He returns to Austria-Hungary heartbroken, returning to his old Naval career and giving thr insitution more life and attention instead of having a lull between him and Franz Ferdinand.What if Maximillian--the brother of Austrian/Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph--would have survived?
For instance, let's say that the Mexicans decide to exile him rather than execute him in 1867.
It's boring, to be fair. At least his wife is less likely to lose it?
Maybe? I'm really interested in a Rudolf TL, but I think his issues were a bit deeper than that. The overall climate at Court after Königgrätz supposedly influenced him significantly and made him rather unstable.I think she'd already started going downhill during her futile attempt to drum support for her husband's failing regime, but she might keep things together a bit better IOTL.
Is it possible Crown Prince Rudolf is better off with a fellow liberal in the family?
Maybe? I'm really interested in a Rudolf TL, but I think his issues were a bit deeper than that. The overall climate at Court after Königgrätz supposedly influenced him significantly and made him rather unstable.
It's definitely no secret that Rudolf had a very, very unhappy marriage and yeah, I would say a different wife would help him. It won't solve his issues, but it can make him more stable in his daily life.Yeah, there's possibly a genetic component too- his mother's mental health was iffy.
Would having Charlotte around at all influence things regarding Rudolf's marriage (his OTL wife Stephanie was obviously her niece)? If Rudolf notices her fraying mental health, or othwise forms a dislike of his aunt, could that put him off a Belgian marriage? Which could potentially give him a better personal life, though I agree that Rudolf's issues were likely deep-seated.
Yeah, there's possibly a genetic component too- his mother's mental health was iffy.
Would having Charlotte around at all influence things regarding Rudolf's marriage (his OTL wife Stephanie was obviously her niece)? If Rudolf notices her fraying mental health, or othwise forms a dislike of his aunt, could that put him off a Belgian marriage? Which could potentially give him a better personal life, though I agree that Rudolf's issues were likely deep-seated.
Thanks for the info. I was going to ask next whom would have been a suitable bride instead of Sephanie. Looks like he was rejected by Spanish princesses as well. Still, reading further, it looks like Rudolf's marriage was happy at first and I'm starting to doubt my initial conviction that a different woman would help.IIRC it wasn't Rudolf who decided on the marriage. There was a paucity of eligible Roman Catholic princesses around, and before her he'd hoped to marry a Tuscan archduchess or a Braganza infanta. His father ruled against the fellow archduchess on the grounds of her being too closely related and/or her poor health (she had TB), and the Braganza infanta (one of D. Miguel's daughters) turned him down. So, simply have the Braganza lady (who would be far less closely related to Rudi (their closest common ancestor being Carlos III, if I calculate right) than Stéphanie ever was (closest common ancestor being Leopold II), a it doesn't sound like much generation can make all the difference - I mean, if Baltasar Carlos had married Mariana instead of her marrying his dad (who was also her uncle) the Spanish Habsburgs might have lasted at least another generation.
Would be interesting with him still around in 1914.What if Maximillian--the brother of Austrian/Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph--would have survived?
For instance, let's say that the Mexicans decide to exile him rather than execute him in 1867.
The Mexican panel ruling against Maximilian were deadlocked 3-3 between death and banishment when the foreman voted for death. So yes Maximilian could have been exiled, and that's what the US was hoping for. Of course Max had signed away the AH throne so that door is closed forever.
Agreed, Charlotte might not descend into madness at all.
What Max does after that is probably rejoin the Navy - it's better ITTL but still AH loses the Great War...
IIRC, he signed away rights to the AH throne in exchange for rights to the Mexican throne. The Mexican throne is now defunct, so technically, the signature is null and void.
Good luck, I doubt Clarence Darrow could get that nullified...
He returns to Austria-Hungary heartbroken, returning to his old Naval career and giving thr insitution more life and attention instead of having a lull between him and Franz Ferdinand.
It probably means that Tegetthoff gets the ships he wanted to stay on-par with the Italians, but means little in the long run.
It's boring, to be fair. At least his wife is less likely to lose it?
I think she'd already started going downhill during her futile attempt to drum support for her husband's failing regime, but she might keep things together a bit better IOTL.
Is it possible Crown Prince Rudolf is better off with a fellow liberal in the family?
Maybe? I'm really interested in a Rudolf TL, but I think his issues were a bit deeper than that. The overall climate at Court after Königgrätz supposedly influenced him significantly and made him rather unstable.
I can't say with authority since I've barely scratched the surface of these two in my readings. From what I understand, it seems whoever wrote Max's wiki article nailed it: too conservative for liberals and too liberal for conservatives. From his brief rule in Mexico, it seems to me that he was or wanted to be like Napoleon III. Moderate reformist and Liberal while maintaining moderate authoritarianism?Was Maximillian genuinely a liberal?
So, what's the whole story behind Rudolf's descent into madness and suicide?
I can't say with authority since I've barely scratched the surface of these two in my readings. From what I understand, it seems whoever wrote Max's wiki article nailed it: too conservative for liberals and too liberal for conservatives. From his brief rule in Mexico, it seems to me that he was or wanted to be like Napoleon III. Moderate reformist and Liberal while maintaining moderate authoritarianism?