Maximilian in Brazil instead of Mexico

Maximilian was a foreigner - foreigners are not allowed to take the throne of Brazil under any circumstance. Besides, Dom Pedro II had three capable heirs if he had wished to ignore Isabel or if she had been infertile: Dom Pedro Augusto and Dom Augusto Leopoldo, the most competent and popular Brazilian sons of D. Leopoldina. I just can't see a way to make Maximilian the heir to the Brazilian throne short of exterminating House Bragança, which would make D. Pedro II even more pessimistic as to the future of his monarchy.
 
The whole point of all of this is that as the French develop closer ties with Brazil than OTL, it might become clearer to the French that Pedro II would not have a direct successor, given that his own sons died in early childhood and only a daughter (Isabel) survived well into adulthood. In other words, the Brazilian imperial house is solving its succession problems by adopting a foreign prince, which would presumably be approved by the Brazilian legislature, and without the need for French troops. Maximilian could relocate to Brazil in the early 1860s, become the Imperial Heir Apparent for about a decade, and then take the throne, making everybody happy.

Therefore, it's a much better fit than with Mexico; Brazil had genuine imperialist sentiment and a history of long-term imperialism of its own, whereas in Mexico, the House of Iturbide ruled only briefly and with lots of people resenting it. Meaning, the monarchy was an indigenous, continually preexisting choice. This also mean, technically, that Maximilian moving to Brazil would have been no violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Besides which, Brazil (unlike Mexico) was way farther away from the US, and the US didn't have a huge naval fleet to enforce the Monroe Doctrine as far away as South America. The US also didn't have so many economic interests in that corner of Latin America at the time, unlike in Middle America and the Caribbean.

There are constitutional and political issues with this, along with the already-mentioned unconstitutional nature of foreigners taking office the political elite would be incredibly uncomfortable under this liberal minded absolutist. Much like in Mexico he will be too conservative for the liberals and too liberal for the conservatives in this situation. Frankly if you want Maxy as emperor of anywhere kill his brother and give him Austria. There he will be much more easily accepted as emperor and wont have to deal with the same problems.
 

yofie

Banned
Why would Dom Pedro II appoint Maximilian as his heir when he did not do so for his perfect nephew Dom Pedro Augusto IOTL?

You might be right. I'm wondering - why did Dom Pedro II not appoint any of his great-nephews as his successor, especially if his daughter Isabel was not seen as a worthy successor and neither was her husband (Gaston, Count d'Eu)? Examples include Pedro Augusto or Augusto Leopoldo, two of Leopoldina's sons. (Leopoldina was one of Pedro II's daughters.)
 
You might be right. I'm wondering - why did Dom Pedro II not appoint any of his great-nephews as his successor, especially if his daughter Isabel was not seen as a worthy successor and neither was her husband (Gaston, Count d'Eu)? Examples include Pedro Augusto or Augusto Leopoldo, two of Leopoldina's sons. (Leopoldina was one of Pedro II's daughters.)
This I cannot explain. Heck, there's even his grandson the Prince of Grão Pará, Dom Pedro de Orléans e Bragança, too. Maybe Gonzaga would know why.
 
You might be right. I'm wondering - why did Dom Pedro II not appoint any of his great-nephews as his successor, especially if his daughter Isabel was not seen as a worthy successor and neither was her husband (Gaston, Count d'Eu)? Examples include Pedro Augusto or Augusto Leopoldo, two of Leopoldina's sons. (Leopoldina was one of Pedro II's daughters.)

By great-nephews did you mean his grandchildren through Leopoldina? It would be unconstitutional: Isabel's offspring take precedence.

The only viable option is - as ByzantineCaesar pointed out - Pedro de Alcântara, Isabel's son... if he convinces Isabel to renounce, that is. The problem is that he was only 14 by the time of the Republican revolution.
And IMHO it would be a very dickish move for a father to do to his daughter, specially because the need for this arrangement is not at all obvious.
 
You might be right. I'm wondering - why did Dom Pedro II not appoint any of his great-nephews as his successor, especially if his daughter Isabel was not seen as a worthy successor and neither was her husband (Gaston, Count d'Eu)? Examples include Pedro Augusto or Augusto Leopoldo, two of Leopoldina's sons. (Leopoldina was one of Pedro II's daughters.)

Because he was rather disenchanted with the monarchy in general and didnt care if it continued past his death. Hell had things gone differently he very well could have tried to force something through ending the monarchy on his death, he really was dissenchanted with the idea of monarchy by the time his great nephews where old enough to show skill.
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By great-nephews did you mean his grandchildren through Leopoldina? It would be unconstitutional: Isabel's offspring take precedence.

The only viable option is - as ByzantineCaesar pointed out - Pedro de Alcântara, Isabel's son... if he convinces Isabel to renounce, that is. The problem is that he was only 14 by the time of the Republican revolution.
And IMHO it would be a very dickish move for a father to do to his daughter, specially because the need for this arrangement is not at all obvious.

That and his family was far more important to him than the monarchy. He didnt trust his daughter to take over but he still cared for her and wouldnt do that.
 
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