Queen Maria Beatrice of Savoy, Queen of Ireland - 1809 - The Jacobite Queen returns

I've got an idea in my head.

One of Napoleonic France's invasions of Ireland actually succeeds in going onshore (1808-9ish). Thousands of French soldiers under General Kilmaine manage to land in Ireland by sneaking around the Royal Navy This was attempted several times in OTL but bad luck and bad sailing prevented this more than the Royal Navy. They couldn't blockade everywhere.

The Irish Catholics revolt en masse ( along with some Irish Protestant patriots) and, with about 10,000-20,000 French soldiers, manage to overrun the country's small British Regulars garrison and the Protestant Establishment militia (Wolfe Tone and other Protestant Patriots did not lead this, this was a religious rebellion).

Seeing that he cannot dominate Ireland like he does neighboring German states due to the presence of the British Navy, Napoleon decides he must cooperate and treat Ireland as an ally (a novel concept for the Emperor). He needs majority Irish support or the British will just walk back in.

Ireland wants a Catholic King. After rejecting suggestions that they accept a Bonaparte on the throne, the new Irish Catholic Parliament demands the return of the legitimate Jacobite heir.

However, Charles Emmanuel of Sardinia-Piedmont was a worn out man with no heirs and effectively deserted his Kingdom, leaving it to his younger brother, Victor Emmanuel, whom was a virulent enemy of the Bonapartes and could not be trusted.

This left Victor Emmanuel's daughter as the next in line of the Jacobite succession. As a woman, she was not going to inherit her father's Sardinian Kingdom anyway due to Salic Law. After the war, Sardinia-Piedmont would eventually go to his younger brother, the Reactionary Charles Felix.

However, Salic Law did not apply to Ireland (or Britain).

With Piedmont under occupation, it was easy to talk Victor Emmanuel into releasing his daughter to take over Ireland. In return for his daughter's good behavior as Queen of Ireland, Victor is granted Modena (ironically, the Duchy of OTL Maria Beatrice's future husband) and some other Italian territories in exchange for giving up the Piedmont for formal French annexation.

This also destroys the British-Sardinian alliance.

Maria Beatrice, 18 years old, is sent to Ireland and greeted rapturously.

Any ideas how this goes?

French(-allied) occupation of Ireland during the Napoleonic Wars would be a horrific blow to Britain. French piracy on British trade would flourish on the sea lanes with so many delightful harbors in Ireland. Britain's resources would diminish, limiting their ability to subsidize continental allies, to help defend Portugal and reconquer Spain during the Penisular war, fighting the war of 1812 with America, etc. Ireland provided a great deal of victuals for a Britain dependent imports, many exportable goods exchanged for necessary hard currency, and, bearing a large portion of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland's population, (Catholics were allowed serve in the Army since 1777ish) tens of thousands of soldiers and sailors.

Supporting Ireland (and wounding Britain) would drain enough resources from Napoleon that he might not have the resources to make one of his fatal mistakes : 1. turning on his ally in the attempted conquest of Spain or 2. turning on his ally in the attempted conquest of Russia. (spoiler: neither campaign went well).

This may be a turning point that allows Napoleon to remain in power.

Questions:

How does this new government survive British opposition and presumed domination of the seas around Ireland (no doubt Irish trade would be savaged by the Royal Navy and Irish cities bombarded)?

Can Britain really contemplate an invasion of Ireland with tens of thousands of French troops backing a majority Catholic population armed to the teeth by Napoleon?

What happens to the Protestants whom have kept down the Catholics for so long?

Who, if anyone, will marry the 18 year old (and fairly hot if the pictures on Wikipedia are accurate) Queen Maria Beatrice?

How would the Pope react as Rome had ceased to recognize the House of Stuart as rightful Kings of Britain and Ireland (and His Holiness had his own issues with Bonaparte)?

Any ideas?
 
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Who, if anyone, will marry the 18 year old (and fairly hot if the pictures on Wikipedia are accurate) Queen Maria Beatrice?

Well, any established House which marries Mary III will have to be pretty bloody sure that Napoleon will stay in power long-term.

Otherwise, let's see: all the Bonapartes were married by that point. So are Beauharnais, Murat, Talleyrand, Massena, Suchet, Bernadotte, Oudinot, Ney, MacDonald, Lannes, Kellermann, Jourdan, Soult, Grouchy, Gouvion, Davout,

Poniatowski, Bessieres and Augereau are the only prominent Marshals left (and Poniatowski won't - he's waiting for Poland) and I doubt that Nappy will give a client state to a civilian (other than maybe Talleyrand) so perhaps someone like Wolfe Tone or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_FitzGerald,_3rd_Duke_of_Leinster might do.
 
Well, any established House which marries Mary III will have to be pretty bloody sure that Napoleon will stay in power long-term.

Otherwise, let's see: all the Bonapartes were married by that point. So are Beauharnais, Murat, Talleyrand, Massena, Suchet, Bernadotte, Oudinot, Ney, MacDonald, Lannes, Kellermann, Jourdan, Soult, Grouchy, Gouvion, Davout,

Poniatowski, Bessieres and Augereau are the only prominent Marshals left (and Poniatowski won't - he's waiting for Poland) and I doubt that Nappy will give a client state to a civilian (other than maybe Talleyrand) so perhaps someone like Wolfe Tone or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_FitzGerald,_3rd_Duke_of_Leinster might do.

Good points all.

Maybe Lucien would be available if Napoleon could ever convince him to divorce his wife.

I would say Wolfe Tone was out as he was Protestant and I'm playing up the idea of a Catholic Rebellion.

Similarly, the Duke of Leinster was a Protestant. I don't know if an vengeful Catholic Irish population or an Italian borne Queen would accept any Protestant born even if he agreed to convert. I think Catholics only for certain.

Maybe a Spanish prince?

Spain was a nominal ally until 1809. If this invasion of Ireland forestalls the Peninsular War, this may work out.

Maybe Charles IV's younger sons, the Count of Molina or the Duke of Cadiz? Both are age appropriate.
 
Maybe a Spanish prince?

Spain was a nominal ally until 1809. If this invasion of Ireland forestalls the Peninsular War, this may work out.

Maybe Charles IV's younger sons, the Count of Molina or the Duke of Cadiz? Both are age appropriate.

Ferdinand VII was deposed in 1808 and and his rights were taken up by the British in January 1809. I doubt he's going to marry off a brother to a puppet of the guy who got rid of him.

The Habsburgs and Wittelsbachs were too careful to go all in with Napoleon (indeed, Austria was part of the Fourth Coalition in 1809) while the Wettins had already been appeased with the Duchy of Warsaw. All the other major German states are Protestant, and there are no major Italians who need appeasing except Sardinia itself - maybe a junior Savoyard?

Lucien was a stubborn fellow, he won't leave Rome (and neutrality) for love nor money.

If she's desperate, I suppose she could marry Count Roehenstart.
 
Prince Guiseppe of Naples and Sicily was the fourth son of King Ferdinand IV and Queen Maria Carolina of Naples. He was born in 1781. He died of smallpox in 1783.
Suppose Prince Guiseppe does not get smallpox. He lives many years beyond 1783. Suppose Maria Beatrice marries Guiseppe.

Prince Leopold (Leopoldo) Giovanni of Naples was the sixth son of King Ferdinand IV and Queen Maria Carolina of Naples. He was born in 1790.
Suppose Maria Beatrice marries Leopold.
 
Thing is her husband needs to be someone from Ireland, otherwise they are just a foreign king and queen, even if Maria Beatrice has ties to the Stuarts.

The Duke of Lienster would have been an interesting choice if he wasn't already married, Protestant or not. It would be a matter of how much he believes in an independent Ireland.

however William Theobald Wolfe Tone could work, son of a revolutionary, Napoleon took a shine to him, and fought through many a battle with the 8th Regiment of Chasseurs and was given the name of le petit loup. A wolf would look good on an Irish Coat of Arms
 
Bumping an old post:

What about Kilmaine himself (assuming he survives his illness, he wouldn't be too old)?

He's catholic and connected to Bonaparte.

Prince Eugene as well. Perhaps he doesn't marry (I think in 1806ish) or his wife dies early. He'd make an ideal King as he's waiting for a throne from his father-in-law.

Thanks.
 
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