Imperator Francorum: A Napoleon II Timeline

[Basileus_Komnenos]

II. The happy reunion of the Bonaparte and Murat families
View attachment 533236
(I don't know what came over me.)​

@Comte de Dordogne
Lmao this is great! I love how Napoleon II starts strangling Caroline while Murat has fallen over by himself. Caroline was the real brains behind Murat who was a bit of dolt outside of commanding cavalry. Who's the guy Louis-Napoleon's fighting? Is that Bernadotte? I feel like Eugene would be appropriate since Bernadotte is married to his daughter, but that still works even with Louis-Napoleon.

What did you use to make this btw?

Also I've decided to thread mark this marvelous meme.

Will the restoration be by military force/revolution or peaceful

He's a Bonaparte and fighting with the Capetian Bourbons are in his blood (Habsburgs and Napoleon). Plus being the son of L'Empereur carries far more weight than merely being his nephew after all. Louis-Napoleon failed many times to be taken seriously. Napoleon II is the famed Roi de Rome and the blood son of the Emperor, which means more of Europe would likely fear him.

Well I cant wait to see how a second Napoleon will effect the geopolitics of the New World.

Oh well you're in luck as if you're a fan of the Spanish, Portuguese, and British Empire, you're in for a very interesting ride. Let's just say that Augustin d'Iturbide will be having even more of an impact.

Another destabilizing strong man emerging in Europe will shake up and in all likelihood smash the remnants of the Old Order.

Metternich: Ah Charles X my good man how's it like restoring the Ancien Regime!
Charles X: Ah I've introduced the Ordinances of St. Cloud. The people will love a strong King coming back to lead them.
Random Austrian Soldier: Um.. sir
Metternich: Yes what is it?
Austrian Soldier: Franz is gone.
Metternich: The Emperor is dead?!
Austrian soldier: No not him! The other one.
Metternich: Oh shit! Oh no! How am I going to explain this to the rest of Europe?!
Charles X: Hey Metternich why am I hearing boss music?

I can see a probable grab for Africa being much less cordial, in so far as OTLs was cordial

The Scramble for Africa will be a bit different, but also very similar in some ways to otl.

 

[Comte de Dordogne]

@Comte de Dordogne
Lmao this is great! I love how Napoleon II starts strangling Caroline while Murat has fallen over by himself. Caroline was the real brains behind Murat who was a bit of dolt outside of commanding cavalry. Who's the guy Louis-Napoleon's fighting? Is that Bernadotte? I feel like Eugene would be appropriate since Bernadotte is married to his daughter, but that still works even with Louis-Napoleon.

What did you use to make this btw?

Also I've decided to thread mark this marvelous meme.

Oh, thanks for bringing it into threadmarks. I'm happy.
I used paint from Windows and it was a real pain to integrate faces with this very limited software! But I wanted to make the joke so here it is.

 

[centro del mondo]

Will Austria support Napoleon II since the emperor is his grandfather or some kind of relative

 

[CastilloVerde]

Oh well you're in luck as if you're a fan of the Spanish, Portuguese, and British Empire, you're in for a very interesting ride.

Strap me in!

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

Will Austria support Napoleon II since the emperor is his grandfather or some kind of relative

Well historically Napoleon I was deposed and Napoleon II held the throne briefly, his grandfather Emperor Francis supported his right to throne in the hopes of having a friendly, but contained France under a Habsburg regency as a counterweight to Prussia, Russia, and Britain. Napoleon II was also kept around as a bargaining chip against the Bourbons, but the Habsburgs also feared him and raised him as Franz the Duke of Reichsdat trying to "Germanize" him. Metternich also built a "Gilded Cage" for him in Austria and prevented him from having any real political power or a military career because of the Hundred Days. Napoleon II's life in otl is pretty tragic and depressing.

Strap me in!

Nobody ever expects the Spanish Empire

 

[isabella]

@Comte de Dordogne
Lmao this is great! I love how Napoleon II starts strangling Caroline while Murat has fallen over by himself. Caroline was the real brains behind Murat who was a bit of dolt outside of commanding cavalry. Who's the guy Louis-Napoleon's fighting? Is that Bernadotte? I feel like Eugene would be appropriate since Bernadotte is married to his daughter, but that still works even with Louis-Napoleon.



Metternich: Ah Charles X my good man how's it like restoring the Ancien Regime!
Charles X: Ah I've introduced the Ordinances of St. Cloud. The people will love a strong King coming back to lead them.
Random Austrian Soldier: Um.. sir
Metternich: Yes what is it?
Austrian Soldier: Franz is gone.
Metternich: The Emperor is dead?!
Austrian soldier: No not him! The other one.
Metternich: Oh shit! Oh no! How am I going to explain this to the rest of Europe?!
Charles X: Hey Metternich why am I hearing boss music?

Bernadotte’s son was married to Eugene’s daughter. Bernadotte’s wife was the younger sister of Joseph’s wife (and herself the fiancée who Napoleon left for marrying Josephine)

Metternich’s reaction is genial...

 

[piratedude]

Well historically Napoleon I was deposed and Napoleon II held the throne briefly, his grandfather Emperor Francis supported his right to throne in the hopes of having a friendly, but contained France under a Habsburg regency as a counterweight to Prussia, Russia, and Britain. Napoleon II was also kept around as a bargaining chip against the Bourbons, but the Habsburgs also feared him and raised him as Franz the Duke of Reichsdat trying to "Germanize" him. Metternich also built a "Gilded Cage" for him in Austria and prevented him from having any real political power or a military career because of the Hundred Days. Napoleon II's life in otl is pretty tragic and depressing.

Well i think its its fairly obvious that without a 100 days François will get treated at least a little bit better, if only because Napoleon's sudden return wouldn't spook the old order as much. Maybe the Austrians won't be so afraid to give him a proper command in Italy where he can work out his frustrations with his aunt and uncle the old fashioned way.

Then again, with nappy 1 dead all the plotters that had worked towards liberating him (first from Elba and then from St.Helena) would switch their focuses to The Eaglet.

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

if only because Napoleon's sudden return wouldn't spook the old order as much. Maybe the Austrians won't be so afraid to give him a proper command in Italy where he can work out his frustrations with his aunt and uncle the old fashioned way.

In otl Napoleon II was given command over a battalion in Tyrol, but he wasn't allowed into active service. He then caught tuberculosis soon after. Though before his death and throughout his childhood, his contemporaries noted how he took to soldiery like a fish took to water.

I think Napoleon ittl might be able to have more effective command of whatever unit he's given control over. Maybe he might be given military training by his grandfather. Though I doubt Murat would be so bold as to try anything in 1830 as his position would be tenuous with the Pope unhappy with him, and the Sicilian Bourbons stewing in anger at the lost of their Ancestral Kingdom.

Then again, with nappy 1 dead all the plotters that had worked towards liberating him (first from Elba and then from St.Helena) would switch their focuses to The Eaglet.

Some plotted to land on St. Helena and smuggle the Emperor to America. But with the new Emperor being a child, I can see plots arranged to possibly kidnap him, though these plans would likely fail spectacularly because of him being the Grandson of the Emperor. Plus I think historically Napoleon II was quite close with his grandfather as his German/French name of Franz /Francois was also the same name as his grandfather.

 

[sampleswift]

Ah. Excellent work. I'm interested in this timeline now.

 

[Whiteshore]

So, anything on what would happen to Marshal Ney sans the Hundred Days?

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

So, anything on what would happen to Marshal Ney sans the Hundred Days?

I'm not sure exactly. Though I'm open to ideas. I think he could have potentially maybe risen to PM but that's unlikely. I think he would like Davout retire into private life as a peer of France enjoying his pension while likely plotting with the Bonpartists, or at least entertaining them in secret. Though I have big plans for the Iron Marshal though as a result of all these butterflies.

 

[Whiteshore]

Anyways, what would the short-term domestic impact of a lack of the Hundred Days be as it is likely the Hundred Days would be butterflied away?

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

Anyways, what would the short-term domestic impact of a lack of the Hundred Days be as it is likely the Hundred Days would be butterflied away?

There is no Hundred Days since Napoleon I died in battle at Leipzig. I think the lack of the Hundred Days is that France is a bit stronger than otl, but the Bourbons will feel more secure about their restoration and may try to push as much as they can to gain more of their old powers back. Louis XVIII after all wouldn't be forced to flee to the Netherlands like in otl after all. Though I think the White Terror headed by Charles Comte d'Artois will likely still take place to purge any Bonpartists.

 

[Whiteshore]

Though I think the White Terror headed by Charles Comte d'Artois will likely still take place to purge any Bonpartists.

At leas there would probably be fewer executions (you already revealed Ney would probably "quietly retire").

 

[Madhukar_Shah]

Can I ask whether you have any plans for the Barbary Coast? Otl it was european unity post congress that allowed collective action and finally crushed the corsairs. Still, I’m not sure that a more northern focused France would be going for Algeria and the Dey might just be able to keep his independence intact. Or maybe the Sicilian bourbons décidé to go for Tunis or something, idk. Really the Sicilian bourbons have gotten the shortest end of any stick in human history- that place was a dump. I think this is the first time it has had a king on the island permanently in more than 500 years.

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

Can I ask whether you have any plans for the Barbary Coast? Otl it was european unity post congress that allowed collective action and finally crushed the corsairs. Still, I’m not sure that a more northern focused France would be going for Algeria and the Dey might just be able to keep his independence intact.

I'm not really sure yet. Depending on the political situation of the Bourbons, they might seek to have some sort of military campaign to regain popularity after the defeat of France, and loss of territory from the French Empire.

I think you'll enjoy what I have planned for Abdelkader.

Or maybe the Sicilian bourbons décidé to go for Tunis or something, idk. Really the Sicilian bourbons have gotten the shortest end of any stick in human history- that place was a dump.

Not really. Sicily historically was very agriculturally productive and was used as the Roman breadbasket before Carthage was conquered. The Sicilian Bourbons and Palermo though will certainly be very interesting to write. I think you'll enjoy what I have planned for them. After all the last Sicilian focused King was Frederick II von Hohenstaufen who greatly improved the city and built new universities and centers of learning earning him the sobriquet of Stupor Mundi.

Though the Sicilian Bourbons would be very pissed at the loss of their ancestral Kingdom of Naples which the Capetians had a claim to going back to the Italian wars and the Angevin conquest in the 13th century. There would likely be fierce competition/rivalry between the Neopolitans and Sicilians. And well as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

 

[BlazedSoulofHate]

Question, during this time the Tanzimat reforms were undergoing in the Ottoman Empire and the Janissary Corps were being fazed out by the New Model infantry. With France pulling Russia's attention, will the ottomans avoid becoming the sick man of Europe?

 

[Lucca Aba Benzzatti Jorge]

@Basileus_Komnenos loving this! Just a minor grammatical nitpick:

Though I have big plans for the Iron Marshal though as a result of all these butterflies.

Louis XVIII after all wouldn't be forced to flee to the Netherlands like in otl after all.

Why do you often repeat words in a sentence in a way that causes them to be superfluous?
These examples aren't quotes from the story, but they also happen there.

Again, incredible TL, looking forward to the next installment!

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

Why do you often repeat words in a sentence in a way that causes them to be superfluous?
These examples aren't quotes from the story, but they also happen there.

@Lucca Aba Benzzatti Jorge
Thanks for correcting my grammar! Wow I didn't even notice I did that. Yikes.

I'm often up at like 3 or 4 am typing this up because the quarantine lock-down messed up my schedule. I guess my brain completely ignored that during the proofreading process. I guess I should be sleeping more, and maybe dedicate another session of proofreading after I've slept more.

Again, incredible TL, looking forward to the next installment!

I'm glad you're enjoying it! I've got a new update in the works that should be coming out sometime this upcoming week though future updates might be a bit delayed, as I think I might need to do some more research and reworking of some plot points for it to be more plausible and organic.

Question, during this time the Tanzimat reforms were undergoing in the Ottoman Empire and the Janissary Corps were being fazed out by the New Model infantry. With France pulling Russia's attention, will the ottomans avoid becoming the sick man of Europe?

There will be some major butterflies for both the Ottomans and the Russians. Though without revealing too much, I guess I could say that flame that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. Interpret that however you wish.

 

[Whiteshore]

There will be some major butterflies for both the Ottomans and the Russians. Though without revealing too much, I guess I could say that flame that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. Interpret that however you wish.

Muhammad Ali's Egypt does even better than OTL but his empire collapses almost as soon as he dies ITTL?