Today, I went of the Wikipedia page of Henri, Count of Chambord and noticed a small tidbit in the pretender monarch segment. In it, it says that after Charles X abdicated the throne, he urged Louis Philippe to have his grandson, the at-the-time duke of Bordeaux be made king of France. Louis however declined the request and instead had himself made king later on, kick starting the July Monarchy. But what if he did follow the request and had Henry made king Henry V? Of course, considering he was almost 10 by the time he would have taken the throne, a regent would be required for his reign. Therefore, could Louis Philippe end up becoming regent for Henry until he reached maturity? How would this affect Henry's life and France as a whole?
WI: Henri, future Count of Chambord made king in 1830 with Louis Philippe as Regent
- Thread starter connorCD
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Well, that was Charles X’s plan. Him and his son abdicating while his young grandson the Duke of Bordeaux would become King Henry V under the regency of the Duke of Orléans.
If Bordeaux became King Henry V under Orléans’ regency everything would changed.
First King Henry V’s education would be strongly liberal instead of the OTL fully reactionary and absolutist as would be directed by the mother of the new King, the Dowager Duchess of Berry and by the Regent Orléans (instead of being directed by King Charles X and the Duchesse of Angouleme as OTL). Likely the young King would be married off rather quickly to a princess some years older than him (Clementine of Orléans, daughter of the Regent sound perfect for that)
I kinda figured that LP probably would be his regent, though I didn't think about Clementine being his queen. Also, how would this affect France's colonial policy since they would technically be still under LP's leadership? And you think its possible that Henri could produce an heir had he been given a different spouse?
Well we do not know if the problem was his or of his wife or both. As in OTL he was the only child of Caroline to become adult and being childless is possible who he would have children with a different wife. Clementine has the right age for being married to the King at the earliest date possible (around his 14th birthday) and she was quite ambitious. If not her parents surely she and her aunt Adelaide of Orléans would push for such match. Marrying the daughter of his liberal and popular regent would also help to stabilize Henry V’s crown and the French Parliament would surely appreciate that and Clementine would bring an huge dowry.
For starters, the tricolor will be reinstated as the national flag with the white flag of the otl Restoration (1814-1830) becoming the monarch’s personal flag. With Henri V as King, the Legitimist / Orleanist schism which divided the royalists is avoided which in turn would keep the Bonapartists and Republicans out of power. Long term voting rights would have to be extended so that more people will have to stake in the political system instead of trying to overthrow the political establishment every generation or so.
I don't know about that. Even under the Orleanist monarchy universal suffrage wasn't really adopted. It took Napoleon III to have that implemented.
This has massive implications for the political developments of France. There were always more monarchists than republicans, but the divide between the various candidates prevented a monarchical restoration. This allowed the Third Republic to stay in place when it was meant to be a provisional government until a new monarchy could be instated. Maybe if Henri is intelligent enough he can moderate between the more reactionary and liberal monarchists. Perhaps France instead of becoming more like Britain becomes more like a German Constitutional Monarchy since the King has more power. Perhaps if Henri is intelligent in the same manner of Philippe II Augustus, he can navigate and chart his own course for France. Maybe with a Bourbon still on the throne the monarchy might still have the power to propose and decree legislation.