WI: Hephaestion out lived Alexander

In OTL Hephaestion was Alexander the Greats best friend and, some say, lover. He was also the highest ranking member of the Macedonian Army. Hephaestion died about 8 months before Alexander. Now what if he survived whatever killed him? Assuming that Alexander dies on schedule, it's obvious that he would have appointed Hephaestion as his successor/ Regent of his unborn child. Dispite the rumors that he slept his way to the top Hephaestion seemed to be very respected by members of the army. So would Hephaestion as Regent of Alexander's empire lead to it lasting longer? Would we see Alexander IV come of age to rule? Or would Hephaestion fallow the path of Alexander's other generals and take power for himself? Perhaps a new successor dynasty founded by Hephaestion and his persian wife Princess Drypetis? A final thought, there were rumors that Alexander's persian wife Stateira II was pregnant when Alexander died, and for that she was murdered, along with Alexander's third wife Parysatis by Alexander's first wife Roxane, with the approval of the Regent, Perdiccas. Would Hephaestion really allow his wives sister to be murdered? So Could we see Alexander being survived by two children, possibly a second son?
 
Not likely, Alexander's Empire was designed to fail, however if you want some way to at least help his sons out, I would suggest having Ptolemy be seen as the illegit son of Philip (which he might be), then have him "protect the family line" to strengthen legitimacy, eventually the empire collapses and Ptolemy gets a nice cut, having his sons take the throne instead of Alexander's kids, they die probably as high ups (with little chance of taking the throne).
 
I think who the biggest problem of Alexander's Empire was the deaths of both Hefaestion and Alexander in short time and before Alexander's Queen (who was almost surely Stateira and not Roxane as many thinks) give him a male heir. If Alexander dies but Hephaestion is alive then both the Queen Stateira and Princess Drypetis (who some thinks was the second woman killed with Stateira on Roxane's order) will survive (because Hephaestion will be the indisputable regent of the son of Alexander) because none of the other generals can think to kill the Regent's wife and her sister the Queen (pregnant with the heir of their King) for make an alliance with a minor wife of the late King (because i'm almost sure who Alexander's wives rank was this: first the Queen Stateira (daughter of the direct predecessor of Alexander as King of Persia , then Parysatis (who was daughter of another King of Persia) and last Roxane). With Hephaestion alive and Stateira's son alive also the Queen Mother Sysigambis (mother of Darius and adoptive mother of Alexander and also grandmother of Stateira and Dypretis) most likely do not let herself dying and between her and Hephaestion is likely who they can maintain intact or almost intact the Alexander's Empire for his young son (born from Stateira and most likely destined to marry a future daughter of Hephaestion)
 
I think who the biggest problem of Alexander's Empire was the deaths of both Hefaestion and Alexander in short time and before Alexander's Queen (who was almost surely Stateira and not Roxane as many thinks) give him a male heir. If Alexander dies but Hephaestion is alive then both the Queen Stateira and Princess Drypetis (who some thinks was the second woman killed with Stateira on Roxane's order) will survive (because Hephaestion will be the indisputable regent of the son of Alexander) because none of the other generals can think to kill the Regent's wife and her sister the Queen (pregnant with the heir of their King) for make an alliance with a minor wife of the late King (because i'm almost sure who Alexander's wives rank was this: first the Queen Stateira (daughter of the direct predecessor of Alexander as King of Persia , then Parysatis (who was daughter of another King of Persia) and last Roxane). With Hephaestion alive and Stateira's son alive also the Queen Mother Sysigambis (mother of Darius and adoptive mother of Alexander and also grandmother of Stateira and Dypretis) most likely do not let herself dying and between her and Hephaestion is likely who they can maintain intact or almost intact the Alexander's Empire for his young son (born from Stateira and most likely destined to marry a future daughter of Hephaestion)

Finally someone else who thinks that Alexander's empire could outlast him :D!! But in all seriousness that's what I was thinking. It always made more since to me for a son of Alexander and the woman who is essentially the heiress to the old Persian Empire to inherit the empire over the son of a backwater noble's daughter. If Alexander had lived he probebly would have made any son by Stateira or failing that, Parysatis the heir to the throne.
 
I guess Hephaestion would have looked out for Alexander's children. This way, indeed, we could have the Empire last longer.
 
Finally someone else who thinks that Alexander's empire could outlast him :D!! But in all seriousness that's what I was thinking. It always made more since to me for a son of Alexander and the woman who is essentially the heiress to the old Persian Empire to inherit the empire over the son of a backwater noble's daughter. If Alexander had lived he probebly would have made any son by Stateira or failing that, Parysatis the heir to the throne.
The problems is who the history of Alexander as we know it make us thinking who Roxane, the bride who Alexander marry for first and was mother of his posthumous heir, was his Queen, but reflecting for a moment about it is clear who Roxane must be the junior wife and Stateira the Queen with Parysatis between the two in rank...
and with a son of Stateira on the throne and Hephaestion and likely Sysigambis to rule the Empire for him is likely who the only territory who the young King can lost is Macedonia if the Macedonian Council decide to prefer Philippus Arrideus (the retarded half-brother of Alexander) as King instead of him...
The Persian Empire was not a new structure and OTL ruined after Alexander's death only because the Empire had not a clear Regent and the young King have not a really powerful family backing him and was in hands of Alexander's generals who shortly after his death repudiated almost all the wives that the king had chosen for them (and who was all from the Persian aristocracy), but if young Alexander IV is the son of Stateira (and not Roxane) and have Hephaestion (who was married with Stateira younger sister) as Regent and the backing of the really powerful Queen Mother Sysigambis and many other Persian nobles is very much unlikely who the Empire will fall apart in few years...
 
isabella has it right there.

Hefaistion was not only Alexander's friend,but his right hand man and an excellent soldier.He would protect Stateira's child and he would keep the empire intact(perhaps he would cause a retreat from some useless parts)
always remembering that the empire was Macedonian and Pella should remain its capital and Babylon its nerve centre.
 
isabella has it right there.

Hefaistion was not only Alexander's friend,but his right hand man and an excellent soldier.He would protect Stateira's child and he would keep the empire intact(perhaps he would cause a retreat from some useless parts)
always remembering that the empire was Macedonian and Pella should remain its capital and Babylon its nerve centre.

Do you think there would be a war over the regency or would the generals accept it without revolting?
 
Do you think there would be a war over the regency or would the generals accept it without revolting?

Well,Everyone knew that Hefaistion was one of the companions and the closest friend of Alexander;Alexander was a genius and his closest friend was not a dolt.He was his right hand man also in operations and his advanced depozits of supplies ahead of Alexander's advance to Gaugaumela showed rare ingenuity along with his recon in force conducted in the north border of Macedonia and Mesopotamia.
Yes I believe there would be no contest since he was the closest to family Alexander had in Asia,and the chief of his staff practically.
 
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