Isabel II, The Queen of Spain, circa 1833
"Poor little lamb - to be thrown to the wolves at such an age!"
- Charlotte, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland upon hearing of Isabel's accession
As the year of 1833 dawns, Prince Otto of Bavaria officially assumes his very grand title of His Majesty Othon the First, by the Grace of God, The King of Greece, Prince of Bavaria. The marriage offers are flooding in before the poor kid even finishes saying it. First come the offers from the Great Powers, of course. From France, Louis Philippe, Duc de Orléans, offers his two younger daughters, Marie and Clémentine. Tsar Nicholas of Russia, not willing to offer up his eldest daughter Mariya at the tender age of fourteen, instead offers up his niece, Princess Marie of Wurttemberg. Some German princesses are mentioned, as are some Italian ones, and even Mathilde Bonaparte (only thirteen years old - her father is less tenderhearted than Nicholas of Russia) is offered as a potential bride [1]. Charlotte, still convinced that the whole thing is going to end badly, is pleased to report that she has no British princesses or even proxies to offer - her eldest daughter, Lolly, is only twelve and already tentatively engaged to the Prince of Orange, and her eldest cousin, Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, is only thirteen. (Not that her young age or her aunt and guardian's vehement disapproval stops Victoria's mother from privately offering her as a bride to Otto - who has a bit more common sense than anyone gives him credit for, and responds as vaguely as humanly possible).
Not that any of the offers are more than hypothetical right now anyway - Otto’s still technically underage, and his father has declared that he’s not ready for marriage yet, so there won’t be any Queen of Greece any time soon. Still, wife or no wife, Otto makes a very good show when he first sets foot on Greek soil at the end of January at Nafplio, the current capital of Greece. After being greeted by cheering crowds during his entry walk through Nafplio, he stops for a moment of quiet contemplation, his head bowed respectfully, in front of the church of St. Spyridon (he cannot enter, being Catholic himself) where Ioannis Kapodistrias, widely considered the father of the new Greek state, was assassinated. This goes over very well, as does his enthusiastic and warm greetings with Theodoros Kolokotronis and Alexandros Mavrokordatos, two surviving heroes of the Greek war for independence. It’s a very nice moment, one that people will look back at for a long time and remember with a great sense of - well, you’ll see. Nonetheless, right now, it’s looking up for Greece and Otto.
In Portugal, King Miguel is taking stock of his life. In his ‘personal’ life, he feels he’s doing really, really well: he’s married to the love of his life, the beautiful and intelligent Ludovika of Bavaria; his son and daughter, Afonso and Luisa, are healthy; and he and his wife have just announced her second pregnancy to the nation. Yeah, his sister Maria Teresa is still pelting him with letters from her enforced retirement in the Palace of Queluz, and his other sister Isabel Maria has even started writing pointed letters about when she can quit babysitting Maria Teresa, and his brother Pedro is still waving his fists and talking smack from Brazil, but Miguel feels that those are only minor points of contention. You need rain for rainbows and all that, right? His new favorite sister, Maria da Assunção, wife of Duke Maximilian Josef in Bavaria, has even come to visit, bringing her two children, Amalie Charlotte and Wilhelm, with her - and they even get along with Miguel’s kids! (As Miguel and Ludovika are both vividly aware of the bullet Maria da Assunção took in marrying Maximilian Josef so that they could wed, they are very solicitous of her comfort and go out of their way to make sure she feels very appreciated and cared for. Maria da Assunção, also very aware of the bullet, settles in for a nice long visit, the first of many - her children will later be noted for speaking German with a Portuguese accent due to these visits).
However, his ‘professional’ life, as it were, is not going so hot. When Miguel came to power five years ago, the options were an absolutist adult King or an unknown adolescent girl, raised in what was technically an enemy country by a former rebel and current enemy ruler. The few dissenters were easily silenced, and while the island of Terceira remains something of a hot spot for liberals and problem children, Miguel thought he was doing pretty well as an absolutist monarch devoted to God and Country and Tradition, and so on, and that the people were learning to appreciate his rule. Turns out, not so much. He acknowledges he can only play Whack-A-Liberal for so long, and he needs to do some public relations quick, fast, and in a hurry - preferably the kind of public relations that makes it look like he is giving up more than he actually is. Also, Portugal is in something of a decline, economically (and every other -ally, really, if we’re being honest), so if he could get that turned around as well, it would help him out a lot.
Help comes in a few forms, all unexpected - and only one Portuguese. At the beginning of the year, Maria do Carmo de Noronha Camões, The Marchioness of Angeja, and a ward of Miguel's sister Isabel Maria, becomes engaged. Usually this wouldn’t muster more than a few conversations in the drawing rooms of society, or maybe a particularly handsome wedding gift from the King and Queen. However, Maria do Carmo’s fiance is none other than Don Carlos de Mascarenhas, a field aide to the Marquês de Vila Flor, the leader of the liberal party in Portugal and currently the biggest thorn in Miguel’s side, having led several of the skirmishes in Terceira. Skirmishes that Mascarenhas helped lead. So yeah, Miguel’s not a fan - so much so that he threatens to have Maria do Carmo imprisoned for her foolish choice (Ludovika is pretty sure she can stop this from happening, but the threat is nonetheless very real) [2]. In comes the first unexpected helper for Miguel’s reign. During the reign of Napoleon, many French nobles found themselves living elsewhere in Europe, including Louis de Rohan-Chabot, Comte de Jarnac and his Irish wife, Isabella, who lived for several years with Maria do Carmo’s father, the previous Marquis. Though the Chabots returned to France after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, where they fell in as friends and allies of the Orleans family [3], the current political climate in France has caused Chabot to bring his family back to Portugal at the invitation of Maria do Carmo, Louis’ goddaughter [4]. Chabot steps in graciously to negotiate for his goddaughter and her fiance.
Allowing Maria and Mascarenhas to marry will have several benefits, Chabot points out: it will allow Miguel to be seen as benevolent and above politics, as all absolutist monarchs should be; and it will win Mascarenhas to Miguel’s side and give him a valuable in with the other liberals (Mascarenhas has agreed to this, on the understanding that he won’t forfeit his political views, but rather try to be a good example of them to Miguel). Such a match can very easily be used to bring the Marquês de Vila Flor, leader of the liberal insurgents, to the bargaining table, and thus remove many of Miguel’s thorns. To Mascarenhas, Chabot frankly states that the liberal cause of pushing for Maria of Brazil to become Queen has been lost - when push comes to shove, very few people are going to replace the anointed king with a male heir who has sat the throne for several years now with an unknown girl from a foreign, previously treasonous country. Best to cut his losses now, marry the girl, and learn to trim his sails under Miguel’s reign - there’s no reason he can’t continue to work for his beliefs legitimately, from inside the government [5].
Miguel is impressed by Chabot’s clever reasoning and, frankly, knows that he cannot afford to start an all-out war over the marriage. Mascarenhas would very much like to marry Maria and can see the value of Chabot’s arguments. An accord is reached, and Don Carlos de Mascarenhas and Dona Maria do Carmo de Noronha Camões, The Marchioness of Angeja, are married in the chapel of Bemposta Palace in a ceremony attended by the King and Queen and the Comte and Comtesse de Jarnac. While the Marquês de Vila Flor does not attend, he does send a letter to Mascarenhas that opens up a line of communication for Miguel to begin to use. It’s not much, but it’s better than what he had before.
Shortly afterwards, the second form of help comes thanks to Miguel’s wife, Ludovika. Ludovika’s father Maximilian, a noted Francophile, ruled Bavaria for almost twenty years under the principles of Enlightenment - he saw to it that his daughter was well educated in both French and literature, among other things. Now, an educated woman who was raised under the principles of Enlightenment might seem like a woman who would not be suited to be married to a man and monarch like Miguel. That’s where Ludovika is out to prove everyone wrong. Having bided her time, she thinks that following the marriage of Maria do Carmo and Mascarenhas is a perfect time to introduce her husband to the works of Voltaire - and Chabot, Miguel’s new buddy, fully agrees. Now, the choice of Voltaire is a deliberate one: Voltaire’s works, despite the author being an advocate of constitutional monarchy personally, were the foundation used for enlightened absolutism by both Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great - so Ludovika think’s it’s a great philosophy to apply to Portugal (Great? Get it? No? Okay). Enlightened absolutism, also known as benevolent absolutism, combines rationality and social concerns with absolute rule by the monarch. Basically, the monarch should be an absolute ruler - but having absolute rule, the monarch should devote their absolute power to caring for their people, providing order and improvements in their lives. One of the foremost adherents to enlightened absolutism, besides the aforementioned Greats, was none other than the Marquis de Pombal, the man who more or less saved Portugal following the devastation of the 1755 earthquake [6].
After careful consideration, Miguel agrees that Ludovika has a good point. Pombal was controversial in a lot of aspects, but one cannot deny that the man got things done, and Miguel needs things done starting yesterday. He starts by fully taking control of the Douro Wine Company, founded under the aforementioned Pombal. Officially, the Douro Wine Company was created to control wine fraud, and create and make sure products such as port met certain standards. Unofficially, the Douro Wine Company regulates all the exports of port and holds the monopoly on the sale of brandy, used in the fortification process of making port. The Portuguese themselves are not a big fan of the tight fist the Douro Wine Company has on the wine trade; the Brits, the previous tight fist on the Portuguese wine trade, are also not fans. Miguel wins over most of the dissenters by pointing out it’s better to have a Portuguese guy in charge than a British guy. As Miguel is not a fan of the British, he feels that they can jump ship for all he cares - only Portuguese merchants and merchants authorized by the Portuguese crown will now be allowed to sell port. (In London, Leopold - a fan of port - is forced to admire Miguel’s craftiness while begging his wife to find a way to make nice with Miguel). Miguel also follows through with a strict review of the tax system, to be reimposed upon all classes; his new political ally, Carlos de Mascarenhas, is placed in charge of the system, and serves with distinction in this role. Brazil may have been lost, but Portugal has other colonies still, in Asia and Africa - Miguel begins focusing on increasing trade agreements and strengthening the colonies in these areas (he has a lot of liberals who need to prove their worth to the new regime, and the colonies conveniently need some new people) as the spring begins.
Europe might have spent more time looking askance at Miguel’s ‘new’ philosophy, if it hadn’t been distracted by one of the biggest policy changes in history. In Austria, Emperor Franz decides it’s time to get the Hofkriegsrat, the military administrative council, under control - particularly, their spending. And he’s got just the new president in mind to do so [7] - his eldest grandson, Franz, the Duke of Reichstadt. As Reichstadt is also the son of the man who terrorized Europe for over a decade, there’s some... feelings in the courts of Europe regarding this appointment. The Emperor feels confident in his choice, however. His grandson - raised at the Viennese court since he was a toddler - is loyal to him. Despite not being allowed to serve, Reichstadt received a fine military education, and has shown himself to be a good manager of his mother's estates in Bohemia [8]. When Prince Metternich - whose intelligence vies with his pride these days - sputters that handing control of the army to the son of Napoleon is tantamount to a declaration of a Great European War, the Emperor points out that Reichstadt has control of the administration of the army - the Emperor’s brother Karl remains the Commander in Chief. (Karl, who is known for his caution, considers his great-nephew a fine new appointment to the Hofkriegsrat). When Metternich accuses Reichstadt of using his new position to “prepare to launch himself to the throne of Europe”, Reichstadt cooly remarks that he has turned down two crowns in as many years [9], either of which would have made it a great deal easier to prepare for his launch than being the “chief bean counter” of the military. Emperor Franz, displeased at these accusations against his grandson, recommends that Metternich take a short break at a country estate for a while.
In Portugal, Miguel keeps his head down and says nothing about the appointment of Reichstadt - his wife Ludovika, aunt to Reichstadt’s wife Theodolinde, writes a letter of congratulations. In France, Henri V’s council writes a letter to Emperor Franz filled with thinly veiled reminders of the last Bonaparte in charge of an army and how badly that guy screwed Austria, and that France won’t be dictated to again in such a situation, and whatever comes out of this is all the Emperor’s fault. Henri himself, having been told of the "bean counter" remark, sends his cousin an intricate glass jar filled with silver beans, each inscribed with things like "pensions", "uniforms', and so on. Reichstadt keeps it on his desk for the rest of his life. In Spain, Fernando stamps his feet and mutters dangerously about Bonapartes being loosened onto Europe, but his health is too poor for him to really make a scene - and his government is so busy scrambling trying to figure out their own issues, that as far as they are concerned, as long as Bonaparte stays out of Spain, he’s welcome to whatever mischief he chooses. In Greece, Reichstadt’s cousin by marriage, the new King Otto, focuses on his coronation - but takes the time to send a congratulatory letter (he really isn’t in a place to turn his nose up at friends in high places).
In England, Charlotte offers only one comment on the entire situation, remarking to the Duke of Wellington: “It is hard indeed to find light as the child of a man with a large shadow”. Whether she is speaking of Reichstadt, herself, or a combination thereof is unknown.
(As for the Old Beef himself, he’s confident in his ability to “conquer the son as [he] did the father”. He even admires Reichstadt’s pluck, and thinks the lad would give him a good fight, one of the highest compliments Wellington is capable of bestowing.)
In the Netherlands, King Willem is not thrilled about Reichstadt’s appointment either - he remembers the short-lived Kingdom of Holland, after all - but he’s got enough on his own plate. As long as Reichstadt stays within Austrian borders, Willem figures it’s an internal problem. The Netherlands are very barely being held together after the revolution of the southern provinces of 1830 and Willem has been working overtime to reconcile the south with the rest of the country. He and his wife Anna have declared that they will spend a portion of every year residing in Brussels (no hardship there, as Anna infinitely prefers Brussels to The Hague). He has agreed to see to it that the placement of Belgians in positions of authority in the government and military are more equal than they have been in the past and has even appointed several Southerners to various government positions, including the recently released Joseph Lebeau, who now serves as the Governor of Nemur and an advisor to the King on ‘southern issues’. Willem also allows the freedom of the press and the right to assembly, considering it better to freely grant than to be forced into granting [10]. It’s not just his country giving him a hard time, however - his family isn’t really making his job any easier. Well, that’s not entirely true - his wife Anna has remained a support and helpmate, and has done much with charities and philanthropy in the south to help raise the prestige of the Crown. His younger children Alexander, Henrik, and Sophie are all well-behaved, clever, and easygoing. His brother Frederik, who led troops against the rebels after Willem refused to do so, has had the good sense and grace to retire to his country estates for the time being. Really, the only problem is Willem’s eldest son and heir - another Willem, known as Billy. Loud, large, and stubborn, it is well known that no one considers Billy an appropriate future king, including his parents, who often bemoan their favorite son Alexander being born second. Not quite as stupid as he appears, Billy is aware of their opinion, which does nothing to improve their relationship. At sixteen, he currently serves as a lieutenant in the Grenadiers - when he’s not out chasing whatever skirt has currently caught his interest [11]. The fact that he is more or less unofficially engaged to be engaged to Queen Charlotte’s eldest daughter doesn’t seem to have an effect on his behavior. (Charlotte, for the record, is very displeased - Leopold himself often writes to both Billy and his father about Billy’s behavior, and what kind of husband will and won’t be tolerated).
Charlotte and Leopold have other things to focus on besides a disappointing possible future son-in-law, however. In mid-April, London is filled with over 300 representatives from across the United Kingdom for a particular come-to-Jesus dear to Charlotte’s heart: the issue of slavery. Since the Christmas Revolt, she has been working to get the government to see things her way regarding slavery - namely, that the institution is no longer worth the trouble. International slave trade has been outlawed for nearly thirty years, but not slavery itself. Now, most of this was economic - while the slave trade had only ever broken even or brought small profits at best, the use of slaves on plantations in the Caribbean provided much more lucrative, which hindered efforts to abolish slavery. The Reform Act of 1832 also cleared away rotten borough seats in Parliament, previously bought up by slave owners in order to keep bills abolishing slavery from passing. The Christmas Revolt in Jamaica two years before also definitely didn’t help slavery’s PR campaign. The dominos are ready to fall, as far as abolishment is concerned. It just has to get through Parliament. Which, as Auntie Fred comments to Charlotte, is rather like that parable about camels and needles [12].
There are three factions in this issue - immediate and full abolition; no abolition at all; and gradual emancipation and abolition. Every party has their own ringleaders and star members - it is well known, for example, that Prince George sits quite firmly in the ‘immediate and full’ camp, announcing in a letter to his cousin Albrecht that “[he] would rather be an honorable beggar than a King of men in bondage”. Charlotte is of the opinion that slavery is evil and inhumane, and must be ended; however, she can see the argument for gradual emancipation and abolition, as presented by the Duke of Wellington [13]. In a private letter to Maria Carolina, Madame la Mère du Roi, Charlotte writes: “I have no wish to keep the slaves in bondage - but what will we be releasing them to? Freedom, yes - Freedom to starve, to be subject to cruelties by former owners, to be blamed for economic losses. They shall be as babes in the woods, with no prospects and no opportunities except to return to the work they have always known under the masters they have always known.”
In practical terms, only children aged six and under are to be freed under the Slavery Abolition Act- everyone else will be redesignated as an ‘apprentice’, with their servitude set to be gradually abolished until 1840. Charlotte can swallow this - it gives the government seven years to organize shelter, jobs, schools, and other programs for the former slaves (she hopes). But she has a very hard time swallowing the fact that the Act will have the government provide compensation to former slave owners for the loss of their property - particularly since they are not only getting the payment but also getting seven more years of free labor from the slaves. She is having a very, very hard time swallowing the fact that the Act excludes slaves owned in the territories in possession of the East India Company. Charlotte knows the East India Company has pulled strings in Parliament to get special treatment in regards to the matter of slavery, as they have in multiple other situations since their founding - before Parliament is a Charter Act Bill, set to extend the royal charter granted to the East India Company and allow them to continue to raise armies, wage war, and rule conquered territories. Other monarchs have been content to let the high-handedness of the East India Company slide - frankly, Charlotte herself has been so busy these last three years that the Company has not even really registered on her radar - but now, however, she is quite aware of them. She takes a deep breath, digs her heels in, and prepares to go to war - there are many who dislike the East India Company, for many reasons, and she’s willing to use whatever ammunition she can. An unlikely ally in this is Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, Marquess of Chandos - a slave owner who is against the abolition of slavery, but really, really against the East India Company getting to keep their slaves if he can’t keep his - and Chandos is quite loud when he wants to be. Oh, Charlotte doesn’t do anything anyone can object to, in regards to her rights as monarch. She just talks to people. And makes sure they talk to people, who talk to other people, and so on.
There's another group making a pilgrimage to England at this time - Princess Elisa of Prussia and her family are coming to take the waters at Bath in hopes of curing her health, still in shambles after the birth of her second daughter. There’s a little bit of drama in all of this, because of course there is. The original plan had been for Elisa to take the waters in Bad Freienwalde, while Wilhelm traveled between there and Berlin to handle business on behalf of Poznan with his father and his father’s government. However, shortly after the visit was planned, Elisa suffered several nights of recurring nightmares where she was visited by her grandfather, Michal Radziwiłł, who announced that Elisa would meet death in Bad Freienwalde. Elisa has never been prone to superstition, but this makes her deeply afraid, enough so that she begs her husband to allow her to take the waters in Bath instead. (She deliberately asks for Bath because she knows she and her children will be safe in Charlotte’s realm). Wilhelm, despite disliking the idea of being away from his wife and children for several months, agrees. The court in Berlin begins muttering about the dramatics of the ‘Duchess of Poznan’ and ‘Polish nonsense’, which only inflames Elisa’s desire to avoid Bad Freienwalde even more. Auntie Fred, who declares that she would like very much to know her niece and great-nieces better, offers Elisa the use of her own private residence at No. 16 Royal Crescent, neatly providing an acceptable 'out' for Elisa and Wilhelm - as his father points out, they can hardly refuse an invitation from such a high ranking member of the Prussian and British families.
Elisa, under the name ‘Countess Odolanów’ [14], her daughters Luise and Sophie, and her lady-in-waiting Anna Kaczka (affectionately known as Ducky) arrive in Bath at the end of April. Auntie Fred comes shortly thereafter, brining Mary Gillray Stockmar -recovering from another miscarriage-, Will, Lolly, Missy, Fred, Leopoldina, and Alex with her (George is still off on a naval tour, and Caroline and Henry were both deemed too young to come along and remain at home). The children all take to each other very well, which pleases their mothers and mutual Auntie Fred very much. Lolly and Missy supervise the others at games, treats, and walks in the gardens and on the lawns. Fred takes time every night to read a story in careful German to the younger children, which is more than anyone expected from him. Leopoldina and Alexander make a merry threesome with Luise of Prussia, whom everyone eventually comes to call Lulu, a nickname she retains for the rest of her life. William earns the adoration of the younger children when he returns one day with two Dartmoor ponies in tow - apparently, he had found them being mistreated in the local stable and was able to ‘persuade’ the owner to sell them to him (it didn’t take much persuasion - at fourteen, William is the size of most grown men. Grown, incredibly strong, will-snap-your -animal-abusing-neck-like-a-twig men). The ponies are named Balius and Xanthus, for the horses of Achilles, which are rather grand names for two ponies who quickly grow plump and spoiled, but nobody minds. William spends the summer teaching the younger children to ride on the gentle ponies, and teaching them to pull Elisa in a padded, pillowed cart - she will later write to her husband that it was the most comfortable ride in a carriage or cart that she ever experienced.
“Poor Elisa,” writes Auntie Fred to Charlotte, “she is quite changed since I saw her last. Her pretty face is quite puffy and thick, her hair thin, her skin pale and cold. She is still quite weak, and fatigues very easily - she fights having to be wheeled [in her wheelchair], however, which Will cleverly circumvented by telling the younger children it was a game, which led to them insisting that she allow them to ‘help’ wheel her about. She takes the waters twice a day except on Sundays, and seems to have reached some degree of betterness in her health. Halliday declares her slightly improved, but certainly no worse, which pleased her greatly. Poor dear is quite firm in her belief that she will eventually recover her health and be able to bear her husband another child, perhaps two. She has a great wish to have a son for Poznan to pass to, as the people and the duchy are so dear to her.” Charlotte herself travels to Bath several times over the next few months as her duties allow, and finds herself forced to agree with Auntie Fred - Elisa is definitely in poor health, but it appears to be getting no worse, and seems to have reached a plateau of sorts [15].
She’s certainly doing better than other people, at least. Across the pond, President Andrew Jackson is in arguably worse health than Elisa. Or any other person, for that matter. On the morning of May 6, President Andrew Jackson - currently on a stopover near Alexandria, Virginia, on his way to Fredericksburg - is walking to reboard the USS Cygnet when he is assaulted by Robert B. Randolph, a naval lieutenant recently dismissed at Jackson’s command for embezzlement [16]. Randolph ‘pulls’ the president’s nose, bloodying it, before fleeing the scene - Jackson gives chase and begins to beat Randolph with his cane while still running. The two hit a particularly slippery patch of road - Randolph falls, breaking both his wrists while throwing his arms forward; Jackson, propelled further by a particularly vicious swing of his cane, lands face-first into the cobblestones [17]. He lingers for several days in a coma before passing away in his stateroom on the USS Cygnet, becoming the first president to die in office [18]. The country is shocked, to say the least. While many of them had strong feelings regarding Jackson - and most of them weren’t exactly positive -, no one ever expected to see him die in office and in such a way. “How the mighty fall,” one particularly vulgar article quips in a South Carolina newspaper. Mourning is instituted throughout the United States, as well as in the foreign courts of Britain, Spain, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and Siam. Despite having had issues with Jackson and his belligerence over spoliation compensation from the Napoleonic wars, Henri V of France and his government institute a period of mourning as well, remarking that “we have been very good friends for a rather long time - should that not be more respected that present disagreements”. Jackson is given a better eulogy by his old friend Preston Blair at his funeral in June: “He lived as he died - swinging that mighty stick, fighting the fight he felt was good, determined to win or go down trying. I am reminded of the great general, Leonides, who upon being informed that the arrows would block out the sun, responded: “Then I shall fight in the shade [19]”. President Jackson shall have no equal among us for quite some time, perhaps never...” Jackson, per his wishes, is buried alongside his wife Rachel in her tomb in the garden of their plantation home, The Hermitage.
Martin Van Buren is now President of the United States. Surprised? So is everyone else.
Nobody is destined to have a fun summer, it seems. Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, having arrived in Coburg for her annual visit in May, discovers that her cousins Ernst and Albrecht have already left for Vienna to stay with their Kohary cousins for the summer - and possibly longer. It has been decided that the boys will enroll in the Austrian army alongside Ferdinand and August, following family tradition - Prince Ferdinand of Coburg (Ernst and Albrecht’s uncle, father to the younger Ferdinand and August) is a General of the Calvary of the Imperial Army, and their uncle by marriage, the Graf von Mensdorff-Pouilly, currently serves as the Austrian vice-governor of Mainz. Ernst and Albrecht are pretty confident that they’re going to walk in and have their pick of assignments as royal princes. Well, they do manage to walk in. Unfortunately, they are walking into the office of the man in charge of reorganizing the military, which includes new cadets - Reichstadt. Who is really not in the mood to pamper two spoiled minor princes and promptly informs them that yes, while it is super cool what their uncles have done, they themselves have done nothing to earn special treatment aside from being born to semi-important people. They will enroll as private citizens (this is more to avoid a rank-issue with their superior officers than anything personally against them) and undergo grunt training like everyone else - including Reichstadt himself, some years back - and they will be thankful about it. (The Kohary boys can enlist as princes, but they are also Austrian citizens, so the rules are a little different for them - nonetheless, they are a little quicker on the uptake than Ernst and Albrecht, and Ferdinand and August both willingly enlist as private citizen cadets then and there [20]). Ernst launches into a rendition of “Do you know who we are” and lists his family credentials: nephew to the Queen of England, the aforementioned Prince of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha-Kohary, the Graf von Mensdorff-Pouilly, a Grand Duchess of Russia, and so on. Reichstadt laconically raises a brow before launching into his variant of “Do you know who I am”: grandson to the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, son of the Emperor of France, brother-in-law to the Emperor of Brazil, and - here’s the big one - the guy in charge of the army you are trying to enlist in. Furious at being denied by a “jumped up Corsican”, Ernst storms out, dragging Albrecht with him, announcing dramatically that he’ll go serve in the British army under his dearest aunt and won’t the Austrians be sorry. Ferdinand and August go on to the Theresian Military Academy, where they will spend the next three years. Ernst and Albrecht return to Coburg, where their father assures them that Uncle Leopold will arrange their entrance into the British army. Aunt Victoire has her own opinions on the matter - and for once, she’s right.
After writing to ‘Tante Lotte’ and pleading their case, Ernst and Albrecht are rather shocked at the reply they receive. Charlotte points out that her own son and heir is serving as a private citizen and not a prince - why would she grant them a privilege she denied George? She also writes that expecting to be treated like you are important because you are related to important people only brings you fools and ass-kissers, and the boys need to make themselves important through their own work. A second letter arrives from Leopold, in which he says more or less the same thing. Ernst and Albrecht have very different reactions to this reality check. Ernst, enraged that he, the future Duke of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha (an illustrious title stretching all the way back to 1826), is expected to enroll as a private citizen and thus be treated - gasp! - like a regular cadet. Screw the Austrians and the Brits - he’ll enroll somewhere where he’ll be treated in a manner benefiting his station (that ends up being the Saxon army, which immediately regrets taking him) [21]. Albrecht, however, takes a different route. All three of his uncles (Leopold, Ferdinand, and Mensdorff-Pouilly), his aunt and godmother, and his favorite cousin George (who immediately wrote to Albrecht how stupid he was being) are all telling him to swallow his pride and enroll as a private citizen. The Kohary boys write that it's really not so bad being enrolled as a private citizen. His godfather, the Duke of Teschen and actual head of the Imperial Army, writes that Albrecht will be a fool to turn down such an opportunity.
After a week of careful consideration, Albrecht writes a letter of apology to the Duke of Reichstadt, and very prettily begs for a place as a private citizen cadet (he has already written a letter of apology to Aunt Charlotte). Reichstadt, impressed at the boy’s guts, offers him a spot immediately - on the condition that he keeps his ears open, his mouth shut, and his nose clean. And leaves his brother at home. Thus begins one of the great mentorships of history.
(This also is the start of the fracturing of the relationship between Albrecht and Ernst, but more on that later).
Albrecht is not the only one getting education these days. In France, Henri V and his council pass a law promulgated by his Minister of Education, François Guizot, that requires every commune in France to operate and maintain a public school for the children of the area [22]. This ties in nicely with Henri’s own ambitious Chambord system, as the public schools can educate children who do not fall under the criteria for La Société de Sainte Philomène. Each of the public schools is maintained by an allowance from the government - which, considering that there are over 35,000 communes in France, is not a very big allowance. Someday, the schools will be staffed by teachers educated through the Chambord system but for now, those teachers need to come from somewhere else, and be paid out of the paltry allowances allotted to the schools. Officially, each school is expected to make do with what they’ve been given by the government. Unofficially, well - Henri’s mother isn’t raising a fool. Henri makes a remark or two regarding the small allowances and the pity that the nobility have not learned the value of charity and community in the communes in which they keep their great châteaus. His mother makes a few remarks as well, as does his tutor and trusted advisor, the Vicomte Chateaubriand. In Chantilly, the commune in which his château lies, the Prince de Conde donates a large sum to the newly built public school. In Rochechouart, the Duc de Mortemart, the president of Henri’s council, does the same. In Comburg, Chateaubriand enthusiastically donates a sum far bigger than Conde or Mortmart’s to the local school, and ensures that all the local men with the funds to do so donate as well - the Comburg public school quickly becomes the most well-funded school of the new system [23]. This spurns on a new craze amongst the nobility and the wealthy to donate to the public schools in their communes - and to other public programs being initiated as well, such as hospitals and orphanages. These donations become known as ‘Les dîmes d'Henri’ (Henri’s tithes) after the King and become a huge part of French society - one cannot truly be considered worthy of nobility, nor properly welcomed in society, if one is not known to be generous with their ‘tithes’.
On July 17th, Queen Ludovika of Portugal delivers her third child, a son promptly named Manuel, for his illustrious ancestor, Manuel the Fortunate. The choice of name is deliberate - Manuel the Fortunate is easily considered one of the greatest Portuguese kings, known for his expansion of the Portuguese Empire, his numerous trade monopolies, and his patronage of the Portuguese Renaissance. And, oh yeah, being an absolutist monarch who only convened the Cortes three times in his twenty-six year reign, preferring to reform the courts of justice and codify the laws on his own steam. The new Infante's godparents are equally grand - the Emperor of Austria, the Crown Prince of Saxony, and the Infanta Isabel Maria of Portugal, as is his christening, two weeks after his birth at the Church of Santo António de Lisboa. But that's not what sets Europe to talking. What sets Europe to talking is the man who carries the new Infante to the baptismal font - António José Severim de Noronha, The Marquis de Vila Flor, recently the leader of the liberal rebels in Terceira.
Thanks to the efforts of Miguel, Carlos de Mascarenhas, and Chabot, an accord of sorts has been reached between the monarch and the rebel leader. It is announced at the banquet following the baptism that the King has agreed to reinstate the Cortes of Portugal - with some modifications. The Cortes will retain the ability to submit petitions to the monarch for consideration - petitions signed into law, called ordinances, can only be repealed with the consent of two of the three estates of the Cortes. However, final power to veto or accept laws and petitions remain firmly with the monarch. The Cortes will now exist as a permanent advisory body to the Crown, and elections for members will be held every three years. Any changes in taxation, treaties, fundamental law changes, or matters of succession will be introduced to the Cortes for discussion before they present their 'advice' to the monarch. Two days after the baptism, the Marquês is created the Duke of Terceira (a rather cheeky title on Miguel's part, but it was too hard to resist) [24] and appointed to the King's cabinet. At the same time, Louis de Rohan-Chabot, Vicomte de Chabot, is created the Marquês de Soveral in recognition for his services to the Crown. The next day, the Duke of Terceira returns to the Church of Santo António de Lisboa along with the King and the royal court, where he marries Olivia de Rohan-Chabot [25], the daughter of the new Marquês de Soveral. Despite the twenty-one year age gap and Olivia being Terceira's third wife (Maria Ana, his second wife, having died two years before [26]), the couple seem well suited to each other and settle down nicely in Lisbon as the Cortes open for the first time in over two hundred years.
Feeling rather confident in himself and his government, Manuel can’t resist sending a letter to Charlotte welcoming her and her country to the ranks of ‘civilization’ when it is announced on August 28th that the Slavery Abolition Act has received Royal Assent after passing through Parliament and will be in force as a law beginning in 1834 [27]. It will forever be a sore point for Charlotte that “that man’s” country abolished slavery longer before her own did, thus giving him the opportunity to continue to throw such japes at her for the rest of his life. Another sore point remains the sheer size of the loan - twenty million pounds sterling! - the government takes out to compensate former slave owners. Charlotte also signs the Charter Act at this time. It is not the Act as it originally came before Parliament, and that is a victory within itself. Slavery is still allowed in the territories in possession of the East India Company, which is a frustrating loss. However, the commercial activities of the Company have ended, ceasing its trade monopoly with China and the Far East, and making the Company an administrative body. The Company’s charter is extended for five years, not the originally proposed thirty, and while the Company still has the right to raise armies, wage war, and rule conquered territories, they will require the consent of the Monarch to do so [28]. Lord William Bentinck becomes the Governor-General of all of British-occupied India and is given exclusive legislative powers across the whole of the same. Bentinck might appear as something of a 'sop' to the East India Company, since his goal was to turn around their losses and make sure their charter was renewed when he was appointed Governor-General of Bengal in 1828 - but Bentinck’s not stupid and he knows when to abandon a sinking ship.
The Act also prohibits natives of India being barred from holding public office or employment due to religion - this ties in very nicely with the newly introduced system of open selection of civil servants [29]. The Company fought a very good fight to keep the privilege of appointing officials as they chose, but they were defeated by the combined efforts of the Marquess of Chandos, the Duke of Wellington, and Lord Brougham (an unlikely trio if one ever existed). The Company, in an effort to get Charlotte ‘on side’, appoints her cousin Augustus, Lord Romney, to a seat on the Company’s board. The Company is confident that Augustus will be a nice olive branch to Charlotte, a sign that they are willing to work with their monarch, figuring Romney’s increasingly poor health will keep him from actually causing any trouble. He’ll be a safe, lame-duck appointment to keep the Queen happy, they reason. They will soon discover that they have reasoned very incorrectly - Augustus may be ill but he’s nobody’s lame duck, and his loyalty to Charlotte is set in stone. And as to his poor health, Augustus is allowed to appoint a representative for when he is too ill to attend meetings - he chooses the Prince Consort as his representative.
Lastly, rule over Saint Helena is returned to the Crown from the East India Company. This is a very big win for Charlotte, as Saint Helena is an important stopover point for ships sailing around the African continent from Asia to Europe and vice versa. As Saint Helena was originally discovered by the Portuguese, Charlotte finds it within herself to reply to Miguel’s letter and graciously offer that she and her government are willing to discuss allowing the Portuguese to continue to stopover at Saint Helena - for a hefty price. Miguel is forced to acquiesce for the time being, as his own colonies in Portugal are not yet built up enough to offer an alternative stopping point to Saint Helena, having been more or less neglected by the previous monarchs. But Miguel’s got ambition and a lot of former liberal rebels who need somewhere to go to think about their poor choices - and Angola seems like a mighty fine place to start. His first act to authorize a Douro Wine Company branch office in the capital of Angola, whose sole job is to sell port wine across the way to Saint Helena and all the European travelers stopping off there.
As September begins, Elisa and her family (her husband having joined them in August, his business in Berlin finally done) are preparing to leave and return home to Poznan when devastating news arrives: her father, Prince Antoni Radziwiłł, has died of a sudden illness in Berlin [30]. Elisa is heartbroken, particularly as her father was in Berlin awaiting her return from Bath. The summer in Bath at an end, Auntie Fred and the royal children travel back to London with the ‘Poznans’ (as they are known amongst the royal families of Europe) before the two groups go their separate ways - Auntie Fred and the children to join Charlotte, Leopold, Caroline, and Henry in Scotland at Falkland Palace, the Poznans onto Berlin. At Falkland, the British royal family enjoy spending time with the former King Charles of France, and his son and daughter-in-law, Louis Antoine and Marie Thérèse, the Duc and Duchesse d'Angoulême, who have recently purchased the nearby Myres Castle [31]. The Duchesse d’Angoulême, deeply missing her niece and nephew in France, is particularly fond of Charlotte’s second-youngest son, Alexander, who is said to remind Marie Thérèse very much of her lost younger brother, Louis Charles. Aware of his deafness, Marie Thérèse makes an effort to speak slowly and carefully with Alexander, and spends hours teaching him to both lip read and speak French. She becomes an honorary godmother of sorts to the young prince, who will remain devoted for the rest of his life to ‘Tante Angoulême’.
In Berlin, Elisa’s health - never strong, but much improved during her time in Bath - collapses following her father’s funeral service [32]. Per his last wishes, his coffin is sent to Poznan Cathedral to be buried there, but Elisa is too ill to make the journey with him. She, Wilhelm, and their daughters settle into Charlottenburg Palace, in rooms granted them by the King [33]. The King is delighted to spend time with his ‘Poznan’ granddaughters, and declares himself quite enchanted with them. The Crown Prince and Princess also visit frequently with their young son Fritz, who falls in age right between Luise and Sophie, and becomes quite devoted to his cousins. Elisa’s own family visit often as well - her eldest brother Wilhelm Pawel and his new wife, Princess Karoline of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (a distant cousin of Wilhelm’s, Elisa helped arrange the match) [34]; her brother Bogusław Fryderyk and his wife Leontyna; and her sister, Wanda. Wanda in particular is devoted to her sister and often spends weeks at a time helping care for Elisa. As the autumn goes on, it becomes clear that the Poznans will most likely end the year in Berlin, and plans begin to be made for Christmas.
As September ends, so does Charlotte’s tenure as the only Queen Regnant in Europe. Fernando VII, the King of Spain, finally succumbs to his poor health and dies - his last words reaffirming the Pragmatic Sanction, and naming his eldest daughter Isabel as his successor [35]. On the 29th of September, Infanta Isabel of Spain succeeds to the throne as Isabel II, with her mother, Maria Christina, as her regent. Now, on the surface, this seems like a fair deal - mothers of young rulers can usually expect to be their child’s regent, like Maria Christina’s eldest sister, Maria Carolina, is currently serving in France. However, Maria Christina has something that we like to call ‘poor impulse control’, which will color her reign as regent rather... vividly. Within days, she moves quickly to shore up support for her daughter and to remove any threats she perceives against Isabel’s reign. Her nephews, the Infantes Carlos, Jaime, and Fernando are sent to Portugal to ‘visit’ their maternal relatives, thus removing any rallying points for the conservative faction. (Is it a bad idea to send the three highest ranking male claimants to a throne that very, very recently practiced males only succession to another country? Especially when those still remain in the top five of the succession even under the new law of succession? Why, yes. It is a very bad idea. But Maria Christina has an axe to grind and a point to make, and therefore it’s off to Portugal for the Infantes as soon as Fernando VII is buried). Officially, it’s just a temporary visit. Unofficially, well... let’s just say the Infantes are about to get a lot better at Portuguese. Maria Christina is quick to form an alliance with the liberal party, as she sees the conservatives as men who tried to steal her daughter’s throne. Her sister, Luisa Carlotta, known for her forceful personality and strong personality, quickly becomes a main support of Maria Christina’s government, often meeting with ministers more regularly than her sister - she is unable, however, to rein back her sister’s decision regarding sending the Infantes. Though she desires to see one of her own sons as the consort to her niece, Luisa Carlotta does manage to convince Maria Christina against breaking off Isabel’s engagement to Carlos for the time being, remarking that the proposed marriage of the three-year-old queen “costs nothing and saves much in regards to the country”.
Carlos, Jaime, and Fernando arrive in Portugal in the middle of October, only to find the Portuguese court in mourning. King Miguel’s oldest sister, Infanta Maria Teresa, aunt to the recently arrived Infantes, has died suddenly at the age of forty [36]. The official story is that she suffered a stroke and passed away in her sleep - the unofficial version is that she became so overwhelmed upon hearing of the death of Fernando VII and the accession of Isabel II that she suffered a fit and died. Miguel is none too pleased at Maria Christina’s actions, but technically the Nuptial Agreement between himself and Fernando VII has not been broken, so he is willing to hold off raising his banners just yet. The three boys settle in as well as can be expected with the royal family of Portugal. Carlos, the eldest, is taken under the wing of the King, who often brings him to meetings of the King’s cabinet and the Cortes, where he forms a quiet but intense interest in politics and ruling. He also becomes quite devoted to his aunt Ludovika, whom he considers ‘a jewel among women’, and who is eager to educate him in the philosophies and politics of the Enlightenment [37]. Little Fernando, only nine years old, takes on a loving role with his young cousins, the Infantes Afonso, Luisa, and Manuel - it’s his first chance to play the big brother, after all. Jaime is, in what is becoming apparent to be true to form, something of a problem child. He is angry about being forced to leave Spain, angry that a three year old girl wears the crown that his father felt belonged to him, angry to see how quickly his brothers adapt to their new positions (make no mistake, Carlos and Fernando are also angry and upset - they just figure it’s not going to do them any good to let those feelings have full reign right now), and just angry in general. While the royal family of Portugal does their best to ease his feelings and make him comfortable, it slowly becomes apparent that ‘rage’ is Jaime’s default setting these days. And many days thereafter.
As Charlotte and Leopold decided to stay in Scotland until November, they are present when news reaches Marie Thérèse, Duchesse d’Angoulême regarding the newest act by her nephew, Henri V of France. In fact, the Duc and Duchesse are sitting in the drawing room at Falkland when the message arrives: Henri V is creating a dynastic order for Catholic royal and noble ladies, known as the Order of Saint Clotilde, after the Queen who introduced Catholicism to France in 496 [38]. Women appointed to the order are expected to “exemplify their faith through piety, charitable works, and service to the Catholic Church and France”. Appointees to the Order include Marie Thérèse herself; Maria Carolina; Henri’s sister Louise; the Duchesse d'Orléans, and all three of the Orléans princesses. While all of this is a surprise, it’s not the big surprise of the day - the big surprise of the day is that Henri has requested to name Marie Thérèse as the Grand Mistress of the Order, writing to his aunt that he knows of no other woman more appropriate for the position. The messenger hands Marie Thérèse the new insignia of the Order of Saint Clotilde - a golden Maltese cross topped with a pearl embellished fleur-de-lis set on on a navy blue and gold striped ribbon. In the center of the Maltese cross is a white circular medallion upon which is engraved “Fortitudo et decor indumentum ejus” (She is clothed in strength and dignity) [39]. With tears in her eyes, Marie Thérèse immediately pins the Order to her left shoulder and begs the messenger to wait while she composes a letter to inform her nephew of how gladly she accepts the honor, as well as how highly she values it.
In the kingdom of Hanover, King William has spent most of the year getting his country sorted out - yes, he officially became king three years ago but he spent a decent chunk of those years still in Britain and then another decent chunk just clearing out the cobwebs and getting everyone used to having a resident monarch again. First thing on his list - the government. Hanover currently does not have a constitution and frankly, William is finding one overdue. Not that he’s a diehard fan of constitutional governments either (he’s heard all about Charlotte’s recent frustrations with Parliament back in England), but he does subscribe to the belief that it’s better to make a gift of something rather than have it taken by force. If he grants the constitution, he gets to decide what goes into it - and what stays out. At the beginning of November, he officially grants the Kingdom of Hanover a constitution, replacing a royal patent from 1819 that allowed an aristocratic party to govern through assemblies. The new constitution creates two houses of government, an upper house representing the aristocracy and a lower house representing the clergy, middle class, and peasants. The new government will make laws, set budgets and taxes, and have limited accountability; the King will retain key privileges like appointing and dismissing ministers, setting alliances, and so on [40]. Next on William’s list is to appoint tutors for his son and heir, George - he selects Wilhelm Eduard Albrecht, a constitutional lawyer and professor at Göttingen University, and Friedrich Christoph Dahlmann, a history professor also at Göttingen and a confidant of William’s brother, the Duke of Cambridge [41]. The selection of these two tutors proves to be a good one - Albrecht and Dahlmann instill a fierce love for his country and subjects in the Crown Prince, though they fail to turn him into anything more than a decent scholar. William makes waves when he insists on his daughter, Elizabeth, being educated alongside his son - particularly when Elizabeth proves a better student than her brother, becoming devoted to history, theology, and philosophy in particular. Ernest Augustus, William’s younger brother and the second-in-line to the throne, makes a huff about all of this liberal nonsense, the education of daughters and the granting of constitutions, but is nonetheless quick to ensure that their own son joins in lessons with the Crown Prince and Princess Elizabeth, in order to bind the boys in friendship.
At the beginning of November, Charlotte, Leopold, and the children return to Windsor, where they are greeted by George, on leave from the navy for a few weeks and come home for his confirmation. As is becoming usual for them, there are some... discussions between George and his parents regarding the confirmation. He wants to be confirmed in Wales, preferably at Caernarfon Castle, and definitely by Llewelyn Lewellin. Oh, and he would also like to be created Prince of Wales at this time. Charlotte and Leopold reply that he will be confirmed at Windsor because a) they are already there and b) nobody is just up and traveling to Wales without warning or plan in November and c) Caernarfon Castle is not ready for them to reside there, even if they decided to go. As for Lewellin, even he admits that it would not be proper for him to perform the ceremony, though he does promise his adored pupil that he will attend - Augustus Fitzclarence, the Bishop of Chester, will perform the service, as planned. George’s request to be made Prince of Wales goes pointedly unanswered by his mother. Now, Charlotte is not against her son being made Prince of Wales - he’s her heir and it’s the title of the heir, after all. But the title is still heavily associated with her father, who frankly gave Charlotte a pretty rough time in the last years of his life, and Charlotte wants time for the association with her father to lessen. She’s also very determined that George at least finish his naval training without the weight of the title - she can’t do anything about his title as Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland - and the responsibilities that come with it.
Now, the son of Charlotte and Leopold being interested in his responsibilities and having firm opinions is not surprising to anyone, even his parents. In fact, they are proud of his passion and clear devotion to his future subjects, and are pleased he shall not be a cipher of a King. However, it seems that nothing with George will ever be easy. George’s favorite sibling, his sister Mary, will later describe him thus: “George inherited Papa’s fine mind and Mama’s energy and passion, which are great things separately and even more wonderful in combination. He does not understand simplicity, however, though he reveres it- it is not his nature and indeed is foreign to him - his mind being so clever and so few things ever being truly simple, he finds himself unable to accept simplicity at face value and feels he must undercover the hidden complications beneath in order to obtain true simplicity in matters”. His brother William summed up the same statement more succinctly: “George is a complicated creature who enjoys simplicity because it allows him more opportunity to be complicated. If there is a rope, he must put at least three knots in it”. His mother’s pointed refusal to even answer his question about creating him Prince of Wales only spurns George on to continue to push her for an answer. He also continues to insist on political debates with anyone he comes across - which his parents would not mind except that he continues to ‘tie knots’, as his brother William puts it, in any discussion, and is quite determined that his way is the correct way and the only way to proceed. Which he declares with a great amount of charm but all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Charlotte admits that she was much the same in her youth - though certainly more straightforward and simple in her passions and determinations - and hopes that he shall grow out of it in time.
The confirmation is performed in St George’s Chapel on November 13th. It is a simple ceremony, attended only by the royal family and their households, and goes off well - the same cannot be said for the luncheon following, where George corners his mother and goes into a speech regarding why he should be made Prince of Wales immediately. In fairness, it’s a very good speech. Auntie Fred, sitting next to George’s governor, Lord Stuart de Rothesay, even compliments him on the speech (despite Charlotte’s efforts to keep the conversion around the corner and private from the rest of the group, neither she or George will ever be accused of being quiet when their passions are up). “Would that Her Majesty would agree,” Rothesay replies. At this, Auntie Fred laughs: “Poor man, both you and that stripling boy have vastly underestimated her. The easiest way to convince Her Majesty to not do something is to attempt to force her to do it. He’ll be King before he’s Prince of Wales at this rate”.
At the end of the visit, an announcement is made, though it is not the one George has been wishing for: in the coming spring, Her Majesty the Queen, and His Royal Highness the Prince Consort shall travel to Ireland in order to meet the Queen’s good subjects there and tour the country.
Great Britain might not have a Prince of Wales yet, but Hanover receives a new princess at the end of the month. Augusta, the Duchess of Cambridge, delivers her third child, a daughter on November 27th. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had not necessarily been planning on delivering their child in Hanover, but Auguste developed some concerning health problems during their summer visit and it was decided that it was best for everyone that the Cambridges remained in Hanover until her delivery. Charlotte is quite pleased at the news of a new cousin, though sad that she will not be able to meet the new baby until after the new year, when Auguste is recovered enough to travel. Two weeks after her birth, the newest Princess is christened as ‘Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth Charlotte’ [42] by her cousin Augustus Fitzclarence, the Bishop of Chester, who has traveled to Hanover for just this occasion - well, this and one other. Augustus comes seeking permission from his father to marry Lady Georgiana Harcourt, the youngest daughter of the Archbishop of York [43]. (Technically, Augustus does not need his father’s permission as he is a British subject, not a Hanoverian subject, but he wants to be respectful of his father, and Charlotte already arranged for him to come out for the christening, so he figures he might as well take advantage). The wedding date is fixed for spring of the coming year, with tentative plans for the King and Queen of Hanover to attend if possible.
In Berlin, Elisa and Wilhelm are having as good a December as can be expected with Elisa’s health and their family still being in mourning for Elisa’s father. Their situation allows them to avoid most of the court festivities (which they both appreciate), but they still attend quiet family gatherings with the Prussian royal family and the Radziwills when Elisa’s health allows. It is at one such meeting where a particularly delightful distraction comes along. Elisa, Wilhelm, the girls, and her Radiziwll relatives arrive at the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’ palace for a family supper to discover that the Crown Princess has invited some of her own relatives, including her nephew, August, the Duke of Leuchtenberg [44], to stay through the holiday season. Auguste is a charming, well-educated young man, who does much to brighten up the gathering - particularly for Elisa’s younger sister, Wanda, recently single after an engagement with a Czartorsky fell through [45]. For now, Auguste and Wanda are simply a charming young man and a charming young woman enjoying each other’s company, but wiser heads are thinking that something more might come out of this. After all, Auguste and Wanda are pretty perfectly suited for each other - she’s pretty, well-connected, wealthy, and has a good disposition, being considered both kind and charming. Where there might have been more of a fuss from more parties about her rank, the fact that her sister made an equal match with a Hohenzollern prince (and the third in line to the throne at that) makes it pretty hard for anyone to argue against the match to a non-sovereign duke. Religion is slightly more of a problem - like her mother and sister, Wanda is a Calvinisit and Auguste is a Catholic. This is fairly easy to get around, however, as Wanda’s own parents - and Auguste’s aunt and uncle, the Crown Prince and Princess, proved [46]. Officially, nobody is expecting anything right this minute - Wanda is and will remain in mourning for her father until August 28th, the one year anniversary of her father’s death, and it’s not appropriate for her to even think of becoming engaged. But Auguste has confessed to his Auntie Elisabeth Ludovika that he plans to travel back to Berlin again in the spring - and maybe the summer - and maybe the fall.
Back in England, Charlotte and Leopold settle in for Christmas at St. James’ with their family. It’s not one of their best Christmases, to be honest - George continues to badger his mother, and when he’s not badgering, he’s in a sullen mood; Caroline is experience her terrible twos fully and wants everyone else to experience them with her; Augusta comes down with a troubling fever and is forced to spend Christmas Day in bed; and William actually begins several fights with his eldest brother over how nowhere in the history of England did the country actually descend into chaos without the existence of a Prince of Wales. Not to mention, Charlotte and Leopold are trying to plan the Ireland tour - and find a residence there as well (Leopold’s a big fan of real estate - he thinks it’s a good publicity move to have a physical ‘stake’ in the area, and so far he hasn’t been wrong). Officially, the Crown owns Dublin Castle, which was built in the thirteenth century and has been described as "the worst castle in the worst situation in Christendom'' [47]. Not exactly a winning description, that. Not to mention, officially the Viceroy resides in Dublin Castle, though he only does so from January to March during the Season. Daniel O’Connell, Lord O’Connell of Derrynane, the advisor for Irish Affairs to the Privy Council, comes through at the end of December, however, when he directs Leopold to a castle only an hour outside of Dublin proper, dating from the 15th century with a 560 acre property surrounding it, and an owner willing to sell to the Prince Consort. On the last day of the year, Leopold purchases Woodlands Castle [48] from Henry White, the son of Luke White, the famous bookseller and lottery operator. With their residence settled, Charlotte and Leopold settle into planning the Irish tour and the rest of the coming year.
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[1] These offers of marriage are entirely my own intervention - I wouldn’t put it past Jerome to offer up his thirteen year old daughter, however. Otto’s walking a dangerous tightrope in keeping the powers of Great Britain, France, and Russia all appeased, so it’s actually not the worst idea for him *not* to marry a bride proposed by any of them in order to not offend the other two.
[2] OTL Miguel actually did imprison Maria do Carmo, and she died during her imprisonment. Not one of his better moments.
[3] All of this is OTL. Isabella, Chabot’s wife, served as a lady in waiting to Queen Marie Amelie.. Fun fact, Isabella is also the sister of Charlotte’s friend, the Duke of Leinster, and knew Charlotte’s father, George IV, rather well.
[4] My own invention, but Chabot and his family were living with Maria do Carmo’s family at the time of her birth, so it didn’t feel too far fetched.
[5] OTL Mascarenhas served as an aide-de-camp to Pedro V and is remembered very highly for his gentlemanly dealings.
[6] Chief Minister to King Jose I of Portugal, effectively ruled Portugal from 1750 to 1777. His achievements include the management of the 1755 earthquake, the founding the Douro Wine Company, and suppressing the Jesuits.
[7] The OTL president, Count Ignaz von Hardegg, served until 1848. Here, he’s continuing his appointment as the Governor of Transylvania instead.
[8] ITTL Reichstadt was placed in charge of his mother’s Bohemian estates several years ago as a ‘learning’ exercise upon reaching his majority. He ended up doing so well at it that his grandfather decided to leave him in charge of the estates and grant him a portion of the income. Marie Louise is not happy about it, but she’s in Parma, and frankly, Reichstadt has other priorities above her happiness. Like the price of tea in China.
[9] In case you haven’t been keeping track, Reichstadt was offered the throne of Poland in 1831 and the throne of Greece in 1832
[10] OTL Willem did this in 1848 following the revolutions in France, later stating "I changed from conservative to liberal in one night". Here, he’s coming to the throne on the heels of the Belgian Revolution, but his mindset is the same: better to give freely than have it pried from your hands.
[11] Of course, all of this is OTL. He was known as Billy the Brute to his contemporaries, and the New York Times called him “the greatest debauchee of the age”.
[12] Matthew 19:23 - 24: “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’”
[13] On May 2nd, 1833, the Duke of Wellington actually put forth a petition from the inhabitants of Belfast and Edinburgh asking for the gradual and safe abolition of slavery, which was signed by over two thousand people.
[14] Odolanów being the name of a town in the Duchy of Poznan.
[15] Elisa is suffering from a very real illness known as Sheehan Syndrome. Sheehan Syndrome is caused by an injury to the pituitary gland caused by a postpartum hemorrhage. This injury causes tissues in the pituitary gland to die off, which leaves it unable to release certain hormones in the body. These hormones are responsible for the regulation of growth, metabolism, and fight-or-flight response, among other things. Common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, amenorrhea, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, and an irregular heartbeat. Symptoms usually worsen during periods of stress, and patients can go into an adrenal crisis (a dangerous health situation caused by a lack of cortisol in the body).
[16] OTL
[17] My own invention. OTL, Jackson was restrained from attacking Randolph with his cane while Randolph fled the scene after bloodying Jackson’s noise.
[18] Apologies to William Henry Harrison, the OTL first president to die in office after an astonishingly short tenure of thirty-two days.
[19] According to Herodotus, this was actually said by Dienekes, a Spartan soldier, but Plutarch attributes it to Leonides.
[20] All of this is obviously my own invention. I honestly cannot find any information on if / when Ferdinand and August enlisted or served in the Austrian military, but considering that they were subjects of the Austrian Empire, it feels like a safe bet.
[21] Ernst did serve in the Saxon military OTL. The Saxons regretting allowing him to join is my own interpretation, but considering his personality OTL, I don’t feel like it’s much of a stretch.
[22] OTL
[23] Not OTL to my knowledge but it seemed a handy fix to a problem that remains prevalent today.
[24] OTL he received this title from Maria II in recognition for his services to her during the Liberal Wars.
[25] OTL she married Jules de Lasteyrie du Saillant, a grandson of the Marquess de Lafayette, who, ironically, was part of the expedition that expelled Miguel I from Portugal.
[26] OTL Maria Ana died in 1866.
[27] So, Miguel’s getting a little on his horse here. The import of slaves was banned in Portugal in 1761 - because it was believed that African slaves were more needed in Portugal’s African colonies - but slavery outright wasn’t banned in Portugal until 1836 OTL and it wasn’t banned in Portuguese African colonies until 1869.
[28] OTL the charter was renewed for thirty years and the consent of the Monarch was not required for any of the Company’s activities.
[29] This was proposed with the Act OTL but was shot down by the directors of the East India Company.
[30] OTL Antoni died in April of 1833, but there was a lot going on so I gave him a few extra months.
[31] Charles X, Louis Antoine, and Marie Thérèse - as well as Louise and Henri d’Artois - moved to Prague in 1833 OTL due to the costs of living in Edinburgh. Here, they are receiving an allowance from Henri that allows them to remain in Scotland, and even purchase property there.
[32] Remember what I said about Sheehan Syndrome and stress?
[33] Wilhelm’s OTL Berlin residence, the Altes Palais, is still being built ITTL.
[34] OTL he married Countess Mathilde Clary und Aldrigen, the sister of his brother Bogusław Fryderyk’s wife. Here, thanks to Elisa’s fully equal and recognized marriage to Wilhelm, he can aim a little higher. OTL Karoline married Count Friedrich von Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Johan Stäger von Waldburg, so it didn’t feel too unrealistic for her to marry a Radziwill prince.
[35] OTL Fernando set aside the Salic Law and reinstated the Pragmatic Sanction on his deathbed, though this was highly debated by Carlists.
[36] OTL Maria Teresa died in Trieste at the age of eighty.
[37] Yes, Carlos is getting a personality revamp. For reasons that will be explained later.
[38] Obviously this is all my own invention, but I figured it was time France had an order for women.
[39] This is based on the insignia of the Bavarian Order of Theresia. The fleur-de-lis is a symbol of France, and the pearls are a symbol of a virtuous woman. The navy and gold striped ribbon harkens to the traditional flag of the French Bourbons - golden fleur-de-lis on a blue background. “Fortitudo et decor indumentum ejus” comes from Proverbs 31 and describes the ideal Christian woman.
[40] OTL all true - I couldn’t find a date for when William granted the constitution, so I just went with the date that worked best for me.
[41] OTL Albrecht and Dahlmen were part of the Göttingen Seven, a group of liberal professors from the University of Göttingen that protested the repeal of the constitution in 1837 by King Ernst August.
[42] Mary Adelaide was born in Hanover OTL but she was baptized by her father’s chaplain, as her father was still serving as the Viceroy of Hanover at the time. She was also named ‘Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth’, with no ‘Charlotte’, after her godparents.
[43] OTL Georgiana married Major-General George Alexander Malcolm in 1845.
[44] Fun fact, Auguste is only nine years younger than Elisabeth Ludovika. His mother is her eldest half-sister, Princess Auguste of Bavaria.
[45] OTL Wanda married Adam Konstanty Czartoryski in 1832 and had three children with him.
[46] Both couples involved the marriage of a Catholic (Antoni Radziwill / Elisabeth Ludovika) to a non-Catholic (Luise of Prussia / Friedrich Wilhelm). The traditional solution to these marriages is for sons to take the religion of their fathers, while daughters take the religion of their mothers. Another OTL example of this type of marriage is Prince Valdemar of Denmark (a Lutheran) who married Princess Marie d'Orléans (a Catholic). Their four sons were all raised Lutheran, while their daughter Margarethe was raised Catholic (the first Danish princess to be Catholic since the Reformation). In Auguste and Wanda’s case, should she not convert, their sons will be Catholic and their daughters will be Calvinists.
[47] Direct quote from the Earl of Arran in the 17th century (couldn’t find which one).
[48] Currently known as Luttrellstown Castle, which is also the traditional name of the castle. It was changed to Woodlands by Luke White after his purchase, but was changed back to Luttrellstown by his great-grandson; hence, it will be known as Woodlands Castle ITTL. OTL the castle was visited by Queen Victoria twice and belonged to the Guinness family in the 1920s before being sold and turned into a 5-star resort. 
