WI: Louis Bonaparte as French Emperor?

[GauchoBadger]

With a PoD anywhere between Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation as French Emperor in 1804 and the birth of Napoleon II in 1811, how can we make a scenario in which, after an early death of Napoleon, his brother Louis Bonaparte is selected as emperor?
How would Louis fare as ruler of France? I hear he was quite competent during his tenure as King of Holland, but how would his OTL competence translate into France?

 

[Feunoyr]

I think it's ASB, Louis Bonaparte had no support in the army or in society in general. He was an unstable man and unfit to assume his brother's inheritance. Moreover he was the fourth born. The most probable scenario if Napoleon died without an heir, is that his brother-in-law Murat takes power with the support of the other marshals and Talleyrand / Fouche. Another candidate would be his adopted son, Eugéne de Beauharnais, or even a negotiated return of Louis XVIII.

 

[alexmilman]

I think it's ASB, Louis Bonaparte had no support in the army or in society in general. He was an unstable man and unfit to assume his brother's inheritance. Moreover he was the fourth born. The most probable scenario if Napoleon died without an heir, is that his brother-in-law Murat takes power with the support of the other marshals and Talleyrand / Fouche.

And why would they try to back up that clown?

 

[isabella]

Why not Joseph? He was the eldest brother and the most logical heir for Napoleon in France (while Italy will go to Eugene)

 

[Arcavia]

Why not Joseph? He was the eldest brother and the most logical heir for Napoleon in France (while Italy will go to Eugene)

If he's on the Spanish throne, the other marshals might take issue with him also occupying the French position. He could however abandon the Spanish, or the POD could involve France losing control of Iberia faster than OTL.

 

[isabella]

If he's on the Spanish throne, the other marshals might take issue with him also occupying the French position. He could however abandon the Spanish, or the POD could involve France losing control of Iberia faster than OTL.

The problem can be if he is King of Naples maybe (but Louis was King of Holland in that period) but he can always be replaced by Murat (or someone else) earlier. Joseph had never wanted Spain and in any case with the level of control who Joseph and France had on Spain is really unlikely who they will be able to keep it after Napoleon’s death

 

[John Fredrick Parker]

I think it's ASB, Louis Bonaparte had no support in the army or in society in general. He was an unstable man and unfit to assume his brother's inheritance. Moreover he was the fourth born. The most probable scenario if Napoleon died without an heir, is that his brother-in-law Murat takes power with the support of the other marshals and Talleyrand / Fouche. Another candidate would be his adopted son, Eugéne de Beauharnais, or even a negotiated return of Louis XVIII.

Why not Joseph? He was the eldest brother and the most logical heir for Napoleon in France (while Italy will go to Eugene)

I had been under the impression that the roughly planned succession, as of the War of the 5C, was for Joseph to remain King of Spain, but for the throne to pass to one of Louis’ sons, with Josephine as the Regent. (Even if I’m right, this plan obviously went out the window when he divorced her for an Austrian Princess.)

 

[isabella]

I had been under the impression that the roughly planned succession, as of the War of the 5C, was for Joseph to remain King of Spain, but for the throne to pass to one of Louis’ sons, with Josephine as the Regent. (Even if I’m right, this plan obviously went out the window when he divorced her for an Austrian Princess.)

I had forgotten about this... Looks likely who the things will go like that

 

[isabella]

I had been under the impression that the roughly planned succession, as of the War of the 5C, was for Joseph to remain King of Spain, but for the throne to pass to one of Louis’ sons, with Josephine as the Regent. (Even if I’m right, this plan obviously went out the window when he divorced her for an Austrian Princess.)

I had forgotten about this... Looks likely who the things will go like that