The reconquest: King of France TL

"It is during my second stay in Madagascar, in 1900, that truly began my role as a Colonial Chief, acting politically, administratively, economically as well as militarily"
1935: Paroles d'actions

"Upon our arrival in Morocco, we found a country that was quite sick. Remnants of the monarchy being torn by foreign interests, disdain for their beliefs. The King was not strong enough and the center could not hold. I remember when our column entered Oujda, what a glorious day, to finally bask in the light of a monarchy, however weak it was, to be able to mold back as a shining example. Truly, I felt a second life had been given to me."
The reconquest: Memories of a King (27th edition)

"When all is said and done, the reason I succeeded in Morocco, in the mission given to me by the Republic of the time was for the same reasons I could not work in their regime. I succeeded because I was a monarchist and I found myself in a monarchic country. There was a Sultan whose authority I never stopped respecting, and he paid me back in kind when the time came to rise up to help France. I am religious and Morocco is a religious country. I believe there is no possible public life without religion, without religious discipline."
The reconquest: Memories of a King (27th edition)

"When Pétain, with his lack of imagination, with his lack of anything but pure instinct to follow order, like a well behaved dog, was sent to replace me from the Guerre du Rif, I knew France was too rotten to be saved by the Republic. I said it before, when heels snap, brains shut down and Pétain is a perfect example of this. To represent the Glory of France abroad, you need strong people, raised in the tradition of the strength and unity. When he came to relieve me, I had no choice and finally decided to meet my destiny.”
Trial of the past (3rd edition)

“It was needed, a strong leader with a strong hand, side by side with a benevolent King, following on millenias of tradition. It was the last chance we had and we took it. I will never forget the cries of joy of the people during the crowning. To this day, I believe this was the best decision for France and I shiver at the thought of what could have happened if I did not call my men to fight for France.”
The reconquest: Memories of a King (27th edition)

“Some men are drawn to power, some men are drawn to money. Some other men are not drawn to anything and will blindly follow order. This is why you need a strong leader to conduct the first ones, a strong country to content the seconds and an army to gather the thirds. I believe a King was the best way to gather those attributes.”
1927: Adress to the Assembly

“1925 was the last year of the unfair and unbalanced state of France. Finally, after almost a century, a true King has come back to France.”
1927: Adress to the Assembly
 
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Just trying something here, half TL half juggling the idea in a WI, can you guess what's happening?
 
WWI goes differently, Petain fails at maintaing order, and Lyautey restores the king as a member of one of the various right-wing organizations?

Was he Orleanist or Legitimist?
 
I would say he was legitimist, he talked to the heir in Austria in the late XIXth century and was a good friend of the King of Spain. So legitimist I'd say?
 
"Pétain had an idea of France which was clearly not mine, an idea representing mediocrity, ready to roll over, a man ruled by his passions and the occasional bark of order. I could not let such a man undermine the effort we put in Morocco. Who knows what he might have done? The Morocan monarchy had to survive, my life's work was not to be destroyed by an overrated sergeant."
The reconquest: Memories of a King

"My men, you have served me well. From the Sahara, we imposed our rule to these populations. By assisting the King, we have built a Kingdom for France, where we all can coexist, bringing the force of those we rule to revitalise our ancestral soil. Today, we will march on Algeria and liberate it from the rotten rule of the weak Republic. Soon, all of Northern Africa will be free again, ready to help France rise again and once more become a beacon of indivivual freedom and tradition! From our blood, France will blossom! To the East we march!"
March 1925: Lyautey adressing his troups in Rabat before embarking for Oran
 
WWI goes differently, Petain fails at maintaing order, and Lyautey restores the king as a member of one of the various right-wing organizations?

Was he Orleanist or Legitimist?

The distinction isn't as pronounced since the majority of legitimists accepted Philippe d'Orleans as Chambord's heir. Action française case in point.
 
Also after 1870, the legitimist party had been disgraced by the whole flag affair when the count was asked to come back. As I understand that was a serious blow to his pretense to the throne.

Also, the PoD is 1925, not WWI, also a WWI PoD would have been interesting as Lyautey was in Paris in the government at the time!
 
Also after 1870, the legitimist party had been disgraced by the whole flag affair when the count was asked to come back. As I understand that was a serious blow to his pretense to the throne.

Also, the PoD is 1925, not WWI, also a WWI PoD would have been interesting as Lyautey was in Paris in the government at the time!

Henri would have been king otherwise. The monarchists tried to wait for him to die, but by then people didn't view the Third Republic as an instable regime that need changing.
 
"I met him you know? The Count of Chambord? He could have done so much. I remember when I was but a young man, I went to Austria to meet him, carrying secret messages from the monarchists. We were all deeply mistaken, blinded by romantic virtue."
1935, The new Monarchs

"As I left Rabbat, I left the country under the responsibility of the King, knowing he was ready to manage my greatest realisation. A King that had grown to love France and ready to fight to keep it."
The reconquest: Memories of a King (27th edition)

"This morning, the boat of the General Pétain was stopped off the coast of Gibraltar by the forces of the rebellious Lyautey. After his proclamation of last Thursday, one could have expected calmer heads would prevail but this act of violence, this act of war, is a threshold. The loyal forces of the Republic will hunt him and put him down. France doesn't need more trouble and it is shameful that anybody would seek to disturb the national cohesion in such a way."
1925, Gaston Doumergue adressing the Chambre des députés
 
"Following the events of last Tuesday, the Maréchal Lyautey stated that the situation is stabilised and pacified, despite multiple reports of massacre of pieds-noirs in the deep South by revolted arabs who seem to have joined the rebellion. The whereabouts of the legitimate Préfet d'Oran are unknown but it has been supposed he has been sent to jail. Lyautey promised a full amnesty for any civil servant surrendering to him, even if such a claim can be considered doubtful after the fightings that occured in the Mediterranean."
May 1925 - France soir

"Due to his sacrifice in the defence of the Republic, and his work in the liberation of France from external and internal threats, the Maréchal Pétain will be given national honours. Even though his body was lost at sea, a ceremony will be held at Notre Dame this Sunday.”
May 1925 - Communiqué of the Elysée

“They were called the Journées Terribles, the Terrible Days, that is at least how the republicans tried to coin them. They could not call it how they were, the liberation and restauration of the true status of France, a nation unified under one man.”
The reconquest: Memories of a King (27th edition)

“The first thing I did was bring back some form of native administration to Oran. It did not please the proletarian colonists but it was the only way to ensure they would stay a part of our Empire and help us revitalise French blood.”
The reconquest: Memories of a King (27th edition)

“From today, the Administration of the newly liberated Department of Oran will be done by a three party council of Muslim Authorities, Pieds-Noirs representatives and representatives of the Army. The département will from now on acknowledged as part of the new Protectorate of the Greater Sahara, under highest authority of the King of Morocco, his excellency Youssef Ben Hassan until the continent has been liberated from the rotten influence of the Republic.”
May 1925 - Statement issued by the former prefecture of Oran
 
"We were holed up in the fort of Algers, was not much of a choice. I mean, yeah we have to defend the Republic but it didn't seem like he was gonna crown himself King or anything, at the time I mean. He just wanted to put back some order in France. You know, we had just been screwed out of Germany, like they were ever gonna pay us back... So they don’t pay us and when we come take what’s our we have to back down? And this guy, he comes and promises to make us great again… And you know what? When you’re holed up between four walls with a veteran army at the gates and the whole populace with the guy, it’s hard to say no. So we opened the gates and gave him the Préfet. He beheaded the guy on the spot but left all of us alive, no more purge after that, especially since the commanding officer was an old friend of his.”
1957 - The army of the sands (movie)

“Attacking from the deep South and the coast, the rebels forces have taken most of the Western part of Algeria in a pincer movement. We are pinned down in some of our forts in the Atlas. We are not going to hold down much longer, please send reinforcement.”
Capitaine Celtis, commander of the Had Sahary garnison

“We will not tolerate any unnecessary act of violence on one side or the other. Earlier this week, I have been informed that some of the Arabic tribes acting in support of our righteous cause have raided several plantations near Oran. We have now captured them. Please bring them here, that’s right. Those men you see here are guilty of breaking the holy alliance that should exist between France and its colonies. For this, they will be executed so that everyone realises that there will be no tolerance for any act of barbarism. Bourreau, fais ton office.”
Lyautey, addressing his forces after the Maureau massacre

“The forces of the rebel Lyautey have finally been pushed back at Constantine. The arrival of the tirailleurs sénégalais as well as the Metropolitan troups helped break the advance. With the support of the loyal marine, the siege of Algers has now started.”
Official statement of the loyal army of France

“We have served France for decades, helping it build an Empire but now, we see how this effort was wasted. Every day, native are insulted and degraded when they should be lauded and helped. Are we only there to destroy and plunder, or are we there to restore the Glory and Grandeur of France? I believe in the latter. Rather than a stool on which we stand and which we do not hesitate to stomp on, we should walk hand in hand, growing in a partnership to build an everlasting Empire, shining over the World. Tirailleurs! Your hour has come! Rise up and take what should be yours! Support the Great Maréchal Lyautey to bring riches to your land! He will restore native rule and will build more schools! With him, never again will you be exploited! What he did to Morocco, he will do to your land! Today, rise up and join our cause!”
Flyers dropped over Constantine

“With what appears to be Spanish support, Perpignan has been taken by the rebellious troups. The government has called for national mobilisation.”
Official statement of the loyal army of France


“The biggest shock may have been the bombing of the Chambre des Députés during an extraordinary session to discuss national mobilisation. A serie of charges had been planted under the seats by some of the cleaning personnel. Thirty deputies were left dead, mostly from the left, and Gaston Doumergue, Président du Conseil, had been seriously injured. To this day we don’t know if it had been commandeered by the anarchist trying to capitalise on the agitation as Lyautey claimed or if it was the work of an elusive 5th column. One way or the other, it was the catalyst to the start of the second phase of what would soon be dubbed the War of the Colonies.”
1943 - The Terrible Days: An account of the French War of the Colonies
 
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