William IV of Britain's daughter Elizabeth survives.

If it develops into a full blown European war, it's likely to ruin much of Europe.
Which isn't a good thing.

True enough, though, that does raise the question, should the Belgian question be solved through the might of Britain and France, to ensure the Talleyrand plan can actually be implemented.
 
In Bavaria the only logical option is Helene. Elisabeth was too young and too wild for the Imperial Court and nobody in his right mind would have suggested her (OTL she was Franz's choice but not a candidate for the role of Empress)

Understandable, however, I felt obligated to mention Sissi since, obviously, she was the OTL winner of the Austrian sweepstakes (no matter how much trouble it caused). If she can enchant OTL Franz Josef to go against the formidable Sophie, she has a non-zero possibility of the same happening with an Alt. Franz Josef whose mother is less ambitious and involved in the selection process.
 
Understandable, however, I felt obligated to mention Sissi since, obviously, she was the OTL winner of the Austrian sweepstakes (no matter how much trouble it caused). If she can enchant OTL Franz Josef to go against the formidable Sophie, she has a non-zero possibility of the same happening with an Alt. Franz Josef whose mother is less ambitious and involved in the selection process.

Would the selection process be decided by Ferdinand V and I or by Franz's father, assuming Karl remains the head of the family even if not Emperor.
 
Understandable, however, I felt obligated to mention Sissi since, obviously, she was the OTL winner of the Austrian sweepstakes (no matter how much trouble it caused). If she can enchant OTL Franz Josef to go against the formidable Sophie, she has a non-zero possibility of the same happening with an Alt. Franz Josef whose mother is less ambitious and involved in the selection process.

Would the selection process be decided by Ferdinand V and I or by Franz's father, assuming Karl remains the head of the family even if not Emperor.

A Franz Joseph who is not the Emperor will marry any princess who the Emperor will select for him and stop. OTL he was the Emperor and so the choice and last word was his and he was able to impose his will and marry Elisabeth while here he will marry the bride who the Kaiser will choose for him.
 
A Franz Joseph who is not the Emperor will marry any princess who the Emperor will select for him and stop. OTL he was the Emperor and so the choice and last word was his and he was able to impose his will and marry Elisabeth while here he will marry the bride who the Kaiser will choose for him.

And if he is the Emperor, without his Mother pushing a girl onto him, would he even bother meeting with Elizabeth and Helene?
 
A Franz Joseph who is not the Emperor will marry any princess who the Emperor will select for him and stop. OTL he was the Emperor and so the choice and last word was his and he was able to impose his will and marry Elisabeth while here he will marry the bride who the Kaiser will choose for him.

Since TTL's Franz Josef is the same age as his OTL cousin, unless he's married off before 18 or we butterfly away his uncle Ferdinand's abdication, he likely will still be emperor at the time of his wedding.

And if he is the Emperor, without his Mother pushing a girl onto him, would he even bother meeting with Elizabeth and Helene?
He might meet Helen and Elisabeth, as they are his cousins, but likely won't marry them. If he needs a maternal cousin for a bride the Saxon branch (either a daughter between Frederick Augustus and Sophie or one of the surviving daughters of John and Amalie Auguste) will be more prestigious matches. Otherwise, you're likely looking at an Italian princess, a Habsburg cousin like Archduchess Maria Isabella, a French princess (looking at your list of kids for Charles X Princess Louise Elisabeth would make the most sense), a Spanish Infanta (likely not the daughter of Maria Josepha Amalia, but instead a daughter of Maria Cristina), or a Brazilian princess from a second marriage of Pedro I.

As such reasonable brides for Franz Josef (based on OTL and already discussed ATL princesses)
  1. Princess Louise Elisabeth of France (b.1834)
  2. Infanta Isabel of Spain (b.1832)
  3. Infanta Cristina of Spain (b.1833)
  4. Daughter of Pedro I through remarriage
  5. Duchess Helene in Bavaria (b. 1834)
  6. Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria (b.1834)
  7. Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria (b.1836)
  8. Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria (b. 1836)
  9. Archduchess Elizabeth Franziska of Austria (b. 1831)
  10. Princess Maria Elisabeth of Saxony (b.1830)
  11. Princess Maria Sidonia of Saxony (b.1834)
  12. Princess Anna of Saxony (b.1836)
  13. Daughter of Frederick Augustus of Saxony and Sophie
  14. Italian Princesses I've currently not thought of
  15. ATL sisters of any Catholic royal born between (1830- 1836)
 
Since TTL's Franz Josef is the same age as his OTL cousin, unless he's married off before 18 or we butterfly away his uncle Ferdinand's abdication, he likely will still be emperor at the time of his wedding.


He might meet Helen and Elisabeth, as they are his cousins, but likely won't marry them. If he needs a maternal cousin for a bride the Saxon branch (either a daughter between Frederick Augustus and Sophie or one of the surviving daughters of John and Amalie Auguste) will be more prestigious matches. Otherwise, you're likely looking at an Italian princess, a Habsburg cousin like Archduchess Maria Isabella, a French princess (looking at your list of kids for Charles X Princess Louise Elisabeth would make the most sense), a Spanish Infanta (likely not the daughter of Maria Josepha Amalia, but instead a daughter of Maria Cristina), or a Brazilian princess from a second marriage of Pedro I.

As such reasonable brides for Franz Josef (based on OTL and already discussed ATL princesses)
  1. Princess Louise Elisabeth of France (b.1834)
  2. Infanta Isabel of Spain (b.1832)
  3. Infanta Cristina of Spain (b.1833)
  4. Daughter of Pedro I through remarriage
  5. Duchess Helene in Bavaria (b. 1834)
  6. Archduchess Maria Isabella of Austria (b.1834)
  7. Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria (b.1836)
  8. Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria (b. 1836)
  9. Archduchess Elizabeth Franziska of Austria (b. 1831)
  10. Princess Maria Elisabeth of Saxony (b.1830)
  11. Princess Maria Sidonia of Saxony (b.1834)
  12. Princess Anna of Saxony (b.1836)
  13. Daughter of Frederick Augustus of Saxony and Sophie
  14. Italian Princesses I've currently not thought of
  15. ATL sisters of any Catholic royal born between (1830- 1836)

Hmm this is true, I'd say either Louise Elisabeth of France or Helen in Bavaria.

For this Franz, what I'm thinking is that he develops into a hard worker, who does his duty, lives for it, and for his family. Might throw in a bit of charisma, with the military as well
 
Hmm this is true, I'd say either Louise Elisabeth of France or Helen in Bavaria.

For this Franz, what I'm thinking is that he develops into a hard worker, who does his duty, lives for it, and for his family. Might throw in a bit of charisma, with the military as well

Louise Elisabeth would be charming, and might work well with him
 
Without Sophie as mother Franz would likely became Emperor only after his father's death not just after his uncle's abdication because Sophie persuaded her husband to renounce to the Imperial Crown in favour of their son
 
Without Sophie as mother Franz would likely became Emperor only after his father's death not just after his uncle's abdication because Sophie persuaded her husband to renounce to the Imperial Crown in favour of their son
Couldn’t franz a fsther do the same again here? I get the feeling he didn’t really want to be emperor
 
Without Sophie as mother Franz would likely became Emperor only after his father's death not just after his uncle's abdication because Sophie persuaded her husband to renounce to the Imperial Crown in favour of their son

That does make sense, so likely either Uncle Ferdinand or Franz Karl will be arranging the marriage. Since the latter appears to be a "go along to get along" type he likely will, within reason, defer to his wife, son, and family as to who Franz Josef will marry. So while he (and the rest of the court) would probably veto a Sissi type, the real infighting will be between Austrian cousins and Bavarian sisters-in-law who'd like to see their daughters become Empress plus a couple Bourbon candidates from France, Spain, and Italy.
 
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