WI: Louis Charles became king after Napoleon was deposed?

[A Piece of History]

Louis Charles, also known as Louis XVII, was the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. He was born in 1785, but was in 1789, was imprisoned with the rest of his family in the tower of the Square du Temple. Interactions between Marie and her son were watched over by guards loyal to the National Assembly.

In 1793, Louis XVI was guillotined. Louis Charles was taken from Marie Antoinette and placed into the care of a cobbler named Antonine Simon, who was tasked with turning him into a citizen of the new French Republic. In 1795, he died of what was determined to be a scrofulous infection. Today, we would say he died from a swelling of the cervical lymph nodes, caused by tuberculosis. His body was in such an appalling condition that it even shocked the doctor performing the autopsy.

But what if after his birth, Louis Charles was smuggled out of France through covert means and he was raised in Austria until 1814, when Napoleon was exiled to Elba, allowing him to become King instead of his uncle?

 

[HortenseMancini]

It absolutely would not make sense for Louis Charles to leave France directly after his birth. As second in line for the throne, with an older brother who is often in ill health, Louis Charles has a high likelihood of becoming dauphin and then succeeding his father as king. So yeah, he's growing up in France no matter what. BUT you could reasonably contrive for Louis Charles to be smuggled out of France, possibly around the time that his parents made their infamous flight to Varennes IOTL.

 

[HortenseMancini]

Also, Louis Charles probably died of bone cancer. This is something that also killed one of his paternal uncles in childhood. There's a non-insignificant possibility that even a Louis Charles who manages to make it out of France once the Revolution has started and thus avoid captivity would still die in childhood due to the cancer.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Also, Louis Charles probably died of bone cancer. This is something that also killed one of his paternal uncles in childhood. There's a non-insignificant possibility that even a Louis Charles who manages to make it out of France once the Revolution has started and thus avoid captivity would still die in childhood due to the cancer.

I was under the impression it was scrofula/miliary tuberculosis that killed him.

 

[Anneessens]

Hm, I presume that the Count of Provence (later in OTL Louis XVIII) will proclaim himself regent-in-exile for 'king' Louis XVII just like in OTL. He was, after all, genealogically the most legitimate candidate. Does Provence go to Austria or does Louis XVII come to him in Verona? Or would Austria try to separate the two?
And when does this "regency" end? Officially, the age of majority during the French monarchy was 25 (for men). However, Louis XIII, XIV and XV were declared a legal adult at thirteen, this being considered the age of majority for kings. So I guess Provence stays regent until March 1798? Assuming, of course, that Louis XVII survives.

And then there's the strange fact that OTL Louis XVIII, while officially having proclaimed himself regent in 1793, designated his brother the Count of Artois as "lieutenant-général du royaume". That is: regent for the regent. Or rather: regent-in-exile for the regent-in-exile...

 

[HortenseMancini]

I was under the impression it was scrofula/miliary tuberculosis that killed him.

Ooo so it was.

 

[Galba Otho Vitelius]

I've thought of doing PODs around Louis XVII. There is a problem is that the boy did not reach ten years of age, so it is anybody's guess what his personality would have been like if he had survived to adulthood.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

I've thought of doing PODs around Louis XVII. There is a problem is that the boy did not reach ten years of age, so it is anybody's guess what his personality would have been like if he had survived to adulthood.

His sister's PTSD might be a good indicator of personality. Even if he's smart enough to pull a Charles II/Louis XVIII, neither was ever locked up in such a fashion.

FWIR he was a very naughty (mischievous child) who was often the distress of his mother. But he loved her a lot. The "lying" that got his mom tried OTL was there before the imprisonment but it was more typical kid trying to get out of trouble rather than anything necessarily malicious. He didn't like his lessons much, but Antoinette was the source of disciplie to him (both her kids, actually). When she found out he was slacking off (pre-Revolution) on learning to read, she gave him hell. He promised her that by Christmas he would be able to read to her, and he kept that promise.

He also get very excited when the told him they'd see lots of soldiers the night they undertook for the Varennes, but was upset when instead of letting him where uniform they made him dress as a girl instead.

So, from that we can read that he's interested in soldiers, that he's reasonably intelligent (not so much the learning to read part, but that he can think on his feet to fib his way out of trouble), he's charming (something I've seen mentioned in a lot of bios of Louis XVI/Antoinette) and he's also always described as being a bundle of energy and sensitive (he used to bring his mother and aunt flowers from his garden at the Tuileries everyday because he knew it made them happy).

You could project all of those onto a teenager/adult. If he's decent in the army and retains that charm, he might become someone like the duc de Berri was at the Restauration (not necessarily liberal, but definitely one of the more popular members of the royal family)

 

[VVD0D95]

His sister's PTSD might be a good indicator of personality. Even if he's smart enough to pull a Charles II/Louis XVIII, neither was ever locked up in such a fashion.

FWIR he was a very naughty (mischievous child) who was often the distress of his mother. But he loved her a lot. The "lying" that got his mom tried OTL was there before the imprisonment but it was more typical kid trying to get out of trouble rather than anything necessarily malicious. He didn't like his lessons much, but Antoinette was the source of disciplie to him (both her kids, actually). When she found out he was slacking off (pre-Revolution) on learning to read, she gave him hell. He promised her that by Christmas he would be able to read to her, and he kept that promise.

He also get very excited when the told him they'd see lots of soldiers the night they undertook for the Varennes, but was upset when instead of letting him where uniform they made him dress as a girl instead.

So, from that we can read that he's interested in soldiers, that he's reasonably intelligent (not so much the learning to read part, but that he can think on his feet to fib his way out of trouble), he's charming (something I've seen mentioned in a lot of bios of Louis XVI/Antoinette) and he's also always described as being a bundle of energy and sensitive (he used to bring his mother and aunt flowers from his garden at the Tuileries everyday because he knew it made them happy).

You could project all of those onto a teenager/adult. If he's decent in the army and retains that charm, he might become someone like the duc de Berri was at the Restauration (not necessarily liberal, but definitely one of the more popular members of the royal family)

I'm having ideas now aha

 

[da Racontor]

I've thought of doing PODs around Louis XVII. There is a problem is that the boy did not reach ten years of age, so it is anybody's guess what his personality would have been like if he had survived to adulthood.

While you are correct, if I were to write a TL with him (which I actually am) I would give him a personality similar to Louis XIV for narrative reasons. Both survived violent rebellions in their childhood.

 

[Whiteshore]

Would Louis Charles/Louis XVII be an arch-reactionary like his sister (or Charles X, for that matter) and try to restore the ancient regime or would be be somewhat more accepting of the reality the ancien regime was not coming back like Louis XVIII IOTL, regardless of what he would want personally?

 

[VVD0D95]

Would Louis Charles/Louis XVII be an arch-reactionary like his sister (or Charles X, for that matter) and try to restore the ancient regime or would be be somewhat more accepting of the reality the ancien regime was not coming back like Louis XVIII IOTL, regardless of what he would want personally?

Think it would depend entirely on the author's own desires.