WI: Napoleon II marries step-cousin

Kingpoleon

Banned
What if, in 1830, Napoleon II married Théodolinde de Beauharnais, his step-cousin, and had two children? The first could be named Napoleon and the second could be Josephine. Assuming both children live, what would happen?
 
What if, in 1830, Napoleon II married Théodolinde de Beauharnais, his step-cousin, and had two children? The first could be named Napoleon and the second could be Josephine. Assuming both children live, what would happen?

Metternich and Emperor Franz were against Napoleon II marrying. It would continue Napoleon's line and could end up a threat. So I doubt he'd be able to marry anyone.
 

Kingpoleon

Banned
Emperor Franz, the one who granted him a noble title and risked a war with the great powers because of it? Emperor Franz, the only Austrian who suggested Napoleon could keep his throne at the Congress of Vienna? This is his grandfather, and also, they didn't mind his cousin marrying. Claiming that they didn't wish the line to continue is nonsensical. It was Metternich who got the Congress to spare Napoleon's life... twice. All we need to happen is for Franz's request to have him moved to Italy for health reasons granted, and he could meet his step-cousin.
 
Emperor Franz, the one who granted him a noble title and risked a war with the great powers because of it? Emperor Franz, the only Austrian who suggested Napoleon could keep his throne at the Congress of Vienna? This is his grandfather, and also, they didn't mind his cousin marrying. Claiming that they didn't wish the line to continue is nonsensical. It was Metternich who got the Congress to spare Napoleon's life... twice. All we need to happen is for Franz's request to have him moved to Italy for health reasons granted, and he could meet his step-cousin.

OK couple things 1. Franz suggested Napoleon II reign as Emperor, with Marie Louise as Regent BEFORE the congress. By the time the Congress began Louis XVIII was already back in Paris and there was no reason for any of the great powers to think that Napoleon would return. The only reason he supported that idea is because it would increase Habsburg power.

2. If they were OK with him marrying, than why didn't Napoleon II do so while alive? He might have been the son of Bonaparte but he was still half-Habsburg, the oldest grandchild of the Emperor of Austria. It wouldn't have been hard to find a noble girl or minor Princess to marry him, yet neither the Emperor nor Metternich made any attempt to do so. So clearly they were uninterested.

3. The ONLY reason Metternich wanted Napoleon spared was because he was the Emperor's son-in-law. If he had still been married to Josephine you can bet that he would have shared Murat's fate.
 
That still proves that the emperor was not ill disposed to the boy.

Your argument regarding 'why didn't he get married then' is simply nonsensical. Use Google to check how old he was when he died. He was 21! It is not surprising that he died unmarried. But keep in mind that he was given a serious military command (of a battalion) at that tender age.
 

Kingpoleon

Banned
Is he planning on crowning himself Emperor of Alabama?

Now, now. LOTS of us Scots (Scots-Irish) types have far fewer ancestors than simple powers of 2 would suggest. STEP-cousin isn't all that bad, at all.

I'm my own 3rd cousin....
Cthulhu, have you ever heard of Napoleon III? Also, the Habsburgs were known for inbreeding. After combing through Wikipedia articles, they are not actually blood related unless they are ninth cousins or above. Considering the inbreeding of royal families, especially Habsburgs, this wouldn't be frowned upon at all.

Anyway, though Napoleon II had no ambition, he would have been intelligent enough to raise his children well, and with the help of his cousin he could have his son become Emperor after his death. We can't change how long Napoleon II lives beyond more than five years or so. That's why in my scenario he would meet his twelve year old step-cousin when he was sixteen. Now, could someone explain what would happen to me?
 
Cthulhu, have you ever heard of Napoleon III? Also, the Habsburgs were known for inbreeding. After combing through Wikipedia articles, they are not actually blood related unless they are ninth cousins or above. Considering the inbreeding of royal families, especially Habsburgs, this wouldn't be frowned upon at all.

Anyway, though Napoleon II had no ambition, he would have been intelligent enough to raise his children well, and with the help of his cousin he could have his son become Emperor after his death. We can't change how long Napoleon II lives beyond more than five years or so. That's why in my scenario he would meet his twelve year old step-cousin when he was sixteen. Now, could someone explain what would happen to me?

Yeah step cousin is really a major step forward for the Royal houses. Remember Victoria and Albert were first cousins, as was Isabel II of Spain and Francis.

Anyway, I'm unsure if the Duke of Reichstadt was unambitious or just had no chance to show any serious plans. So assuming he marries in 1831 and still dies in '32, then he could produce a child, for the sake of interest a son. This Napoleon "III" would become Duke of Reichstadt in Austria and no doubt be raised at the Austrian court. No way Metternich and the Habsburgs would allow the Napoleonic heir to leave Austria at that point.

The main change this would create is who the head of the Bonaparte family is. In this case the young grandson of Napoleon, rather than his nephew Louis-Napoleon. OTL's Napoleon III's attempted coups, election as President and eventual proclamation as Emperor was based on being the heir of his uncle. With the Grandson of Napoleon alive and well in Vienna loses the backing of the Bonapartists in '48 and would be less popular as he wouldn't be the great Napoleon's heir.

Thinking about it Napoleon II having a son could end any hope of a Napoleonic Restoration: the Austrians would never allow him or his heirs to leave Austria out of fear and the other Bonapartes would never be able to claim the throne with Napoleon's line extant. So in '48 we could see the permanent establishment of a republic or a potential restoration of the Legitimist Comte de Chambord.
 

Kingpoleon

Banned
Except he met his wife in Italy. You seem to think that Louis Napoleon "III", once he became President of France, wouldn't try to free his cousin. Who would intervene? France defeats anyone but Germany, Russia, and the U. K., all of whom have no reason to intervene in such a war. Louis N. III was very charismatic. He would probably become King of Spain or Italy in the case of the latter becoming a puppet of France and unifying.
 
Except he met his wife in Italy. You seem to think that Louis Napoleon "III", once he became President of France, wouldn't try to free his cousin. Who would intervene? France defeats anyone but Germany, Russia, and the U. K., all of whom have no reason to intervene in such a war. Louis N. III was very charismatic. He would probably become King of Spain or Italy in the case of the latter becoming a puppet of France and unifying.

Yeah I doubt Louis Napoleon would become President of France period. I mean he won originally thanks to being the nephew and heir of Napoleon I. Here he's not, and can't draw on that appeal to win the election, not while Napoleon's grandson is still alive and well.

Second, your vastly underestimating the Légitimists for this time. In 1849 they won a large majority and were beginning to move towards restoring the Monarchy, which is what partially caused the tensions between the Prince-President and the National Assembly. A non-Bonaparte President is unlikely to have the popular support necessary to combat the Assembly and launch a coup against it. So we could very well see the Assembly offering the Crown to the Comte de Chambord somewhere between '48 and '52.

Thirdly, no one is stupid enough to try and make a Bonaparte King of Spain. Everyone and their mother knew that enthroning Joseph was a disaster that began Napoleon's fall. Maybe he could gain an/the Italian throne, but again not that realistic.

Finally, who's to say that Napoleon "III" would even WANT to become Emperor of the French? He'd be a born and raised Austrian, surrounded by Austrian attendants, servants, tutors, friends and family. Chances are he'd identify himself as Austrian. After all the Imperial Court would have no reason to want to encourage him to identify with France or the Bonapartes. His mother might be a member of the extended Bonaparte clan, but she'd be a young widow in a foreign country with no power. She pushes to far and the Emperor or Metternich (depending who's the Emperor: Franz or Ferdinand) could relatively easily take custody and "officially" assign it to Empress Marie-Louise.

I just can't see any way for this ATL Napoleon to become Napoleon III.
 
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