The Children of Napoleon (A Napoleonic AAR)

In 1808, Napoleon invaded Spain, deposing the Bourbons and beginning the Peninsular War. Although imagining he would be greeted as a liberator, the Peninsular War marked the downfall of his empire, bleeding the Grand Armee, scaring the Austrians into launching the War of the Fifth Coalition, opening Latin American markets to the British even as the Continental System was starting to have an effect, and, ultimately, sowing the downfall of his defeat.

But what if he hadn't? What if Napoleon had contended himself with installing Ferdinand as King, placing a pliant Bourbon on the throne? Even historically, 1812 was a year of crisis for Britain, as it risked going broke and was threatened at home by a wave of luddites. Without the Latin American markets and the success of the Penninsular War, would Britain have been forced to make a compromise peace? And if so, to what end?

It is now 1836, and 24 years have passed since the Peace of Copenhagen. The Great Powers have mostly kept the peace. But for how long? Can Napoleon II maintain his father's Empire? Or will it collapse onto the ash heap of history?




The Spanish Empire in the new World has staggered on, with cadet branches of the family installed upon the thrones of Peru and New Grenada. But Mexico chafes under "King Ferdinand I", and is ruled from Madrid. In the South, Juan I of the House of Bernadotte rules the Kingdom of La Plata, and poses a threat to the Bourbon Empire. While Peru is riven by conflict between Creoles, Peninsulares, and Indios, Bernadotte's kingdom is a firm British ally [1] and poised for greatness. To the north, the United States looks upon the decaying Spanish Empire. Leery of French or British involvement, it dreams of ushering in a free America, from pole to frozen pole.


Meanwhile, Karl Marx, born in the French Rhineland, pens his thoughts on class struggle amidst the coal fields of Wallonia. French military advisors are cajoling Ranjit Singh into invading the Punjab. Tsar Constantine has just issued an edict to free the serfs. And it has been 20 years since Stamford Raffles seized Deshima, opening Tokugawa Japan to the outside world.

[1] Somebody complained that I was being too rigid to history, and so missing out on a lot of fun ideas that just all happened to involve busting the kneecaps of the USA or Britain. But what can be more fun than Robert E. Lee duking it out with the Grand Empire before Mexico City?