Frankie Goes to the Hofburg, or Napoléon II, Regent of Austria?

[holycookie]

There's no reason the river can't be utilized.

It has always been used, it is the largest river artery connecting the center/southeast of Brazil with the northeast. There have never been any major changes because it works well enough. The difference is that the region is not worth as much as the Plata basin. There are several reasons for its lesser relevance. The exploration of mineral resources, especially gold and diamonds, which boosted the economy of the São Francisco region, lost relevance over time. The accentuation of the south and southeast, economically speaking also hurt the river's importance. It was one/of the largest economic arteries, today it is a very important river but nothing crazy like the Parana River/Plata basin. Its basin currently accounts for around 3.5% of Brazil's GDP. For comparison, the Amazon Basin currently accounts for approximately 8% of the national GDP. The Paraná Basin, including the Plata Basin, is responsible for around 35% of Brazilian GDP. The priority will always be to secure the plateau basin for its vast economic potential. The GDP of the La Plata basin reaches more than 70% of what is produced in five countries (which make up, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay). It may help to better assess the region's economic size if we take into account that in territorial terms, it represents only 24% of the countries' total areas.

Pedro I had to deal with the Cisplatine War, and political insurrection.

A Dom Pedro who was more honorable, didn't humiliate his wife, focused better on his troops, and didn't make the agreement that broke Brazil. He could probably invest in this river, but more likely he wants to take control of the Plata basin.

 

[DankStalin]

Just asking around, but is there any mention of how competent Frankie's kids are. I know from the snippets here and there that they are quite intelligent and well educated, but do they compared well with Napolean and Frankie's level of talent?

Asking all these as I was thinking that in this TL, with first Napolean and then his son Frankie being masters in their fields (also will Frankie be considered as one of, if not the statesman of the era?), would not any nobility or royalty be thinking that Napolean's bloodline is extremely blessed? So much so that they might ignore them being bastards and throw to them their sons and daughters, hoping (and with a good education) that they might get a Napolean or Frankie 2.0?

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Just asking around, but is there any mention of how competent Frankie's kids are. I know from the snippets here and there that they are quite intelligent and well educated, but do they compared well with Napolean and Frankie's level of talent?

Given that the boys have barely hit double digits, it might be too early to say. They could easily take after other members of the family (history nerd Louis, writer Lucien, penny-wise Madame Mère) as well. And let's not forget the girls mother is Fanny Essler, who herself was a competent saleswoman/marketer in her own right (traits Karoline seems to have inherited, being able to persuade/argue for her father having his hospitals adopt Semmelweis' handwashing procedure). Therese seems to be a "scamp" and the naughty second-born/baby. The night of Frankie's resignation party (Chapter Thank You For Your Service), when he hears his younger daughter is off with the Palatine of Hungary's brother, he remarks about how that sounds like a recipe for trouble (i.e. the two are getting up to mischief together*). Alternately this could be Jérôme 's headache causing impulsiveness or Caroline Murat' s intrigante nature showing through.

*we know Franz Joseph's dad used to get up to mischief with little Frankie in similar fashion

Asking all these as I was thinking that in this TL, with first Napolean and then his son Frankie being masters in their fields (also will Frankie be considered as one of, if not the statesman of the era?), would not any nobility or royalty be thinking that Napolean's bloodline is extremely blessed? So much so that they might ignore them being bastards and throw to them their sons and daughters, hoping (and with a good education) that they might get a Napolean or Frankie 2.0?

TBH, given Frankie's whole knee-jerk refusal to emulate his father, I don't see a similar level of "marrying in" as his dad did. This is not to say that it won't or can't happen, but Frankie will not be making the first move. He is very conscious of the fact that he has managed to climb as high as he has by reassuring people he isn't his dad. The idea of pushing one of his kids for a consort to the king of x or the grand duke of y would upset that image he has carefully been building. Is he ambitious, of course (even his lackluster Uncle Joseph was ambitious), but he's not reckless. He has let Karoline make her social début in Frankfurt and Vienna, declaring the "cattle auction*" open. If that prince or this duke comes calling, Frankie won't necessarily refuse, but it's a far cry from Napoléon forcing his relatives on people. Even if he personally legitimates his daughters, the match is still likely to be morganatic given the fact that he falls under the "non-reigning sovereign" or a "mediatized house" clauses of most house laws. Which means it's up to the head of house (the king of Denmark in Augustenborg's case) as to whether the match is equal or not.

*as one author decried débutante balls, "as though the sole purpose of those attending them was to buy and sell their daughters, like cows at a fair".