Frankie Goes to the Hofburg, or Napoléon II, Regent of Austria?

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King of Danes

King of Danes

Jürgen said:
That's a pretty good question. But it also raises the question whether that war would have happened. Christian VIII died at age 61 in 1848 of blood poisoning after a bloodletting. If Christian VIII had survived, he would have dealt with the demands for end of absolutism and the Holsteinian counter-reaction (which was really a reactionary counter revolt) differently. I suspect that Christian would have avoided the 1st Schleswig War and have established more conservative constitution and federal (one more like the 1866 constitution with the federalism of 1830 being kept).

But if Christian VIII still dies, I expect Austria being too busy with Italy and other uprising to worry about Denmark, which would lead to Prussia ending up the "defender of Germans" like in OTL. Honestly, Austria is better off with the 1st Schleswig War being avoided.
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I agree. The whole Slesvig-Holstein question was becoming fairly unavoidable at that point. War might have been avoided, however, if Denmark had agreed to the proposal which granted them most, but not all, of Slesvig
 

Jürgen

Kellan Sullivan said:
Interesting. Didn't know his death was preventable. Although the question of the succession does still loom rather large, no?
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Yes, but it's much easier to deal with if both sides haven't been radicalized by a civil war and the person with the best claim hadn't committed treason.
 

Kellan Sullivan

Jürgen said:
Technically his father and uncle, of course there will still be a succession crisis as Christian VIII had chosen another successor, but without the Augustenborgs having committed treason, they may find a compromise.
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The treason being asking for Prussian help? Sorry. I'm blanking
 

Jürgen

Kellan Sullivan said:
The treason being asking for Prussian help? Sorry. I'm blanking
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The treason being that the Prince of Nør, the commander of the Danish forces in Schleswig-Holstein rebelling against his king and forcing the loyalist garrison to surrender. His older brother just ended up with him on the ride by also joining the rebels. It's hard to walk that one back.
 

Kellan Sullivan

Jürgen said:
The treason being that the Prince of Nør, the commander of the Danish forces in Schleswig-Holstein rebelling against his king and forcing the loyalist garrison to surrender. His older brother just ended up with him on the ride by also joining the rebels. It's hard to walk that one back.
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What year was this. Not seeing any mention on his wiki?
 

Jürgen

Of course if the 1st Schleswig War is avoided and the national liberals are weaker in Denmark Frederik of Hesse-Kassel will likely end up the staying the heir [1]

[1] the Augustenborgs was the legitimate heir if the succession followed male primogeniture, while Frederik of Hesse-Kassel was the legitimate heir through the female line. Christian IX was elected heir because he was son-in-law of Frederik of Hesse-Kassel. Of course that create another problem, the Frederik of Hesse-Kassel ended up the legitimate heir of the electorate of the same name after his 2nd cousin died in 1875 without royal children , of course at that point it was annexed by Prussia in OTL.
 

EmmettMcFly55

This is a fascinating premise, although I would agree that it's important not to end up overplaying the changes that one man could bring - even when that man is the Duke of Reichstadt.

Also, regarding how France under Charles X (if he were still king) might take to the Duke's position in Vienna, I did read somewhere that he rehabilitated Louis Philippe, who was shunned by the rest of the family for his father being an accomplice in the vote to execute Louis XVI, out of a spirit of Christian forgiveness as part of the devout faith he developed later in life (something that very much backfired on his family later, but that need not happen here). So if he reacted that way to the son of Philippe Egalité, that might influence how he'd react to the son of Napoleon Bonaparte.
 

Jürgen

EmmettMcFly55 said:
This is a fascinating premise, although I would agree that it's important not to end up overplaying the changes that one man could bring - even when that man is the Duke of Reichstadt.

Also, regarding how France under Charles X (if he were still king) might take to the Duke's position in Vienna, I did read somewhere that he rehabilitated Louis Philippe, who was shunned by the rest of the family for his father being an accomplice in the vote to execute Louis XVI, out of a spirit of Christian forgiveness as part of the devout faith he developed later in life (something that very much backfired on his family later, but that need not happen here). So if he reacted that way to the son of Philippe Egalité, that might influence how he'd react to the son of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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I honestly find it more interesting if Napoleon II don’t end up a reigning prince, but instead end up simply part of the extended Habsburg family and military commander for the Austrian army.
 

Kellan Sullivan

Jürgen said:
Of course if the 1st Schleswig War is avoided and the national liberals are weaker in Denmark Frederik of Hesse-Kassel will likely end up the staying the heir [1]

[1] the Augustenborgs was the legitimate heir if the succession followed male primogeniture, while Frederik of Hesse-Kassel was the legitimate heir through the female line. Christian IX was elected heir because he was son-in-law of Frederik of Hesse-Kassel. Of course that create another problem, the Frederik of Hesse-Kassel ended up the legitimate heir of the electorate of the same name after his 2nd cousin died in 1875 without royal children , of course at that point it was annexed by Prussia in OTL.
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Would Gustaf Vasa not be ahead of Frederik? Descending from the older sister and all?
 

Jürgen

Kellan Sullivan said:
Would Gustaf Vasa not be ahead of Frederik? Descending from the older sister and all?
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No because Frederik mother was the sister of Christian VIII, while Gustav Vasa was descending from Christian VIII paternal aunt. This placed Frederik of Hesse-Kassel ahead. Of course it would have been a mess if Frederik VI daughters had had issue.
 

Kellan Sullivan

Jürgen said:
No because Frederik mother was the sister of Christian VIII, while Gustav Vasa was descending from Christian VIII paternal aunt. This placed Frederik of Hesse-Kassel ahead. Of course it would have been a mess if Frederik VI daughters had had issue.
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my bad. Too many Frederick of Hesse-Kassels who just also happened to be married to Danish princesses
 

Wendell

Jürgen said:
Technically his father and uncle, of course there will still be a succession crisis as Christian VIII had chosen another successor, but without the Augustenborgs having committed treason, they may find a compromise.
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Isn't there also a Hessian claimant?
 
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