What if Napoleon II had Survived and married Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

[kyrunmprice]

As we all know Napoleon III was the one who offered to marry Adelheid but was turned down and instead married Eugénie so what if instead of Napoleon III becoming Emperor and offering to marry Adelheid what if instead his cousin Napoleon II had survived and was able to get the throne in 1848 and Marry Adelheid.

Would they have a successful marriage? how would this change history? Would he be allowed to marry her?

PS: I think A German princess would be a logical choice if Napoleon II were to marry.

 

[Janprimus]

As we all know Napoleon III was the one who offered to marry Adelheid but was turned down and instead married Eugénie so what if instead of Napoleon III becoming Emperor and offering to marry Adelheid what if instead his cousin Napoleon II had survived and was able to get the throne in 1848 and Marry Adelheid.

Would they have a successful marriage? how would this change history? Would he be allowed to marry her?

PS: I think A German princess would be a logical choice if Napoleon II were to marry.

If Napoleon II still becomes the Francis (Franz), duke of Reichstadt ITTL, a German match might work. Heck even his Habsburg relatives might help to arrange such a match.

 

[kyrunmprice]

If Napoleon II still becomes the Francis (Franz), duke of Reichstadt ITTL, a German match might work. Heck even his Habsburg relatives might help to arrange such a match.

I agree honestly any German princess could work after all his habsburg relatives had German ancestry

 

[Janprimus]

I agree honestly any German princess could work after all his habsburg relatives had German ancestry

Depending how you define their Lorraine ancestry, they had partially French ancestry, not to mention that they were the heirs of the definitely French house of Valois-Burgundy. No by this point the Habsburgs (Habsburg-Lorraine) were related to all major Catholic houses of Europe. The Reformation really caused a bottleneck for the Habsburgs, since many potential marriage candidates became unavailable due to becoming protestant (that was only overcome in the late 17th century, when conversion did occur). Of course they are German (though not in the narrow sense of the current German state), and if you go back long enough to their Etichonen ancestors, they are Alsatian.

 

[kyrunmprice]

Depending how you define their Lorraine ancestry, they had partially French ancestry, not to mention that they were the heirs of the definitely French house of Valois-Burgundy. No by this point the Habsburgs (Habsburg-Lorraine) were related to all major Catholic houses of Europe. The Reformation really caused a bottleneck for the Habsburgs, since many potential marriage candidates became unavailable due to becoming protestant (that was only overcome in the late 17th century, when conversion did occur). Of course they are German (though not in the narrow sense of the current German state), and if you go back long enough to their Etichonen ancestors, they are Alsatian.

True and if such a match were to Occur would Queen Victoria allow this? but then again Napoleon ii At least has Royal ancestry thanks to his mother. Would it be considered a threat knowing it continues the line of Napoleon?

 

[Janprimus]

True and if such a match were to Occur would Queen Victoria allow this? but then again Napoleon ii At least has Royal ancestry thanks to his mother. Would it be considered a threat knowing it continues the line of Napoleon?

The latter would be an issue, Napoleon, especially for the European elites of the Ancien Regime had a very controversial legacy. Why would Victoria matter? If his relative the Emperor of Austria, agrees that his relative, the duke of Reichstadt, marries a not very important German Princess. There's nothing she can do to stop this.

 

[kyrunmprice]

The latter would be an issue, Napoleon, especially for the European elites of the Ancien Regime had a very controversial legacy. Why would Victoria matter? If his relative the Emperor of Austria, agrees that his relative, the duke of Reichstadt, marries a not very important German Princess. There's nothing she can do to stop this.

I guess so and if they married I think It could be successful And have many children after all in OTL Adelheid married Frederick VIII of Schleswig-Holstein and had seven children which one of them ended up marrying Wilhelm II and considering they had many children I think the Bonaparte dynasty could be secured and probably last longer.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

I guess so and if they married I think It could be successful And have many children after all in OTL Adelheid married Frederick VIII of Schleswig-Holstein and had seven children which one of them ended up marrying Wilhelm II and considering they had many children I think the Bonaparte dynasty could be secured and probably last longer.

Interesting idea, to be sure. And as to Victoria's disapproval it would depend on the "how" of the match. OTL she refused - or rather, she didn't have to refuse, but rather delayed because she couldn't do it without it seeming a diplomatic slap in the face for the French, - and got saved by the fact that while Morny had been dispatched to see Feodora and make a formal suit when word arrived from Paris that Napoléon III had "met somebody else".

If the marriage occurs in 1847, then Napoléon II - assuming things in France are on their more or less OTL trajectory - is a simple Austrian princeling. Victoria can refuse all she likes, but a) she's not head of the family and b) she's not risking a diplomatic incident like OTL. If it occurs after Louis Philippe's been tossed out, but before the Second Empire is proclaimed (if '48 is anything like 1830, Metternich and the Austrians will no doubt be making VERY sure Napoléon is under strong surveillance to prevent him escaping, and by that point, I suspect he'll be regarded in France as an "Austrian interloper", anyway) again, Victoria can go to the Orléans' at Claremont and shrug helplessly.

Other stumbling block was Leopold of Belgium. Although his reasons for OTL might not hold here. See, he had a tumble with Hortense de Beauharnais back in the day (he apparently spent time in Josephine and Caroline Murat's beds as well), and...well...then Napoléon III was born and Leopold promptly leaves Paris. That aside, he was in a difficult position regarding the fact that his father-in-law has just been deposed, but if Adele is marrying Napoléon II as an "Austrian princeling" not as a French emperor he might give way

 

[Atterdag]

If the marriage occurs in 1847

When Adelheid was 12?

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

When Adelheid was 12?

Thanks for that. Couldn't remember when she was born. Although I did wonder why Napoléon II hadn't married before 1848. After all, while Metternich COULD block a marriage, Nappy was Franz I's grandson (and heir to a sizeable income thanks to the Silesian estates - including the duchy of Reichstadt - settled on his mother at the congress of Vienna. And unlike Parma, he wasn't restricted from inheriting those estates), so until Franz I dies and Metternich's ascendance is complete over King Gudinand, I honestly don't see Metternich beig able to do any more than "protest" at the idea of a marriage. That said, there'd be enough archduchesses available (Hermine of Austria, her poor health plus stepmom hating her was a big reason she didn't marry, for instance) that such a match could be offered. Or even other minor royals like Beauharnais-Leuchtenberg, the OTL princesses of Sigmaringen and duchess of Hamilton. Worst case, some obliging princess of Schwarzenburg or Kinsky or the like. I could half see them deciding it "would be better" to get him married after the scandalous rumours about he and Sopherl

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

Why would Victoria matter?

She's Adelheid's aunt; her mother was Victoria's elder sister from their mother's first marriage. De jure, she has no power in the matter, but her prestige is immense. When Napoleon III proposed to marry Adelheid in IIRC 1853, there was a thundering silence from London, and the proposal was withdrawn.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

She's Adelheid's aunt; her mother was Victoria's elder sister from their mother's first marriage. De jure, she has no power in the matter, but her prestige is immense. When Napoleon III proposed to marry Adelheid in IIRC 1853, there was a thundering silence from London, and the proposal was withdrawn.

The proposal was withdrawn because Eugènie played hard to get when Napoléon IIII asked her "what's the way to your heart?" and, coached by her mama, Eugènie responded "through a well-lit chapel, sir". Morny had already been dispatched to make a suit for Adelheid's hand when he was instructed to "wait", followed by a second telegram that told him "don't bother".

 

[Wendell]

The proposal was withdrawn because Eugènie played hard to get when Napoléon IIII asked her "what's the way to your heart?" and, coached by her mama, Eugènie responded "through a well-lit chapel, sir". Morny had already been dispatched to make a suit for Adelheid's hand when he was instructed to "wait", followed by a second telegram that told him "don't bother".

Really? That's interesting.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Really? That's interesting.

It was only on the honeymoon that Napoléon realized that Eugènie hated sex about as much as Sisi did in Vienna. Difference was that while Sisi didn't mind FJ screwing other women, Eugènie would cause a scene every time she discovered a new mistress.

 

[Wendell]

It was only on the honeymoon that Napoléon realized that Eugènie hated sex about as much as Sisi did in Vienna. Difference was that while Sisi didn't mind FJ screwing other women, Eugènie would cause a scene every time she discovered a new mistress.

How would the alternate marriage have changed things for the emperor and his empire?

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

How would the alternate marriage have changed things for the emperor and his empire?

Adelheid marrying Napoléon III? No idea, IDK enough about her. Adelheid marrying Napoléon II? Assuming he isn't restored in 1848 and they just stick around at the Austrian court, probably much like her OTL marriage, just with more dosh. As I say, I have no idea what she'd be like as the wife of the head of one of the most prominent courts in Europe. In Austria they're just "there".