generals loyal enough to take care of this male child? Especially if it would give him a stable position as a regent and, potentially, very powerful ally on the throne? However, an idea that Alexander's son could destabilize country more than the brief rule of Philip III and conflict over king's twin daughters is interesting too...

Last I checked Alexander did produce sons - one with Roxana (Alexander IV), one bastard (Hercules of Macedon) (supposed), and if you believe Alexander Legend (there is one in Africa with Queen Candice, one with Thalestris the Amazon, one in Pakistan / Afghanistan with Cleophis, and one in India with a random Hindu). The problem is - they did not live long enough to succeed his father. It is likely the generals would not let them live long enough to succeed.

//OOC - that's DBWI. According to the topic in "Help and Rules" - "Double-Blind What If. A WI about OTL from the perspective of someone in an AH. For instance: DBWI: The National Socialist Party took control of Germany?". So, in this AH something went just a bit different and good, ol' Alex sired daughters instead of Alexander IV.
 

Kaze

Banned
I never care about the "Double Blind thing" - I answer it as is blind to it.

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Where in, Alexander had male children in IRL.

But if he had female children -- it is likely said children would either :

a. die under mysterious circumstances
b. be married off to one of Alexander's generals
c. live a life of privilege
d. live a life in exile and danger
e. all of the above.
 
I never care about the "Double Blind thing" - I answer it as is blind to it.

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Where in, Alexander had male children in IRL.

But if he had female children -- it is likely said children would either :

a. die under mysterious circumstances
b. be married off to one of Alexander's generals
c. live a life of privilege
d. live a life in exile and danger
e. all of the above.

OOC: Well, even if you don't care, others who view and contribute to the thread do. The world building that goes on in a DBWI is interesting to many and very intricate and fragile, so I suggest you be a little more considerate in the future before posting such a brazen response.

It's not only enough to pump out a couple of sons, but to have them at a decent age before the old man crocks, a POD of shortly after his death is already far too late. Also you need Alexander to do more to build lasting institutions rather than just go off and conquering things.

However I would hazard a guess that a POD in which he had sons would just have the effect of stirring the pot more, probably with someone popping out decades later being a claimant to the throne or something.


IC: Even simply having a legitimate son or three would certainly increase the chances of Alexander's generals working together. It's really not even about the competency of the figurehead in question more than game theory: in a way, a legitimate male child is a contract that each general can agree upon to follow the rules of the game, namely ensuring peace and cooperation, and expect to be rewarded with honor, titles, and power. Without such a legitimate contract being born or agreed upon, none of the generals can trust any rule of any game, and thus, each disregards the rules and fights for the entire pie, ultimately irrevocably destroying said pie in the process. Heck, the generals even almost managed to unite behind Arrhidaeus before the coalitions of generals fell apart in some way or another; Perdiccas held them together until he tried and failed to cross the Nile and was killed by his generals for it, then Eumenes claimed regency of the Empire, capturing and executing his nemesis Antigonus, but proved to be too unpopular as a non-Macedonian Greek, and Antipater, regent of Macedon, died of old age. After this unfortunate disaster storm, and the mysterious death of Arrhidaeus almost ten years after the death of Alexander, the remaining generals declared themselves Kings, with mostly the eastern Satraps retaining the daughters as pieces in the great game, while western Satraps, like Ptolemy and Lysimachus, either jettisoned any Persian or oriental wives or had them killed outright.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
I never care about the "Double Blind thing" - I answer it as is blind to it.

========================================================================================
Where in, Alexander had male children in IRL.

But if he had female children -- it is likely said children would either :

a. die under mysterious circumstances
b. be married off to one of Alexander's generals
c. live a life of privilege
d. live a life in exile and danger
e. all of the above.
Don't be like this. It impresses no one.
 
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