A Queen of the French?

File:432px-Arrivée du Duc d'Orléans au Palais-Royal.jpg

The Future Queen and her Brother arrive at the Palais Royale

This represents my first return to AltHistory in nearly two years and My first new timeline in almost five and has a much later start date than my previous big work Dutch Superpower, I would therefore be grateful for any feedback anyone might have, although as ever please don't edit anything without asking permission.

The July Revolution of 1830 is one of the genuinely fast moving moments of world where there are a huge variety of roads that history could but did not travel down. A Queen of the French is set in one of those roads, in which Adélaïde de Orleans frustrated with her brothers refusal to become Lieutenant General of France (Our point of divergence) and fearing that inaction will doom them to face the Guillotine decides to ride to Paris anyway at the head of a column of National Guard and finds herself, by popular acclaim made Queen of the French. History is forever changed, as her stronger republican credentials show in the actions of the July Monarchy now modelled on a similar model to the UK. Over the next 190 years french policy eventually solidifies as Keep the Prussians and Communists down, the British onside and the Italians free.

Outside of Europe, much of the world resembles what it does today, although many countries history was permenantly changed as a result. Europe itself was forever changed, Germany as we know it does not exit, not does much of central europe. Instead dozens of minor states surround the major powers, Prussia and Poland. Liberalism spread more aggressively than it did in our timeline, but so did reaction and while life is much better for many of the worlds citizens, for some it is much, much worse.

1830

If My brother will not save us, than I will. France cannot be left to radicals or the Ultras, we must, in the words of my Uncle Louis the 18th, not be a nation of two people. There is only one France, The France of the Sun King, The France of the Republic, The France of Napoleon! and the France of you the People, the bookkeeper, the industrialist, the housewife and even the banker. I will rule France in line with the constitution of 1792 and together with my elected ministry we will return France to her former glory and to Liberty, Equality and Brotherhood! - The Opening speech of newly crowned Queen Adélaïde to the French Parliament.

After being offered the position of Lieutenant General of France the Duke of Orleans Louis Phillipe gets cold feet, despite the bests attempts of Jacques Laffitte to convince him otherwise Louis Phillipe does not budge and refuses to take the position. As the various delegates leave the Palais Royale they are overhead discussing the possibility of approaching Napoleon II to take the throne.

Adélaïde, overhearing this decides to approach the delegates and offer what services she can. They are reluctant, but she corners Lafayette and in a thundering argument convinces the Hero of Two Worlds that a constitutional monarchy is the only answer to Frances current crisis and that his preferred republic can only lead to the Guillotine again. Reluctantly Lafayette agrees and orders a National Guard uniform made for the now Princess de Oreleans Adélaïde and joins her in leading a column of National Guardsmen and disaffected royalists into the center of Paris. In line with OTL, the revolutionaries are cowed by the National Guard and decide to allow the Princess the chance to present her case, In a stunning speech Adélaïde convinces the crowd at the Hotel de Ville to allow her to take the position offered to her brother and she is appointed Lieutenant General of France. She initaly refuses to be proclaimed Queen and instead accepts King Charles X abdication in favour of his Grandson, she will rule yes, but as Queen Regent, until the young Henri (Now titled Henri the 1st as a break from the Bourbon Line) has been suitably educated by republican educators to serve as King.

In doing so she is able to duck the question of whether a woman can rule France, claiming merely to be regent in an already established precedent (Although she would later become Queen in title as well as role). Likewise recognising the right of Henri to rule diminishes much of the reaction from the Ultras. Walking a tightrope Adélaïde is able to tie france together for the rest of her rule.

The Kingdom of France Today

France in 2018 remains one of the worlds great powers, behind only the United States (Frances closest Ally) and the much reduced Soviet Union. There remain Bonapartist reactionaries in the French Parliment but for the most part (With a few years of violence excepted) a combination of center left Doctrinaires, left wing Socialists and center right Jacobins have governed France for well over a century. France enjoys some of the highest standards of living in the known world and its citizens enjoy freedoms and rights unequaled in any other country. The Kingdom of France is stable and strong, in a way no one could have predicted at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and although still in contrast with the despotic remenants of the Soviet Union and Prussian empire is a beacon of liberty and Freedom throughout the world. All Thank to Adélaïde de Orleans, first Queen of the French.

A Queen of the French?

1830

The Kingdom of France Today

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