Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria and a son.

Rudolf Crown Prince of Austria was alive from 1858-1889, and died as part of a suicide pact with his mistress. His death had left his father without a direct male heir, and is seen by some as part of the reason as to why some of the events that precipitated world war one happened. His marriage to Princess Stephanie of Belgium produced one daughter, and after that they drifted apart. So my query is two fold, what happens if instead of just a daughter Stephanie produces a son as well, what would this son be called and would this be enough to keep the couple together or would they still drift apart? And subsequently, if he has a son would Rudolf avoid the lifestyle he had after his daughter's death, and potentially avoid making a suicide pact, thus potentially living for longer?

What would the over all consequences be for Austria and the world?
 
He'd still be politically frustrated with his liberalism coming up against his father's conservatism.

Was there underlying mental health issues too (depression, melancholia)? Because those would still be floating about, even if they're slightly less pronounced as a result of a happier home life.
 
He'd still be politically frustrated with his liberalism coming up against his father's conservatism.

Was there underlying mental health issues too (depression, melancholia)? Because those would still be floating about, even if they're slightly less pronounced as a result of a happier home life.

Hmm very true, I reckon he'd likely perhaps be faced with the depression common in the family.

Could his survival and that of his son, perhaps butterfly away some of the tensions within the empire pre ww1?
 
Hmm very true, I reckon he'd likely perhaps be faced with the depression common in the family.

Could his survival and that of his son, perhaps butterfly away some of the tensions within the empire pre ww1?

It depends. Is he like Franz Ferdinand or Charles I? If Rudolf still committed suicide, this son, let's call him Francis, would be the heir, and would be emperor Francis II of Austria. It would certainly butterfly World War I as we know it, since I don't think he would go to Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.
 
It depends. Is he like Franz Ferdinand or Charles I? If Rudolf still committed suicide, this son, let's call him Francis, would be the heir, and would be emperor Francis II of Austria. It would certainly butterfly World War I as we know it, since I don't think he would go to Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.

Alright interesting. Was Franz Ferdinand quite popular more so than his nephew? What would happen if Francis was a mix of the two?
 
I think, given their personalities, that firsthborn had better be a bouncing baby boy. I am not sure what you can do to save the marriage between the spoiled, willful, girl and a man who needs admiration from him lady......
 
First born has to be the boy, it's very likely that Rudolf gave her a venereal disease and sterility was the result. And the longer Franz Josef lives, the less chance that anything would keep Austria-Hungary together.
 
First born has to be the boy, it's very likely that Rudolf gave her a venereal disease and sterility was the result. And the longer Franz Josef lives, the less chance that anything would keep Austria-Hungary together.
Alright interesting what makes you say that? If the man had died before 1900 what chances are there that the union sticks together
 
Interesting. A delayed World War One seems likely

Probably not. Europe (particularly the Balkans) was a tinderbox. Someone was going to step on someone else's toes, refuse to apologize and we'd end up in that whole big fustercluck. My money's actually on sooner rather than later.
 
Interesting. A delayed World War One seems likely

France wants to get back at Germany badly. Serbia and the Balkans are ripe for continuous conflict not only between themselves, but between AH, Turkey and Russia. Russia itself has serious internal problems and consistent Tsars dying/assassinated. And lets not forget that Germany and the UK have a naval arms race.

Never mind the Russo-Japan war.

Something is going to set things off.

Hmm so around the early 1900s than the 1910s

Russo-japanese war going hotter.
Balkans
1905 Russian Revolution (bloody sunday).
Balkans.
Revanchist France against Germany.
Balkans
the AH empire may fall apart earlier into civil war (something I have always wanted to see be done. AH falls apart and Germany "invades" as a peacekeeping force, but really claims the territory in the name of Greater Germany - don't ask me how that would properly work, but it could maybe be possible.)
Italy was also getting a bit uppity and had also taken Italian Libya in 1912.
 
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