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The Son of the Emperor
Prince Imperial
An Alternative History Affair

Prologue: III


The Emperor Napoleon I, with all his children. Sitting in his lap is the Prince Imperial, the only legitimate child of the Emperor.​

The Empress Marie-Louise and the Prince Imperial fled the palace of Tuileries, accompanied by the Empress’s suite. A first stop at the Château de Rambouillet, before the fear of enemy troops pushed them on towards the Château de Blois. During the evacuation, the young prince had to leave behind the majority of the possessions he had come accustomed to; and thought that the Bourbon King Louise XVIII had stolen his toys. However; he toys would be eventually forwarded to Vienna, with all the Napoleonic symbols stripped from them, by the orders of his maternal grandfather, Emperor Franz I of Austria.

On April 11th, the Treaty of Fontainebleau severely reduced the House of the Bonaparte. The Emperor of the French became the Emperor of Elba, a tiny island off the coasts of Italy. The Empress became the in control of the Duchy of Parma, the Duchy of Placentia and the Duchy of Duchy of Guastalla; with the Prince Imperial as heir. On April 13th, Marie-Louise and the child-king of Rome were back at Château de Rambouillet, meeting her father Emperor Franz and Tsar Alexander of Russia. By April 23rd, escorted by an Austrian regiment of grenadiers, the young mother and young son left France for their exile in Austria.

On March 1st, 1815, the famed Emperor escaped from his domain of Elba and became what was known as the Hundred Days, where he was the master of France one more. The last rise to glory would end on June 18th, 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo. The defeat of the Emperor was quickly followed by his abdication in favor of his now four year old son. Though crowned as Napoléon II, the Government Commission that ruled France before the return of King Louis XVIII would not summon the new emperor to Paris or appoint a regent.



The Emperor Napoleon I after his abdication in June of 1815.​

It is unsure of the young emperor even knew he was crowned in stead of his father; as his mother had been cutting off communication with his father on the orders of Emperor Franz I. In short time, the former Empress would renounce her title as Empress in scorn of Napoléon I who was exiled to St. Helena; where he would die in May 1821. During the Congress of Vienna that followed, the Prince Imperial was stripped of his title as the King of Rome. The Austrian Royal Family wished to make the boy forget about his French blood and his father that had destroyed the balance of Europe.

As the years progressed, the Prince Imperial’s titles and heritage continued to diminish. In the late months of 1816, the Imperial Court of Vienna advised that he could not inherit the Duchies his mother ruled over. A consolation prize was given to the young child; he was known as the “Duke of Reichstadt”. The Duke’s father’s who once averred “that he would prefer his son be strangled rather than be brought up as an Austria prince” would live long enough to see his son reduced to a rank inferior to Austrian princes.


The Prince Imperial, around the age of seven, possibly eight years old. The prince was commonly known as "Franz" after his maternal grandfather, Emperor Franz I of Austria.​



 
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Will he be known as Franz the I of France or Napoleon the II?

When he becomes the Emperor of the French, he will go by his father's name. I'll unveal more details about the Prince Imperial as it goes on.
 
Intriguing. I'm curious just how much of his father he has in him.
 
Good start and great choice of pictures.

The odds appear to be rather stacked against our young prince. His grandfather seems that he should be trapped in obscurity.
 
I do hope that the Prince isn't going to deliver his speech accepting the French throne in a thick Austrian accent.
 
I do hope that the Prince isn't going to deliver his speech accepting the French throne in a thick Austrian accent.

The dreams of the Habsburgs would come true at long last if that happens! :cool:
 
The Son of the Emperor
Prince Imperial
An Alternative History Affair

Prologue: IV


A photograph of the Prince Imperial with his long curly blond hair.​


The Prince Imperial was considered one of the most beautiful children of the court, with his long curly blond hair and keen sense of mind. At the court of his grandfather, Emperor Franz I of Austria, he was commonly addressed as “His Most Serene Highness”. Though the formality and respect of the court did not hinder the rebellious nature of the young prince, as above his bed hung a large portrait of his father Napoléon I.

The young former Emperor’s education was magnificent, and he was considered a bright student who could fluently speak and write, French, German and Italian; while being well versed in Latin and Greek. A love of military history was noted by the court librarian. The young Napoléon often sought out books and knowledge about his father, much to the disdain of his grandfather and Count Metternich; though the court had willing provided the boy a staff of military tutors.



A photograph of Schönbrunn Palace, where the Prince Imperial and his mother resided. Schönbrunn Palace was the main palace of the Hapsburgs.​

One such tutor, Count Mortiz von Dietrichstein a retired major in the Austrian Army, wrote to the Prince Imperial’s mother that “The profession of arms is undoubtedly the only one he can embrace. That is indicated by all his taste, and it would be a mistake not to encourage such inclination.” By the spring of 1820, at the age of nine, his elementary studies had been completed and began to learn the classics and begin his full military training. An assistant tutor by the name of Captain M. de Foresti secretly taught the boy about the tactics and strategy his father had emplyed while a Major Weiss taught math to the boy who showed a “lively interest in different systems of fortifications”.

On May 5th 1821, Napoléon I died at St. Helena; but it took until mid July for news to reach Vienna. The ugly task of telling the Prince Imperial fell to his tutor Captain Foresti; who shared with the boy one of his father’s wishes for the boy to never forget that he was a French prince and rightful Emperor of the French. Though how the young boy was to return to France was another matter, as the Bourbon King Louis XVIII still reigned without legitimate opposition.



The Prince Imperial at the age of 9, possibly 10 years old.​


 
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I like where this is heading, you've done a good job with the prologues so far TekcoR but when will you get to the story proper?
 
I like seeing the Prince growing up. It will give us a greater understanding of him when he does, inevitably, strike out to reclaim his rightful throne. I think he'll still be too young in 1830, so mabye in 1848?
 
I like seeing the Prince growing up. It will give us a greater understanding of him when he does, inevitably, strike out to reclaim his rightful throne. I think he'll still be too young in 1830, so mabye in 1848?

Well in 1830, he is 19 years old, old enough to be Emperor. Right now I'm debating about if he should become Emperor in 1824 or 1830.

@Tanzhang, I still have to let the story develop a little bit more. The actual game play section of this Alternate History Affair should start no later than probably the third week of November.
 
The Son of the Emperor
Prince Imperial
An Alternative History Affair

Prologue: V


The Prince Imperial as a cadet of the Austrian Army.​

The military career of the young Prince Imperial began at the age of 12 during the year of 1823 when he was appointed an army cadet by his grandfather. This appointment entitled the young majesty of twelve years to wear a uniform which gave him great delight. As cadet, the prince held a rank of non-commissioned officer. His tutors began to notice that the military training began distracting from his learning. As one of his tutors wrote “…he could hear the bugle and drum announcing the changing of the guards. And he would at once jump to his feet…the sight of soldiers drawn up in file…the swift, spirited drill, the transmission of the password to the sentinels were an unfailing attracting to him.”

With his military career just beginning, the Prince Imperial was thrust into the spotlight of European politics with the death of the heirless King Louis XVIII, who had returned to the throne after the abdication of the young majesty’s father. In the spring of 1824, Louis XVIII, who was suffering from obesity, gout and gangrene died. The Bonapartists, a strong political force within France, wished to see the return of the House of Bonaparte to the French throne, with the Prince Imperial at its head. However; the wishes of the Bonapartiists was not to be satisfied as Count Metternich would not allow the now teenage boy to leave Austria. Instead of a Bonaparte on the throne, France would now be ruled by Charles X, the brother of Louis XVIII.


A painting of the Prince Imperial (Franz) as a young twelve year old.​

By the age of 15 (1826), the growing Prince was openly allowed to read extracts of writings produced by members of staff who had served with his father during his lifetime and exile at St. Helena. The writings of Charles Tristan, Marquis de Montholon, Gaspard Gourgaud and Emmanuel Las Cases began to heavily influence the young prince’s thoughts about his father. The writings shared a message to the Prince, that his father had greatly said: “I envy that boy. Glory is waiting there for him; I had to run after Her. I will have been Phillip; he will be Alexander. He only has to extend an arm, and the world is his.”

Unable to currently control his fate outside of the palace, the teenage prince waited for his moment where he would escape the palace and somehow return to the land of his father. As the years passed, his mother Marie-Louise visited the palace during the summer of 1828, to find her son had turned into an absolute giant, nearly six feet tall; and mannerisms similar to his father; which was an embarrassing reminder to many of the Austrians. He walked like his father, his hands behind his back when thinking, walking in a circle with his head down.

While his mother was visiting, the now 17 year old was appointed by Emperor Franz I as captain of a light infantry company. As a present, his mother awarded her son with a curved saber that had belonged to his father while he was in Egypt. The sword would become part of a large collection of weapons and military books proudly displayed in his bedroom. It is often noted that “symbols of what he most desired…but over books and weapons brooded the spirit of Napoleon. The legend of his father was a power-house which held everything to which his youth stretched out.” Soon the Prince’s moment would come.


The Prince Imperial at the age of 15 years old.​


In Our Timeline:
  • By the late 1820s, Franz was beginning to have troubles with his health, he was coughing a great deal, frequently suffering from colds, chills and even fevers. This has not been mentioned in this alternate history affair because he's been blessed with good health.

 
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Hopefully Napoleon II isn't too much like Alexander. Wouldn't be much fun to have him only live a few years longer than OTL.
 
Hopefully Napoleon II isn't too much like Alexander. Wouldn't be much fun to have him only live a few years longer than OTL.

Oh god. I never thought of that. And I hope Napoleon I didn't think of that when he thought of his son.
 
I somehow doubt he did.;)
 
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