Maximilian I of Mexico (Quebec Independence)

Maximilian I was the first Emperor of Mexico. The younger brother of Austrian emperor Franz Joseph, Maximilian entered a scheme with French emperor Napoleon III to conquer and rule Mexico. French troops invaded Mexico in 1861, and Maximilian was proclaimed emperor in 1864. Supported by French troops and loyal conservative Mexican monarchists, Maximilian fought against republic forces loyal to former president Benito Juarez. The United States initially opposed Maximilian, but with their defeat in the War of Confederate Independence, they were unable to help Juarez. French and royalist troops defeated Juarez in 1868 and Maximilian's reign was secure.

Maximilian issued social and economic reforms for the poor, and became a beloved ruler during his reign. He genuinely cared for the Mexican people, though his opponents accused him of being a French puppet. Maximilian would die of natural causes in 1898.