IOTL, it seems that there were negotiations between Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander I of Russia for a marriage alliance that would involve Napoleon getting a Russian princess.
The first proposal, involving Ekaterina Pavlovna, was made at the Congress of Erfurt in 1808. It was rejected, and Ekaterina was instead married off to the Prince of Oldenburg, who died three years later. After this, there was a second proposal, for Nap to marry the younger Anna Pavlovna, but this was also rejected under the pretext that Anna was too young (still a teenager). In the end, Napoleon abandoned this and chose to marry Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma. I suspect that Napoleon's failure in his endeavour to get a Russian wife filled him with a bit of contempt, demonstrated by his refusal to cooperate fully with Alexander (annexing the Duchy of Oldenburg directly into France, rejecting a joint campaign into the Ottoman Balkans, and perhaps even the invasion of Russia itself).
So, what if Napoleon had managed to gain the favour of the Romanovs and marry either Ekaterina or Anna?
How different could these women become in regards to influencing Napoleon's actions? Marie Louise was allegedly quiet and conforming, could Anna/Ekaterina end up being more active and persuasive to Nap than her?
 
IOTL, it seems that there were negotiations between Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander I of Russia for a marriage alliance that would involve Napoleon getting a Russian princess.
The first proposal, involving Ekaterina Pavlovna, was made at the Congress of Erfurt in 1808. It was rejected, and Ekaterina was instead married off to the Prince of Oldenburg, who died three years later. After this, there was a second proposal, for Nap to marry the younger Anna Pavlovna, but this was also rejected under the pretext that Anna was too young (still a teenager). In the end, Napoleon abandoned this and chose to marry Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma. I suspect that Napoleon's failure in his endeavour to get a Russian wife filled him with a bit of contempt, demonstrated by his refusal to cooperate fully with Alexander (annexing the Duchy of Oldenburg directly into France, rejecting a joint campaign into the Ottoman Balkans, and perhaps even the invasion of Russia itself).
So, what if Napoleon had managed to gain the favour of the Romanovs and marry either Ekaterina or Anna?
How different could these women become in regards to influencing Napoleon's actions? Marie Louise was allegedly quiet and conforming, could Anna/Ekaterina end up being more active and persuasive to Nap than her?
Ekaterina was not really a candidate for Napoleon as she was married before his divorce (and was married quickly before Napoleon’s divorce exactly for preventing her wedding to him)
 
I think Napoleon marrying any of the Grand Duchesses would only happen over the Dowager Empress's dead body (literally she would have to be dead for Alexander to go through with it) and I don't see Alexander as a Habsburg type (ala Francis I) who is literally willing to use one of their daughters/sisters as a "sacrifice" (Metternich's term for Marie Louise) to buy time for the Empire. Napoleon may have wanted it desperately to happen but I don't think the Romanovs ever had any intention of giving up any of the daughters of Paul I to him for any alliance (especially since Russia needed that far less than Austria).
 
I think Napoleon marrying any of the Grand Duchesses would only happen over the Dowager Empress's dead body (literally she would have to be dead for Alexander to go through with it) and I don't see Alexander as a Habsburg type (ala Francis I) who is literally willing to use one of their daughters/sisters as a "sacrifice" (Metternich's term for Marie Louise) to buy time for the Empire. Napoleon may have wanted it desperately to happen but I don't think the Romanovs ever had any intention of giving up any of the daughters of Paul I to him for any alliance (especially since Russia needed that far less than Austria).

The Dowager Empress was, indeed, against marriage of her daughter to Napoleon (which is rather ironic if one keeps in mind what caused her husband's assassination). However, there was absolutely nothing which could prevent Alexander from proceeding with this marriage if he wanted to: noises that his mother could make were approximately as important as her "Ich will regieren" (excuse my German :)) after Paul's assassination. The real problem was in a plain fact that Alexander (a) hated Napoleon on a personal basis and (b) was as pro-British as circumstances allowed. So reference to his mother was just an excuse and not a very convincing one.

What would happen if the marriage took place? Russian monarch simply could not afford to stick to the Continental System without facing serious personal risks. I suspect that Austrian economy did not depend upon the trade with Britain to the same degree as Russian and, unlike Austria, Russia was not yet beaten on its own territory. Just as Maria Louise did not prevent Austrian entry into a war against Napoleon, Anne would not be able to change situation too much: Alexander was getting ready for a new war and did not have any intention to obey the conditions of Continental System.
 
Well any wedding between Napoleon and a Russian Gran Duchess can fail for many reasons (religion, the fact who the consent of the Gran Duchess and an Orthodox wedding in St Peterburg with bride and groom presents are indispensable)...
Franz can force his daughters to marry anyone he wished but Alexander can not force any member of his family to marry against their will
 
Well any wedding between Napoleon and a Russian Gran Duchess can fail for many reasons (religion, the fact who the consent of the Gran Duchess and an Orthodox wedding in St Peterburg with bride and groom presents are indispensable)...

Taking into an account that Emperor of Russia had a complete control over the Russian Orthodox Church all the religious obstacles could be easily removed. OTOH, in the case of a sincere alliance there would be nothing impossible in Nappy's visit of St-Petersburg. Ditto for the consent of a Grand Duchess and Dowager Empress: both had been dependent upon emperor's good graces.


Franz can force his daughters to marry anyone he wished but Alexander can not force any member of his family to marry against their will

And I can sell you a nice bridge really cheap.... :winkytongue:

Hopefully, you are not going to insist on the idea that all members of the Romanov family always had been quite happy with the spouses chosen for them and, anyway, in the XIX century Russia will of a head of the family was much more important than bride's personal desire. But the fact remains that Alexander did not want this marriage to take place. The rest was a window dressing.
 
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