O Herdeiro do Império -A Timeline of a surviving Brazilian Empire

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

1/09/1850

The Heir of the Brazilian empire, Pedro Alfonso, a little boy of only a year old, was in a deep fever. The Emperor Dom Pedro II lost his firstborn son 3 years ago and he cloudnt bear with the death of his other male son, otherwise his fears that the monarchy wouldn't outlive him would become true.

1/10/1850

"We can't explain how your Majesty, but your son is a true warrior, we never saw a baby recover from a fever like him. It is a true miracle !"

The Emperor smiled, but inside of him he was busting in happiness.

"Thank you, this is the best news I cloud have received in all my life, my son is going to live. The Empire have a heir !"

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The Proposal of my first Timeline is: Brazilian Empire survives, the male heir of D.Pedro II never died of fever, the Empire will have a more socially acceptable heir to the aristocratic patriarchal society of the Empire, how will future of Americas change with a surviving Brazilian Empire ?

 

[Diego]

I'm watching it!

 

[The God-Emperor]

Welp, I knew someone would make a serious attempt at doing this...

And I love that it happened.

Best of luck.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

Pedro had a golden infancy, his Father was with him all the time he cloud, he used to say that his greatest treasure was young Pedro Alfonso, this caused sadness of the young princess Isabel that hoped to become Empress.

Pedro and Isabel didn't have the best relationship as brothers, they usually fought each other on who had the most love of his father, Pedro once put fire on her hair and that made his Father send him to a tutor at the 6 years old.

He was a Marshall of the Imperial army, one that had a amazing military background, from the cisplatinean war to the recent Platinean War that overthrew Rosas' government on Argentina, the main rival of the Empire, he was called Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, also known as Marquis of Caixias, the Minister of War and one of the leading figures of the Conservative Party.

Pedro was under his tutorage from 1856 until 1864, he learned many lessons that would influence him for all his life, but he soon had to end his tutorage after 8 years when the Marquis was called to lead the Brazilian Army in the bloodiest war of the history of South America: The Paraguayan War.

 

[ETGalaxy]

Good job on your first timeline! I don't know a lot of Brazilian history and the story hasn't delved much into big events excluding the POD yet, however, I hope that this will be interesting!

 

[Gonzaga]

It seems promising but just a nitpick: I doubt he would be made a Marshall of the army. At that age it was already commom for royals to follow a "normal" military path, starting in low ranks and clibling as time passes. So he would probably be accepted as a cadet at the recently created Military School by 1862.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

The History of the region of south South America can be resumed in a Imperialist war to control the basin of the Plate river, the river was the main river on the region and 4 nations fought over its control: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

The first of these wars for control was the cisplatinean war, Brazil lost it and Uruguay became independent with friendly relations to Argentina. The second one was the Platinean war where Brazil took back his influence and weakened Argentina.

Soon in 1864 Uruguay fell on a civil war, two parties were fighting for power, the blancos and the Colorados, with the help of Argentina and Brazil the Colorados took power.

Meanwhile Paraguay was completely isolated under the dictatorship of Dr. Francia, with his death in early 1840s, Carlos Solano Lopez took power and started massive reforms on the country, by 1864 his son (Francisco Solano Lopez) was ruling a powerful nation, with an army of at least 100,000 thousand men (basically 10% of the population), a massive fortress on the Platinean Basin called Humaitá (Ironically built by Brazilians years before), a railroad From humaitá to the capital Ascuncion.

Lopez considered the Blanco government in Uruguay as a ally, a garantee of sea acess though the river, with Colorados that exit was threatened. The Ambitious Lopez had the idea of a greater Paraguay, annexing Uruguay, Entre Rios, and Rio Grande do Sul, becoming controller of the Platinean basin.

Paraguay then attacked, First it was Brazil, sacking border cities like Uruguaiana and arresting the governor of Mato Grosso do Sul on the River. Then Paraguay invaded the province of Entre Rios and missiones in Argentina, and Uruguay was called to help their allies. The Paraguayan War has just Begun.

Even if Paraguay was smaller, they had an army larger than the 3 enemies combined, using this they started to advance as far as they cloud following the Plate River, but Brazilian Navy under Admiral Barroso was protecting the River on the region of Riachuelo, Paraguayan navy armed Trade ships with heavy artillery and attacked, the Brazilians Lost a ship, but Admiral Barroso had an advantage: Brazilian ships had Steel Hulls while the Paraguayan ones were made of wood, he ordered the ships to colide in Full speed on the little trade ships, the plan worked and half the Paraguayan navy was in the bottom of the plate.

With the victory on Riachuelo, the Paraguayan army was forced to retreat, D.Pedro II personally visited the army on the Border, to increase the numbers he created the "Voluntários da Patria" Program, if you served in the army until the end of the war, you will receive lands and a nobility title, if a slave then you have your freedom and a payment worth the years of service.

The Numbers soon increased from 32,000 to 68,000 and with the Reinforcements from the Other two members of the coalition, they had an army of equal size of the Paraguayan one, but there was a difference, from the lowest solider to D. Pedro II, everyone had a desire of revenge on Paraguay and the Emperor had a personal anger on Lopez.

Now it was the time of Brazil have its revenge, the one that will invade Paraguay now, is the Brazilian Empire.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

The allied armies invaded Paraguay by the south, taking camp on Tuiuti, a clearing on the middle of the Chaco, the best place for the Paraguayans.

The army was led by Marquis of Caixias because the general Osorio was sick and had to go back to Brazilian territory.

Suddenly yells were heard over all sides as over 25,000 thousand Paraguayans attacked 35,000 of the main army in the coalition, the largest battle of the Paraguayan war has just begun.

Caixias was fast and ordered the troops to form a massive square on the center of the camp to protect the artillery, this tactic was successful thanks for the lack of cavalry on the Paraguayan side.

After hours of battle the Paraguayans retreated, the back of the Paraguayan army was broken with over 10 thousand casualties on the Paraguayan side, while the army of the coalition lost 3 thousand.

After this battle, Caixias pursued the Paraguayan army in a series of battles from 1866-1867 ending with the fall of humaitá and the Capital Asunción.

Solano Lopez started to draft children on the army while he tried to escape to Bolivia, this resulted in the death of 75% of the Paraguayan male population by hunger, battles, and diseases, while the Coalition lost 80 thousand but that was less than 1% of their population and most of them died on the Paraguayan invasions.

In serro Corá, Lopez was captured by a commander called Deodoro da Fonseca but he resisted raising his sword while yelling "Muero por mi Pátria !" (I die for my country) and was killed by a solider, the war was over.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

In 1868, just a month before the war was over, Pedro finally was 18 years old. Then the question rose: Who Will be the wife ?

There were many options: A Windsor, a Hohenzollern, a Von Habsburg, a Bonaparte, another Braganza. But who ?

This is where you join, who should marry young Pedro ? You can decide in a commentary vote, ready ? Set ? GO !

 

[General Ripper]

I would avoid another Braganza...

Interesting TL, keep it up.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

I would avoid another Braganza...

Interesting TL, keep it up.

So what do you suggest ?

 

[General Ripper]

Not quite sure. Having family connections with British Royal Family isn't bad, but considering Queen Victoria and whole haemophilia issue...

 

[Alex Zetsu]

I like the TL itself, but the presentation seems... I don't know. Like me I guess. As in, something's missing.

As in I like the events going on, but the execution is meh?

Or maybe I should say your concept is great, the events are plausible and seem like a good setting for the story. The story I see seems like a draft.

Arg...

Sorry I don't have anything specific to say so this isn't constructive at all. I like the events and I want to help, but I don't know how.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

I like the TL itself, but the presentation seems... I don't know. Like me I guess. As in, something's missing.

As in I like the events going on, but the execution is meh?

Or maybe I should say your concept is great, the events are plausible and seem like a good setting for the story. The story I see seems like a draft.

Arg...

Sorry I don't have anything specific to say so this isn't constructive at all. I like the events and I want to help, but I don't know how.

The problem is that this is my first TL, If you have any suggestion I welcome it.

 

[The Merovingian]

A von Habsburg would be best for greatest catholic legitimacy.

 

[Gonzaga]

In 1868, just a month before the war was over, Pedro finally was 18 years old. Then the question rose: Who Will be the wife ?

There were many options: A Windsor, a Hohenzollern, a Von Habsburg, a Bonaparte, another Braganza. But who ?

This is where you join, who should marry young Pedro ? You can decide in a commentary vote, ready ? Set ? GO !

IOTL who decided the marriages os princesses Isabel and Leopoldina was their aunt Francisca, Princess of Joinville. Pedro II trusted completely in her to find the husbands of her daughters, and probably she would do the same for the prince of Grão-Pará ITTL. Francisca pushed the relatives of her husband to marry Isabel and Leopoldina, so probably she would try to get one her nieces to marry Pedro. Possible candidates would be: Princess Marguerite Adélaïde Marie of Orléans; Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; and Princess Amalie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Maybe Marie Isabelle de Orléans y de Borbón, but her father was living in Spain and wasn't close to Francisca's husband.

 

[Baron Bizarre]

I hope you can keep this up. I confess to not knowing much Brazilian history, but I find the idea of a surviving Brazilian Empire interesting.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

IOTL who decided the marriages os princesses Isabel and Leopoldina was their aunt Francisca, Princess of Joinville. Pedro II trusted completely in her to find the husbands of her daughters, and probably she would do the same for the prince of Grão-Pará ITTL. Francisca pushed the relatives of her husband to marry Isabel and Leopoldina, so probably she would try to get one her nieces to marry Pedro. Possible candidates would be: Princess Marguerite Adélaïde Marie of Orléans; Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; and Princess Amalie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Maybe Marie Isabelle de Orléans y de Borbón, but her father was living in Spain and wasn't close to Francisca's husband.

Wow thanks for the info, I will make sure she will be part on the marriage question.

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

Vote of with who Pedro will marry with ends tomorrow 15 PM (by Brazilians station Time)

 

[Antonio the Komnenoi]

The Emperor and his son traveled to Joinville, visiting Francisca the sister of the Emperor.

Francisca was the woman that Pedro trusted, she was the one that suggested the marriage of Isabel and Conde D'eu years ago, so she surely had someone in mind to marry young Pedro.

Emperor Pedro II: Oh my sister, it is a pleasure to meet you, I brought my son here so we can solve a little issue.

Francisca: Sure my Emperor, what is the issue ?

Emperor Pedro II: My son and Heir Pedro Alfonso is already 18 years old and he didn't marry yet.

Francisca: Oh my God, this is unnaceptable ! I myself was married at the 19, sadly I didn't have much luck on finding a husband in time, I had luck that the son of the King Louis-Phillipe, my husband Francisco Fernando, came to Brazil. Let's see, what kind of woman is of your interrest ?

Pedro Alfonso: I like women tha-

Francisca: Oh not you, your father.

Emperor Pedro II: I would like a European monarch here, some young Girl of a Royal House.

Francisca: I think I just know some, let's see the candidates of wifes of today:

The First One is Maria Josefina von Habsburg, she is a beautiful women from the Habsburg dynasty no less !

The second one is Elizabeth Winsdor, Grandaughter of Victoria ! She would surely bring us close to britain !

Pedro Alfonso: Well I think I would l-

Emperor Pedro II: I already decided, he is going to marry...

(Ok Guys, the Votes got a tie of Winsdor and a Habsburg, I need at least 1 other vote to end the Tie, I will wait until the next vote to finish it.)