Empire 2012

The last country to use the title of "Empire" was the Central African Empire from 1976-79. Nowadays, country's don't use the term "Empire" anymore. Japan seems like the only candidate to fit the use since it actually has an emperor.

After WW1, 4 empires collapsed: the German Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian empire, and the Russian Empire. After WW2 the British empire underwent it's slow collapse: it could be called an empire since the king/queen was the emperor/empress of British India. Also, the Empire of Japan took the "Empire" part out due to its defeat to the Allies.

Out of all the emperors that existed during the 1900's, besides the Emperor of Japan, what Imperial monarchy had a good chance to last to this present day?
 
Saudi Arabia would obviously count, though they are not an Empire. Ethiopia could count if the Ethiopian emperor didn't give up his throne.
 

FDW

Banned
The Ottomans I would say are at the top of the list, since they only really have to be neutral in WWI to survive. After that, I'd say the Chinese, since the only major thing you have to do there is get a new dynasty going (something that almost happened OTL). It's at that point that I'd bring Germans into consideration, given the greater POD's needed to preserve them.
 
German Empire - Very good possibilities to surviving. GE survives if Central Powers win WW1 or then there not be WW1.

Ottoman Empire - Quite good possibilities to surviving if there not be WW1 or Ottoman Empire stays neutral/Central Powers win WW1. Arabs might cause problems but OE survives.

Japanese Empire - Very good possibilities to surviving.

Ethiopian Empire - I think that surviving is possible but I don't know very well history of Ethiopia.

Austro-Hungarian Empire - Possible but not very plausible. Minorities causes much problems.

Russian Empire - Surviving nearly impossible. Internal problems are too large. With earlier POD than 1900 surviving might be possible.

Chinese Empire - Surviving nearly impossible.
 
The Qing are probably fucked, but who says that Yuan Shikai couldn't be more successful at establishing a new dynasty of his own?
I don't know...did he have the support OTL? Plus China was quite shaky when he took over...it could fall back in to that state during his reign as well, so while there's a chance, it would be lower.

Oh and another one to consider:
The Indian Empire

OTL, the Princely States were planning on creating their own sovereign state in the case of Indian independence. It eventually died down, but the possibility of an elective empire exists.
 

FDW

Banned
I don't know...did he have the support OTL? Plus China was quite shaky when he took over...it could fall back in to that state during his reign as well, so while there's a chance, it would be lower.

Oh and another one to consider:
The Indian Empire

OTL, the Princely States were planning on creating their own sovereign state in the case of Indian independence. It eventually died down, but the possibility of an elective empire exists.

If Yuan Shikai had somewhat better control of the military, he probably could've pulled it off. Though given the shaky situation, it would've been touch and go for a while.
 
You could also have Brazil survive as an empire, all it would require is for Pedro to sire a male heir. If his son in the ATL isn't a complete and utter fool and unlike his dad has an interest in preserving the Empire then that has a very good chance of happening since the mere presence of a reasonably popular male heir would like in and of itself be enough to butterfly away the coup that ended the Brazilian monarchy. It helps that most of the Brazilian population was less than enthusiastic about becoming a republic and the coup plotters were a very small clique who even in OTL had just barely enough support within the military to pull it off by the skin of their teeth.

Even in OTL the Emperor, if he were so inclined, could probably have quelled the rebellion easily enough since only a small portion of the military even supported it, so it stands to reason that a popular ATL crown Prince would probably have had very little trouble putting down the rebellion.

And presto we probably have one more formal empire surviving to 2012.
This Brazil would also probably be more powerful and prominent in the world since the dictatorship by the ultra conservatives really did set its progress back quite a lot.
 
You could also have Brazil survive as an empire, all it would require is for Pedro to sire a male heir. If his son in the ATL isn't a complete and utter fool and unlike his dad has an interest in preserving the Empire then that has a very good chance of happening since the mere presence of a reasonably popular male heir would like in and of itself be enough to butterfly away the coup that ended the Brazilian monarchy. It helps that most of the Brazilian population was less than enthusiastic about becoming a republic and the coup plotters were a very small clique who even in OTL had just barely enough support within the military to pull it off by the skin of their teeth.

Even in OTL the Emperor, if he were so inclined, could probably have quelled the rebellion easily enough since only a small portion of the military even supported it, so it stands to reason that a popular ATL crown Prince would probably have had very little trouble putting down the rebellion.

And presto we probably have one more formal empire surviving to 2012.
This Brazil would also probably be more powerful and prominent in the world since the dictatorship by the ultra conservatives really did set its progress back quite a lot.

Oh yes, I've totally forgotten that Brazil did have an emperor back then. I agree with you that it's a great candidate to survive until present time. South America, though turbulent at times was in my opinion one of the more peaceful continents behind North America and Australia throughout modern history.

If the Imperial Brazilian monarchy could consistently produce semi-competent heirs in OTL, it would be far away from World Wars and could gain help from the US during the Cold War and even before then. This would make Brazil, in theory, a much more stabilized and modern country than it is today.

However, as history has presented us, if any monarchy chooses absolute rule then all external and internal help are negated. Look at the Russian Empire, German Empire, and Chinese Empire; these are some examples of how absolute rule ruined countries capable of being superpowers during their time.
 
After WW2 the British Empire underwent its slow collapse: it could be called an Empire since the King/Queen was the Emperor/Empress of British India.
Well I suppose if as well as Emperor/Empress of India at some point the UK and the rest of the empire was also made an official empire then even when India gains independence and become a republic a short while later they would still technically have imperial status. Alternatively simply find some way for India to stay a Dominion or independent country but with the Monarch still as head of state.
 
Well I suppose if as well as Emperor/Empress of India at some point the UK and the rest of the empire was also made an official empire then even when India gains independence and become a republic a short while later they would still technically have imperial status. Alternatively simply find some way for India to stay a Dominion or independent country but with the Monarch still as head of state.
Well, that's the whole point. The whole empress of India thing was a prestige exercise, essentially bringing Victoria in to the big boy table with the other Emperors of Europe. Great Britain itself, however, declaring itself an Empire would be seen as not so great, which is why Disraeli suggested India.
 
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