Napoleon and a Female Hier

Our first POD has nothing to do with Napoleon, but Prince Edward Earl of Dublin and Kent finds a spouse in 1797 at the age of 30. Let's say it's an English or Irish countess.

Suppose that Napoleon made peace with Austria at the end of the War of Coalition on terms generous to the Austrians. In OTL, his advisor Tarylland told him to do so since that would make them an effective buffer against Russia, already then suspected to be an unreliable ally that might defy Napoleon. Austria and Russia in OTL put their differences together to put down Nappy, but it was an unnatural alliance. In TTL, he lets the Austrians off easy and he doesn't create the Duchy of Warsaw, instead just asking money from the Russians equivalent of 3 years worth of what revenue he the duchy would have earned if it existed.

Instead of focusing on Spain and Russia, he decides to put all the money he would have spent on grandiose architecture of Paris and rename it Bonaparte. Of course, the army still gets paid, but not having to resupply and shoot must save lots of money. Napoleon makes luxurious residences, upgrades the infrastructure, builds monuments, have huge gardens, and maybe makes some useful stuff (canals, super wide streets that act as arteries of the city and in a later decade might make up a railroad, an improved sewers). I have in my notes he once said "I would like to make Paris not only the most beautiful city in the world (but) the most beautiful city that existed." Sadly, my bad handwriting prevents me from figuring out who translated that quote. And just to be on the safe side, he prepares seven giant storehouses and a few bomb proofs, but these cover much less area than the beatification campaign. Bonaparte is converted into a giant monument of his greatness.

In 1805, Empress Joséphine gives birth to a daughter, which they give a Latin name Flavia. The couple is overjoyed.

Meanwhile, across the Channel, Prince Edward Duke and that countess have a child name Henry in 1802.

In 1812, Princess Flavia demonstrates a high degree of intelligence, with mastery of French (duh), German, Danish, and an operation understanding of English at the age of 7. She starts getting her hands on books she is not supposed to be privy to, such as Wealth of Nations. She is elevated to a countess. In 1813, she suggests politely to her father that he end the Continental System, arguing that after the Trafalgar debacle, they have no way of defeating the British, while allowing free trade would enrich both the continent and Britain. Defeating his rivals might be preferable, but since this is obviously impossible, they might as well profit.

No ruler would be stupid enough to allow his underage children dictate foreign policy, especially a girl. However, there MUST have been other people in Napoleon's circle who saw the stupidity of the Continental System and once his family starts questioning it, perhaps they can get an edge into his head.

On July 10, 1813, Napoleon announces a unilateral partial relaxing of the system. At the key ports of Venice (under Austrian control by the terms of letting them off easy), Marseille (France), and Cititavecchia (Italy) are open to business. Previously British goods were simply banned. Now there is a 12.5% import tariff of goods that do not have proof of being French/ Dutch/ German/ Danish/ Italien/ Austrian/ Anyone else in the Continental System. Also, every ship entering with the outside goods (previously contraband) has to pay 150 pounds, so it's more efficient for merchants to ship in large cargos than a zillion small ships. For this money, 75% goes to Napoleon, 10.714% goes into a pot of money that is divided between his allies, and the rest goes into a pot of money to be divided between the noblemen of Europe based on land (triple the estate, triple your share). Previously, all grain exports to Britain were banned. Now wheat plus non-grain food can be exported by dozens of ports in Denmark, Netherlands, France, Spain, and the Mediterranean countries as long as they pay some of their proceeds into Imperial France's coffers.

In 1815, Napoleon starts worrying about his succession and writes a proclamation on male preference primogeniture, overriding Salic law of the defaunt ancient regime. Josephine was unable to produce any other children. Plenty of others in Napoleon's inner circle say this is OK, Princess Flavia seems like she is a gifted administrator and her advice to her regents in her little countryside fief are all solidly based on facts.

Prince Edward becomes a widower.

Napoleon continues to focus on the internal development of France prop. His satellites are semi-neglected as long as they follow the now relaxed rules. Napoleon and Britain come to a 3 year truce. All hostilities are to cease and both sides blockades are removed for all ports. Napoleon actually obeys and isn't a treaty breaker this time.

In 1818, Princess Flavia is on a trip to Denmark. It was one of three tours she had in her lifetime of the various satellite states. She sees someone who she finds attractive (hey, she's an adolescent at this point), who simply identifies himself as the son of a nobleman who is sightseeing while the truce lasts. Flavia convinces a bunch of her aides to accompany her.

Soon, Napoleon recieves word form some of Flavia's guards that she... kind of disappeared. He angrily demands an explanation from both those in charge of her and Denmark. Also, plenty of her aides also disappeared with her. He orders a punitive invasion to be prepared. The Grand Armee is on the march again.

Later that year, Henry, son of Prince Edward (the only one of George III to have surviving issue) arrives in England (it's part of GB, I'm well aware its not the kingdom of England anymore) with a young girl. Henry wants to show her his father's estates and the two of them can have fun for a few months Then the girl identifies herself as not just a countess, but Princess Flavia of the French. Henry just caused an international incident.

Napoleon hears of this while in Netherlands before his army reached the boarder of Denmark and before he declared war.

Napoleon fires off an angry letter to Britain, claiming they had kidnapped his kin in violation of the truce. In contest, he had allowed British nobility in Italy, Austria, and parts of the continent without detaining them. He allowed their diplomats to come to discuss the possibility of a permanent peace.

Britain responds that Flavia is not a hostage but an esteemed guest and can leave anytime she wants to. Napoleon dispatches an aide to Kent.

Flavia shoots back that she came to Britain on her own free will and initially planned to stay for a few weeks, but thinks she's found her soulmate. Henry is attractive, his birthday is only seven days before her own, and they had lots in common personalitywise, although he's slightly slower mentally, but then most people were. Henry was the perfect gentleman. They even slept together (I mean this literally, for some reason whenever you say this, people assume the figurative meaning). She wants a wedding like the Prince Edward is having with Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. (I don't see why the death of his first wife in 1815 precludes a remarriage), which is going to be grand. She insists of staying for the wedding and wants to marry Henry.

Henry asks Edward for permission to marry Princess Flavia. Obviously, Henry can't marry without permission or he could be disinherited.

Well, Napoleon is probably livid. What would George III and the British party think? What would the Torries think about Flavia and Henry? Would they approve of Henry wooing the relative of their sworn enemy?
 
Even if Josèphine had been able to give Napoléon an heir (although the possibility is unlikely, since it's supposed by most that the trauma she went through during the Revolution caused her to go through an earlier-than-normal menopause, and even if she hadn't, she was injured in a fall from a collapsing balcony in the late 1790s that probably rendered her barren if she wasn't already), by 1805 she's 42yo already.

That aside, I will cite Napoléon's words when the king of Rome was born: when they didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, he told Hortense: "if a girl, she'll marry your Louis-(Napoléon) for she must not go out of France". This would of course be irrelevant if the child is Joséphine's, but I can imagine all the Bonapartes - from Madame Mère and Cardinal Fesch down to Jérôme (but most especially Caroline and Murat) - plotting to marry her to their son. They tried it when Joséphine was cast aside, I don't see why they wouldn't here. The Bonapartes had a tendency to be very clannish, and their idea was, when Napoléon divorced, to effect a rapprochement between him and Lucien, by marrying him to Lucien's elder daughter (Lolotte?). So, the chances are pretty good that the Bonapartes will be attempt to block Flavia marrying any prince who isn't a Bonaparte - or at least whose mother is.
 
when the scenario is pretty outstandish(remind me the rose of versalleis and other romance stories) if napoleon got a biological daugther from josephine and decide at long term she will be his heir...he would carefully look for a husband is loyal enought to delegate all power to her, so we could get the alpha female with Flavia/Napoleona Bonaparte but the rest is how other play power.
 
Even if Josèphine had been able to give Napoléon an heir (although the possibility is unlikely, since it's supposed by most that the trauma she went through during the Revolution caused her to go through an earlier-than-normal menopause, and even if she hadn't, she was injured in a fall from a collapsing balcony in the late 1790s that probably rendered her barren if she wasn't already), by 1805 she's 42yo already.

Eh, my friend has a little sister who was born when their mother was 55. In most cases though, you are right 42 is around the cutoff and the probability of pregnancy that carriers to term without a miscarriage or birth defect per cycle is a third of the age 42 rate by age 45.



I can count on a single hand the number of teenage heirs of English nobles in 1000-1500 who had kind of a love story similar to this (not with a political enemy, but I mean with someone who the parents do not approve of). Considering the time period covered (50 decades), the low count indicates this simply doesn't happen a lot.

If Napoleon said "a girl, she'll marry your Louis-(Napoléon) for she must not go out of France" I'd expect he wants Flavia to marry a Bonaparte. Even though in TTL, she did on his approval go out of France 3 times, this was probably for different intentions and not to find a boy. He does not want to have family infighting that a Flavia-Henry match would cause.

So the Bonapartes are going to want her to marry... probably Louis. I personally think that Napoleon should know of the demise of the male line of the Austrians and should know better than to have 1st cousins marry when that's the only line available (if it was Flavia and a boy, 1st cousin marriage with Flavia is probably OK), but Jonas didn't suggest an appropriate 2nd cousin, so Flavia and Louis is probably the desired pair.



I guess George III and Edward probably aren't thrilled with the idea either. As soon as the events Flavia watches are done, she'll probably be on a boat to France. And her aides that accompanied her have some explaining to do.
 
Eh, my friend has a little sister who was born when their mother was 55. In most cases though, you are right 42 is around the cutoff and the probability of pregnancy that carriers to term without a miscarriage or birth defect per cycle is a third of the age 42 rate by age 45.



I can count on a single hand the number of teenage heirs of English nobles in 1000-1500 who had kind of a love story similar to this (not with a political enemy, but I mean with someone who the parents do not approve of). Considering the time period covered (50 decades), the low count indicates this simply doesn't happen a lot.

If Napoleon said "a girl, she'll marry your Louis-(Napoléon) for she must not go out of France" I'd expect he wants Flavia to marry a Bonaparte. Even though in TTL, she did on his approval go out of France 3 times, this was probably for different intentions and not to find a boy. He does not want to have family infighting that a Flavia-Henry match would cause.

So the Bonapartes are going to want her to marry... probably Louis. I personally think that Napoleon should know of the demise of the male line of the Austrians and should know better than to have 1st cousins marry when that's the only line available (if it was Flavia and a boy, 1st cousin marriage with Flavia is probably OK), but Jonas didn't suggest an appropriate 2nd cousin, so Flavia and Louis is probably the desired pair.



I guess George III and Edward probably aren't thrilled with the idea either. As soon as the events Flavia watches are done, she'll probably be on a boat to France. And her aides that accompanied her have some explaining to do.

As to why I mentioned no second cousins, AFAIK, Carlo Buonaparte - Napoléon's dad - was the only surviving brother or the only one who left Bonaparte children. He had a sister that married and her son was one of Nappy's generals/marechaux(?). Plus, considering that the Bonapartes were willing to marry the Emperor to his niece in 1809/1810 I think they're more than okay with endogamous marriages.

Now, let's get to little Henry of Kent. If his mom's an Anglo-Irish countess/noblewoman whatever (seems unlikely, since at the time you suggest, IIRC, he was in Canada, and before that he'd been in Geneva, where he had left two possible bastards behind), then the marriage is going to be morganatic in Hannover. So, Henry has no rights of succession there (Parliament will be dancing in the streets about that). Now, there's a nasty piece of litigation that says that any person who becomes papist, is papist, or marries papist is cut out of the will - known as the Act of Settlement, the 1707 Act of Union and the Bill of Rights. So, Henry marries Flavia, he becomes a non-dynastic member of the British royal family. And he's still under 30, so if Henry wants to marry Flavia, he can't do it without grandpa George's permission as per the Royal Marriages Act. George III is incurably insane by that point, so he won't care if Henry marries a man or a horse or a tree (not kidding, George III actually had a full-blown covnersartion with an oak tree and came away thinking that he'd just been speaking to the king of Prussia). George IV might be okay about the match, but it's going to make his Bourbon houseguests more than a little uncomfortable. And then there's the Privy Council which is going to be jumping on this. Especially if Princess Charlotte dies on schedule. Then Henry's going to be even less likely to marry a Catholic.
 
As to why I mentioned no second cousins, AFAIK, Carlo Buonaparte - Napoléon's dad - was the only surviving brother or the only one who left Bonaparte children. He had a sister that married and her son was one of Nappy's generals/marechaux(?). Plus, considering that the Bonapartes were willing to marry the Emperor to his niece in 1809/1810 I think they're more than okay with endogamous marriages.

I know that there was no moral thing against endogamous marriages. It's just that anyone who was paying attention to Austria might have seen Ferdinand II > Ferdinand III > Joseph I > Charles VI... oh shit our of dudes. War of Austrian Succession! And even without the war, they were down to Maria Theresa and her cousins... in other words the House of Hapsburg was three deaths away from extinction even without the war. They sort of won the war, Maria Theresa lived and Francis I adopted the Hapsburg name, but even without the war that was a close one. Seems a bit risky if the crown princess is an only child.

Of course... I guess the Bonapartes must have been like "yeah, it can happen sometimes, but not to us" (usually endogamous marriages don't end up as bad as the Hapsburg example, so I guess this is a calculated risk, they are a bit of a clannish family). So they probably want Flavia to marry Louis.

So, Henry has no rights of succession there (Parliament will be dancing in the streets about that).

Why is parliament dancing about that? Pre-war of Austrian succession, Hannover was considered to be almost as prestigious and powerful as Prussia, with a bit smaller cavalry corps and lack of siege engineers (they usually relied on allies to reduce fortifications). Pre Frederick, its army was 7/8 the size of Prussia. Then Prussia came to eclipse Hannover... and it kind of became a bit of a target, but hey it might one day reclaim its former prominence.

Also, there are many ways to let the Hapsburgs off easy after the war of the third coalition. Talleyrand proposed that since the Bonapartes and Hapsburgs were both Catholic and since Austria was a natural enemy of Napoleons least reliable nominal allies (Sweden, Russia, and Prussia were nominally allied to him but had plenty of sings they would later defy Napoleon... and they did), they should let the Hapsburgs off easy and discredit the growing Anglophile faction that was getting control of the court since the French Revolution. His specific proposal involved leaving the Holy Roman Empire intact, with the Emperor being in charge of regulating Imperial sea-trade, with a Bonaparte-friendly trade policy. This leaves Hannover intact. Now, Talleyrand didn't care what the specifics were, this was just one of his idea, the thing he wanted to emphasize to his boss was dismantling the HRE or not, just leave the Hapsburgs off easy instead of humiliated and wanting for revenge.

What you might end up with for Hannover is a situation like the American revolution. France and Britain are at war with each other, but Hannover will probably no longer be, as the Emperor would do some mediation. With the 1813 relaxing of the Continental System, and the 1815 truce with Britain, tensions (while present because simply because Napoleon exists) should be a bit lower and Hannover not look like something France wants to kick (again).

Also, plenty of Earls and Countesses had morganatic marriages without losing their titles, why does Hannover care about Morganatics? Also for the royal family in the 1370s, Katherine Swynford had some bastard kids with John, but if she did marry him, their children would have been legitimate. They were legitimized through royal decree, but if Constance of Castile died earlier and John married Katherine, the kids would have been fully legimate despite being morganatic.

Now, there's a nasty piece of litigation that says that any person who becomes papist, is papist, or marries papist is cut out of the will - known as the Act of Settlement, the 1707 Act of Union and the Bill of Rights.

Right... damn I forgot about that. This usually kills a lot of fun ideas. they are great if you want to do a Stuart restoration AH, but otherwise just annoying. I wish the damn thing said "skip James II and his descendants, and if William, Mary, and Anne all die without issue, go to George and the house of Hannover." Well, so Prince Edward is not going to want his son to marry a filthy Papist.

. George III is incurably insane by that point, so he won't care if Henry marries a man or a horse or a tree (not kidding, George III actually had a full-blown covnersartion with an oak tree and came away thinking that he'd just been speaking to the king of Prussia). George IV might be okay about the match, but it's going to make his Bourbon houseguests more than a little uncomfortable. And then there's the Privy Council which is going to be jumping on this. Especially if Princess Charlotte dies on schedule. Then Henry's going to be even less likely to marry a Catholic.

Ah, I am assume Charlotte dies on schedule.

So I guess neither party (Hannovers and Bonapartes) want this. They'll probably just stay a few more weeks (under careful watch) and part ways.

Decades later when they succed their respective thrones, they might remember it as a few weeks of fun that nearly ended in something stupid. Empress Flavia will think of her younger self as overconfident, thinking that just because she ended corruption and got the administration working like a clockwork in (whatever county given to her) she was smart enough to make all her decisions.
 
Imaginary Chain of Events

Prince Henry: Hey dad, I spent the last 3 moths with this fair girl. I want to marry her. Can I?

Prince Edward, Earl of Dublin: Probably not, but I'll try to arrange for your wishes. It's probably not going to work because in the eyes of parliament she's a filthy papist. I'll need to get grandfather's permission. Don't have you know what.

One week later in the palace.

Prince Edward, Earl of Dublin: Hey, father, can Henry marry the daughter of the man who was our sworn enemy just three years ago.

George III: If it has a pulse, tell him to feed it beef and then **** it. We need it to snow next week.

Prince Edward, Earl of Dublin: ... At least Henry VI had moments of lucid sanity.

George Prince of Wales: Hi Edward. You know only the lord can save dad's mind.

Prince Edward: So Henry wants to marry Flavia.

George prince of Wales: That name sounds familiar. Our ambassador needs to refresh me I think someone related to

Prince Edward: She's Catholic... So uh, how likely is it to get the Settlement Act repealed? Do we still need it to keep the throne away from the Papists?

George Prince of Wales: Settlement Act is staying and you know parliament has no intention of getting rid of it.

Prince Edward: Yeah, thought so. it was worth a try.

Prince Edward goes to a desk.

Prince Edward (in a letter): Dear Henry, So you know I have business in London for a week. (three pages of material unrelated) And about Flavia... I'm glad you asked me before you did anything foolish. The answer is no. You're young. Just have fun with the pretty girl, but don't go quite as far as I did before I married your mom.

Weeks later the heartbroken lovebirds part
 
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I know that there was no moral thing against endogamous marriages. It's just that anyone who was paying attention to Austria might have seen Ferdinand II > Ferdinand III > Leopold I > Joseph I > Charles VI... oh shit our of dudes. War of Austrian Succession! And even without the war, they were down to Maria Theresa and her cousins... in other words the House of Hapsburg was three deaths away from extinction even without the war. They sort of won the war, Maria Theresa lived and Francis I adopted the Hapsburg name, but even without the war that was a close one. Seems a bit risky if the crown princess is an only child.

Of course... I guess the Bonapartes must have been like "yeah, it can happen sometimes, but not to us" (usually endogamous marriages don't end up as bad as the Hapsburg example, so I guess this is a calculated risk, they are a bit of a clannish family). So they probably want Flavia to marry Louis.

You forgot Leopold I. And ironically, the "shit out of dudes" happened in both cases (Josef I and Karl VI) where they didn't marry cousins. Most of the cousin marriages (Spain to Austria, at least) left one or two boys (Ferdinand II's dad married his niece, had over a dozen kids; Ferdinand II married his Bavarian cousin and had three sons, two of which survived infancy; Ferdinand III's cousin marriage to Spain produced two surviving boys; Leopold's Spanish marriage produced only a surviving daughter (but it was also to his niece, who was the product of an uncle-niece marriage)). Now, I'm not saying that cousin-marriage is alright, but I'm not sure that they were necessarily seeing it in that light, especially since Maria Theresia's second son, Leopold II, had both his heir and spare marry their double first cousins; her third's son, Ferdinand's eldest son married his niece and had four kids; so it's probably not just the Bonaprtes that would've said "to everyone else maybe, not to us". People just didn't understand genetics.

Sticking with Bonapartes, both of Joseph's daughters married cousins (one produced a football team, one had no children, although she supposedly died in childbirth with her lover's child according to one source), Lucien and Louis' eldest sons both married cousins (Joseph's daughters), and Napoléon III originally wanted to marry Carola of Sweden (another cousin - though Beauharnais this time rather than Bonaparte).

Why is parliament dancing about that? Pre-war of Austrian succession, Hannover was considered to be almost as prestigious and powerful as Prussia, with a bit smaller cavalry corps and lack of siege engineers (they usually relied on allies to reduce fortifications). Pre Frederick, its army was 7/8 the size of Prussia. Then Prussia came to eclipse Hannover... and it kind of became a bit of a target, but hey it might one day reclaim its former prominence.

Also, there are many ways to let the Hapsburgs off easy after the war of the third coalition. Talleyrand proposed that since the Bonapartes and Hapsburgs were both Catholic and since Austria was a natural enemy of Napoleons least reliable nominal allies (Sweden, Russia, and Prussia were nominally allied to him but had plenty of sings they would later defy Napoleon... and they did), they should let the Hapsburgs off easy and discredit the growing Anglophile faction that was getting control of the court since the French Revolution. His specific proposal involved leaving the Holy Roman Empire intact, with the Emperor being in charge of regulating Imperial sea-trade, with a Bonaparte-friendly trade policy. This leaves Hannover intact. Now, Talleyrand didn't care what the specifics were, this was just one of his idea, the thing he wanted to emphasize to his boss was dismantling the HRE or not, just leave the Hapsburgs off easy instead of humiliated and wanting for revenge.

What you might end up with for Hannover is a situation like the American revolution. France and Britain are at war with each other, but Hannover will probably no longer be, as the Emperor would do some mediation. With the 1813 relaxing of the Continental System, and the 1815 truce with Britain, tensions (while present because simply because Napoleon exists) should be a bit lower and Hannover not look like something France wants to kick (again).

Also, plenty of Earls and Countesses had morganatic marriages without losing their titles, why does Hannover care about Morganatics? Also for the royal family in the 1370s, Katherine Swynford had some bastard kids with John, but if she did marry him, their children would have been legitimate. They were legitimized through royal decree, but if Constance of Castile died earlier and John married Katherine, the kids would have been fully legimate despite being morganatic.

Parliament's dancing in the streets about it because they don't like Hannover. Britain's at war with anyone on the continent, where do they [the enemy] attack first, Hannover! It's sort of an albatross around Britain's neck that they were glad to see the back of in 1837.

Hannover cares about morganatic marriages because it's German. General rule of thumb to me, if it's Germanic, the marriage must be equal. Meaning anyone besides those who weren't royalty doesn't count. Outside Germany (excepting Russia and Sweden after points in the 18th century, Denmark, and the Netherlands), morganatic doesn't hold water. The king of Portugal can marry his laundry maid and besides a couple of snubs from the fellow royals in Europe, their kids are both royal and legitimate. In Germanic countries (i.e. any country with a German descended ruling family (excepting Portugal and Britain in the 19c, although I saw one or two marriages in the house of Borbon and Bourbon-Orléans that are apparently classed as morganatic, so IDK about those)).

Right... damn I forgot about that. This usually kills a lot of fun ideas. they are great if you want to do a Stuart restoration AH, but otherwise just annoying. I wish the damn thing said "skip James II and his descendants, and if William, Mary, and Anne all die without issue, go to George and the house of Hannover." Well, so Prince Edward is not going to want his son to marry a filthy Papist.

Ah, I am assume Charlotte dies on schedule.

So I guess neither party (Hannovers and Bonapartes) want this. They'll probably just stay a few more weeks (under careful watch) and part ways.

Decades later when they succed their respective thrones, they might remember it as a few weeks of fun that nearly ended in something stupid. Empress Flavia will think of her younger self as overconfident, thinking that just because she ended corruption and got the administration working like a clockwork in (whatever county given to her) she was smart enough to make all her decisions.

It's a pain, I'll admit. It's a little bit more nuanced than how you paint it, but if any of the 50+ people ahead of George I's mother had said "devil take the Pope, I want a crown" (I personally think Liselotte, duchesse d'Orléans doing so would make for a cool idea, but IDK how to do it), there would've been no PU between Britain and Hannover. But Elizabeth of Bohemia threatened to disown any of her kids who converted, and two of them (Louise Hollandine, who became an abbess; and Prince Eduard, Count Palatine did). She was livid about Louise's flight and conversion, writing to her sister-in-law, Henrietta Maria, that "what you did [Henrietta aided in Louise's flight] would be just as bad as if I had taken your darling Minette and converted her to my own faith". However, Eduard she forgave surprisingly quickly.

I'm not saying Charlotte dies on schedule, with a POD in the 1790s, Charlotte could be born a boy, or marry someone else, or die in infancy, or any number of butterflies could tweak her upbringing. She miscarried before the pregnancy that killed her, so it could cause her to die sooner, she could die and leave a healthy baby, she could live, child dies and be barren, who knows?
 
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