WI: Cleopatra born male?

[legumes]

As it says in the title. What would be the fate of Egypt, the Ptolemaic dynasty, Rome, and the rest of history had the last pharaoh been born as a boy? Let's call him Cleopatros, and say that his personality is mostly the same as his IOTL counterpart. Let's also say that he might get into a feud with one of his brothers, would he still receive aid from Caesar? If not then how would having a male Pharoah regardless affect the characters of the late Republic and their decisions?

 

[Escape Zeppelin]

I can't see this helping Egypt in their dynastic and political unrest but I do think the biggest impact will be freeing Marc Antony from the unpopular and "corrupting influence" of a foreign woman. Without Cleopatra the entire outcome of the late Republic and Civil War is up in the air. I think there's somewhat of an argument that without Cleopatra there's never a rift between Antony and Caeser.

 

[legumes]

anyone else?

 

[Comte de Geneve]

There were multiple male and female heirs of Ptolemy XII and essentially an on-going free-for-all between them over the throne and the throne's powers. Have Cleo born male would, IMHO, have just made the conflicts worse. The Romans are still going to intervene because this degree of instability in a strategic area was intolerable. However a male Cleo would have removed the lure that brought JC to support her. I would think that it is in the Roman interest not to support such a capable potential rules in lieu of a more pliable client. If JC is assassinated as in OTL then Egypt and its multiple claimants is going to be embroiled in the subsequent wars. Beyond this the butterflies reign and I have no clue as to the outcome or outcomes. Of course if you believe in second order counterfactuals then our male Cleo will ally with Antony (as equals not lovers) and be defeated at Actium by Octavian and the transition from empire to republic and the incorporation of Egypt as a province happens as OTL. I don't believe in the second order.

 

[isabella]

Well the changes would start much before than that. As she would be a Ptolemy and would be most likely made King of Egypt once her father (Ptolemy XII Auletes) was exiled as consort of her elder sister Berenice IV (as the eight years of difference between them would not be an obstacle at all). If Auletes was restored on schedule ATL Ptolemy XIII was still young enough to be considered a pawn of his mother (Cleopatra VI) and sister (Berenice IV) with little or nothing power of his own and likely to be restored as heir of his father (specially if he was loyal like Cleopatra was in OTL). If Auletes take our Ptolemy with him to Rome then Berenice IV would go as OTL and after his restoration our Ptolemy would be restored as heir.
After Auletes’ death the succession would be clear and secure as ATL Ptolemy XIII would be the main successor of his father (without any tutor or regent as he was old enough to rule) with Arsinoe as consort. The two younger Ptolemys (or the younger Ptolemy and little Cleopatra if either OTL XIII or OTL XIV was born as girl) would remain powerless children. So no Civil War in Egypt, no exile (as male Cleopatra would be the main ruler and Ptolemy’s OTL councilors would NOT be the ones in charge as Ptolemy XIII was a man very different from his father and younger brothers... ATL Ptolemy XIII would most likely not sent men to Pompey during the Civil War and consign him to Caesar alive once he sought refuge in Egypt. After that Ptolemy XIII would be likely pretty high on Caesar’s list of allies and later would support Marc Antony (but really here things would be already so changed who I do not believe who Caesar would be killed as OTL, or we would have Octavian’s rise and his conflict with Marc Antony)

 

[isabella]

I can't see this helping Egypt in their dynastic and political unrest but I do think the biggest impact will be freeing Marc Antony from the unpopular and "corrupting influence" of a foreign woman. Without Cleopatra the entire outcome of the late Republic and Civil War is up in the air. I think there's somewhat of an argument that without Cleopatra there's never a rift between Antony and Caeser.

Wrong. Caesar and Antony’s “rift“, who was not a big one, was born from the fact who Caesar had trusted Antony with governing Rome and as the latter had done a bad job the former got angry. Still Antony was loyal to Caesar and remained a trusted member of his inner circle.
If you mean Octavian, well he would find another way to destroy Antony (has he had intention to do it as soon he was able since the beginning).

There were multiple male and female heirs of Ptolemy XII and essentially an on-going free-for-all between them over the throne and the throne's powers. Have Cleo born male would, IMHO, have just made the conflicts worse. The Romans are still going to intervene because this degree of instability in a strategic area was intolerable. However a male Cleo would have removed the lure that brought JC to support her. I would think that it is in the Roman interest not to support such a capable potential rules in lieu of a more pliable client. If JC is assassinated as in OTL then Egypt and its multiple claimants is going to be embroiled in the subsequent wars. Beyond this the butterflies reign and I have no clue as to the outcome or outcomes. Of course if you believe in second order counterfactuals then our male Cleo will ally with Antony (as equals not lovers) and be defeated at Actium by Octavian and the transition from empire to republic and the incorporation of Egypt as a province happens as OTL. I don't believe in the second order.

Again. Succession to Ptolemy XII would be much easier and smoother than OTL as the adult King would follow his father on the throne with his ambitious younger sister Arsinoe as consort, leaving the younger boys (or younger boy and girl) as not so dangerous children in their playroom.

 

[Zireael]

It's worth noting that Caesar probably had homosexual tendencies (remember the affair with the King of Bitynia?) so Cleo being male might only partly lessen "the lure" as someone upthread pointed out.
Cleopatros being male would definitely make Ptolemaic succession much smoother, though, as already mentioned. However Rome already has their fingers in the pie known as Egypt by the time Auletes died, and might actively work to mess up things (for instance, trying to assasinate *Cleopatros or Arsinoe to be able to rule in one of the youngsters' stead....