I think Hungary's main issue is that anyone who could potentially benefit from a larger, friendly Hungary has sentimental reasons to oppose it; for example, Russia could use a friendly buffer state across the Carpathians, but Hungary's non-Orthodoxy and non-Slavicness offend Russian sentiments. Similarly, a friendly Hungary could massively help Prussia in any German unification, but having overthrown their monarch the Kings of Prussia are doubtful to support them. The only natural ally for Hungary is France, and France isn't in much of a position to help Hungary against the Serbs or Romanians. IMO, the best scenario for Hungary is to do better at integrating the Slovaks, give the Serbs everything they can afford to, and focus on keeping Transylvania, all of which would become moot with any defeat in war. Even with this, the development of the Yugoslav identity would have to be curtailed in order to give Serbia a bigger foe once the Turks are gone for good, but if Hungary and Serbia stay friendly they could form a Balkan axis of power with Greece, perhaps with a railroad from Budapest to Salonica through Belgrade.
Pride Goes Before a Fall: A Revolutionary Greece Timeline
- Thread starter Earl Marshal
- Start date
That's why I think the original Serbia + Greece + Romania axis makes the most sense in otl as much as ittl. Serbia can't go Yugoslavia with Croatia and Romania would need someone other than Russia as their ally to balance themselves out.
PS I hope we get a unified Germany by the Hollenzerens marrying a female Austrian Hapsburg and declaring the german empire/Kaiserreich. Which stretches to Fiume. Actual Großdeustchland whoop whoop.
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While normally I would say I would like a non-Prussian/Austrian unified Germany a POD post-1800 is too late for that barring Prussia also getting screwed over royally by 1848. As long as it means the non-German parts of of Prussia and Austria get dropped beforehand it probably isn't the worst thing that could happen.
I mean maybe only just Croatia and they can be a vassal of the German empire with heaps of autonomy against Serbia too so it'd work. Also that doing it like this is more of an official way of saying Germany's unified.
All this talk of Hungary has got me thinking about how the Austrians have reacted to losing such a massive part of their empire? And the domino effect that will have had in this timeline in regards to how the empire/the Habsburgs sees themselves, foreign policy etc
They'd be much more German for one (which is why I think Großdeustchland would work ittl since Hungary's not part of the equation) and be much more (emotionally) involved in German politics and probably work with Prussia more on German considerations. Also Prussia would care about a med port much more than otl too since Austria's relatively weak too. This isn't good news for Itlay for their ambitions.
Idk I feel like with their egos bruised the price for cooperation with the Prussians over power in a larger German state would be high and I could easily see the Habsburgs trying to get a leg up on the Prussians by swaying the Catholic German states over to their side
So it'd only work when Austria is weakened but not broken. Something like a WWI, where Prussia and Austria win.
Well, personally, as long as the Czechs and Croats can have their own say over their own states, even if diplomacy and defense are handled by a Grossdeutschland Germany.
That's true. It is just as possible to see a still not-unified Germany in two spheres or two Germanies, a North and South, being the final result of this timeline's Age of Nationalism.
Hungary faces a number of challenges and unresolved issues with its neighbors.
- They have retained the ethnically german Burgenland.
- If they start a magyarization policy - quite possible if we judge by OTL, then the slovakian national awakening will start and the Czech part of the Triple Monarchy will start getting ideas.
- Transylvania will be issue with Romania.
- They might want to reclaim Croatia and an outlet to the sea.
One thing is for sure: the Triple Monarchy will be hostile to Hungary. I doubt that the Hungarians will be overly happy with almost their trade going through Trieste and Fiume - the Habsburgs would keep the hungarian economy hostage. If they want to diversify their options, a significant part of their trade must go through the Danube. Their relationship with Romania and Russia depends on how autonomous is Romania vis-a-vis Saint Petersburg. If Romania becomes a russian oblast, then Russia has a major interest in keeping romanian nationalism down and be very close to Budapest. The same applies if Romania is a client state/satelite: romanian nationalism will threaten the stability of Bessarabia. Last but not least, TTL Russia is more powerful than OTL as it has beaten Britain and the Ottman Empire and has absorbed Galicia. Hungary will have to tread lightly, since the Carpathians are the only obstacle for the Russian Army and there is always the hostile Triple Monarchy on the west flank. Overall, it seems to me that Russia and Hungary will develop a friendly relationship.
When it comes to Serbia, while Banat might become an issue in the future, this is not a major target of serbian nationalism. I would dare to say it is a tertiary and not evne a secondary one. Bosnia, Kosovo and the Morava valley are the serbian priorities. Especially when it comes to Bosnia, hungarian and serbian interests align. Hungary does not even border Bosnia - which is not a land of the Crown of St Stephen after all. A serbian Bosnia will always be preferable to a croatian one. Therefore, I think that there are no clashing interests between Hungary and Serbia, worth mentioning.
The Triple Monarchy on the other hand is very different to the OTL Double Monarchy. In the new state, Czechia with its industry and wealth is much more influential that the OTL Hungary. Likewise, Croatia has a special weight in the much reduced realm. The Habsburgs cannot hope to become a dominant power in (the whole of) Germany, so they will have to act as a Regional Power. I am under the impression that this new realm will be more focused in Germany. The czech industry has just lost a huge market in Hungary ad Galicia. Only the German Federation/Confederacy can compensate such loss. Likewise, the only role left for Austria is to act as a champion of german and catholic liberties. Therefore, it seems to me that both Austria and Czechia will look towards Germany, but also they could be centers of centrifugal forces when it comes to a centralized Germany. The Czechs ( the non-Germans in any case) won't want to be assimilated by Germany and the Austrians won't want to become just another province.
I think the final form of Germany will depend on Napoleon's policy. France is already significantly stronger than OTL. One could say that they have become a satiated power. If indeed is the case, then the French won't be aggressive towards Germany and specifically towards the Wittelsbach Palatinate. After all, they just fought a hard war with the Prussians that was a stalemate, even though Prussia is supposedly the weaker power. Under these conditions, it would make sense for Paris to cultivate a network of allies in the catholic german south. Defensive alliances and guarantees of Bavarian and Austrian sovereignty would go a long way to form an anti-prussian catholic bloc.
In the end, I think we will see either a very loose German Confederacy or a more integrated protestant Northern Germany and a looser confederacy of catholic german states.
- They have retained the ethnically german Burgenland.
- If they start a magyarization policy - quite possible if we judge by OTL, then the slovakian national awakening will start and the Czech part of the Triple Monarchy will start getting ideas.
- Transylvania will be issue with Romania.
- They might want to reclaim Croatia and an outlet to the sea.
One thing is for sure: the Triple Monarchy will be hostile to Hungary. I doubt that the Hungarians will be overly happy with almost their trade going through Trieste and Fiume - the Habsburgs would keep the hungarian economy hostage. If they want to diversify their options, a significant part of their trade must go through the Danube. Their relationship with Romania and Russia depends on how autonomous is Romania vis-a-vis Saint Petersburg. If Romania becomes a russian oblast, then Russia has a major interest in keeping romanian nationalism down and be very close to Budapest. The same applies if Romania is a client state/satelite: romanian nationalism will threaten the stability of Bessarabia. Last but not least, TTL Russia is more powerful than OTL as it has beaten Britain and the Ottman Empire and has absorbed Galicia. Hungary will have to tread lightly, since the Carpathians are the only obstacle for the Russian Army and there is always the hostile Triple Monarchy on the west flank. Overall, it seems to me that Russia and Hungary will develop a friendly relationship.
When it comes to Serbia, while Banat might become an issue in the future, this is not a major target of serbian nationalism. I would dare to say it is a tertiary and not evne a secondary one. Bosnia, Kosovo and the Morava valley are the serbian priorities. Especially when it comes to Bosnia, hungarian and serbian interests align. Hungary does not even border Bosnia - which is not a land of the Crown of St Stephen after all. A serbian Bosnia will always be preferable to a croatian one. Therefore, I think that there are no clashing interests between Hungary and Serbia, worth mentioning.
The Triple Monarchy on the other hand is very different to the OTL Double Monarchy. In the new state, Czechia with its industry and wealth is much more influential that the OTL Hungary. Likewise, Croatia has a special weight in the much reduced realm. The Habsburgs cannot hope to become a dominant power in (the whole of) Germany, so they will have to act as a Regional Power. I am under the impression that this new realm will be more focused in Germany. The czech industry has just lost a huge market in Hungary ad Galicia. Only the German Federation/Confederacy can compensate such loss. Likewise, the only role left for Austria is to act as a champion of german and catholic liberties. Therefore, it seems to me that both Austria and Czechia will look towards Germany, but also they could be centers of centrifugal forces when it comes to a centralized Germany. The Czechs ( the non-Germans in any case) won't want to be assimilated by Germany and the Austrians won't want to become just another province.
I think the final form of Germany will depend on Napoleon's policy. France is already significantly stronger than OTL. One could say that they have become a satiated power. If indeed is the case, then the French won't be aggressive towards Germany and specifically towards the Wittelsbach Palatinate. After all, they just fought a hard war with the Prussians that was a stalemate, even though Prussia is supposedly the weaker power. Under these conditions, it would make sense for Paris to cultivate a network of allies in the catholic german south. Defensive alliances and guarantees of Bavarian and Austrian sovereignty would go a long way to form an anti-prussian catholic bloc.
In the end, I think we will see either a very loose German Confederacy or a more integrated protestant Northern Germany and a looser confederacy of catholic german states.
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Over all I agree with your assessments, at least from what we’ve seen so far. I think there is one thing we’re forgetting is so far Hungary has been extremely aggressive to Russia. They do not want to be another Russian puppet and they’ve made that amply clear with their stance in the alt-Crimean War. They will be against Russia/Russian puppets gaining anything more in the Balkans if it threatens to make the Danube de facto Russian. Plus currently Hungary and Great Britain have an alliance unless that got dissolved after the war.
There’s nothing preventing a Hungarian-Russo détente, but it’s not as simple as it would look at first blush.
*Laugh maniacally!
Want to really throw a spanner into things? Britain and France both want a largely neutral power to take the territory to keep down border friction between them - especially if such neutral party vows to allow free trade. Yeah: give it to the United States(Which, actually, would be a fascinating idea to see played out and isn't as impossible as it first sounds. The US was actually a strong early supporter of Leopold's plan - and did have some interests in the region. Not saying EASY to pull this off, but far from being ASB).
But a more realistic option would be the Congo being divided between two or three powers. Though if we want a smaller nation to get it, perhaps the Dutch or Danes? Or even Portugal - though I suspect that would overtax their resources.
Why not give Congo to the Congolese?
Jk, jk.
This is the era of imperialism and colonialism after all, so I'd expect someone to take the coast of the Congo and probably some of the lands surrounding the Congo River at the very least. To be honest though, I haven't put much work into Sub-Saharan Africa yet outside of a few random plot lines that are far in the future. So any ideas or thoughts on this topic are much appreciated!
Regrettably I haven't read that timeline, but it sounds like it has some very interesting concepts that I might consider.
Thank you very much @SpoookySpecter and welcome aboard!
Firstly regarding the Danubian Principalities, they are now united. I was originally going to mention this development in the previous chapter when going over Princess Katherine's suitors, with one of the leading candidates being the Prince of Romania/Dacia/Danubia, but I couldn't settle on a particular name for the country or a particular Prince to become its King. The timing was also an issue as the Danubian Principalities were still embroiled in Russia's War with the Turks and British, making it a rather bad time to have a marriage.
Anyway, I digress. Wallachia and Moldavia united a few months after the end of the Great Russian War with the consent of St. Petersburg. Relations between the two states are good right now as Romania/Dacia/ the United Principalities were officially liberated by the Russians from Turkish suzerainty, although they will soon come to realize this is not a good development for them as they traded a declining overlord that generally left them alone for an ascending suzerain that is more than capable of interfering in their affairs.
I don't think the Russians had an issue with Romania's name in OTL, so I'm not really sure they'd have an issue here either. Maybe being in a stronger position versus OTL, might incline them to oppose the use of Romania as they are better placed to actually back up their claims to the Third Rome mantle here than in OTL. Either way, I haven't committed to anything yet so I'm fine with changing it if enough of you all want it to be something in particular. I am a man of the people after all!
Now regarding Bosnia, I'm not entirely sure if an independent and Muslim Bosnia is possible right now as the Ottomans effectively gutted the local leadership in the region following the last round of rebellions in the region. Moreover, those local magnates that remain just aren't as inclined to independence as those that were exiled/executed during the 1830s. In their eyes, the Ottoman Sultan is their leader and despite the inadequacies and hardships they've faced in recent years, the Porte is still deserving of their undying loyalty.
Now if the Ottomans did collapse in the Balkans, it is possible that some local magnates could emerge and attempt to establish an independent Bosnia, but they are surrounded by states that want a piece of their territory, if not the whole thing. Serbia in particular is definitely inclined to invade if given the chance to and Croatia would be interested too if the right opportunity presented itself. I'm not saying its impossible, but it would probably have to fight its neighbors for its right to exist as an independent state.
Sadly census data for 19th Century Bosnia is rather hard to come by as the region was wracked with plagues and conflict. Some reports indicate the region had around one million people, of whom roughly half were Muslims whilst the remaining half was split 30/20 between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic. Apparently, Bosnia would lose around 15% of its population during the Wars of 1875-1878. After the Austrians occupied the region, their first census would record a drop in the Muslim population from 50% of the population to around 38% and it would keep dropping in each subsequent census by the Austrians from 36% in 1885 to 32% in 1910, with this trend continuing under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia until WWII when it started rebounding. I'm guessing an independent Bosnia wouldn't see this same decline in its Muslim population relative to its Eastern Orthodox Population, but I'm not entirely sure.
At this point, I want this to happen too because I think it would be hilarious!
Honestly, Hungary is in a tough spot right now. They don't have many friends in their neighborhood, while also having a lot of neighbors who would love to take a bite out of them. I don't really see a Greek-Hungarian alliance as likely as the Greeks have more in common with the Serbians than they do the Hungarians. While I doubt they'd do anything to antagonize each other, I don't see them allying with one another right now either.
Now the Hungarians could ally themselves with the Prussians if Berlin found themselves at odds with the Austrians. However, I doubt this would be a long term alliance given the political differences between them as mentioned above, which while not a deal breaker, it definitely doesn't really help the matter. Similarly, I doubt a Hungarian-Russian alliance is in the cards for this same reason as Prussia. Moreover, there is the past antagonism between them as Hungary supported the Polish uprising and they sent troops to aid the Ottomans. Now if Romania starts acting up and is no longer a willing Russian vassal, then maybe some sort of arrangement with Hungary could be in the cards. Politics does make strange bedfellows after all!
Italy is also a strong possibility if it ever comes to blows with the Austrians and unlike the Prussians they do have a relatively liberal system of government. However, the Italian Confederation isn't exactly the most powerful or the most united country out there right now, but if they ever unite into a more centralized state then they could be a very strong option. France isn't exactly the best ally either as their current Emperor, Napoleon II is half Hapsburg and whilst he isn't particularly fond of his Austrian cousins, they are still his family. Granted, he doesn't have dictatorial powers and he is getting quite old, so it is possible that an alliance happens in the future. Another possible option for Hungary could be the Ottomans, although given the latter's recent history this may not be a good thing and it might do them more harm than good.
I'll preface this by saying I'll cover all of this in more detail in a future chapter on Germany, but for now know that Prussia is still the leading state in Germany. It managed to fight France to a draw (granted this France was imploding and poorly led, and they had the help of the Dutch), it has incorporated Neutral Moresnet and Luxembourg into its Rhineland territories and it weathered the Revolutions of 1848 relatively unharmed. The formation of the "Federal German Empire" in Frankfurt does pose an issue for them, but it is not an insurmountable one for them.
Austria on the other hand was dealt a rather crippling blow in the 1848 Revolutions, dropping it from a Great Power down to a regional power. It is still strong, but it no longer has the same strength and influence that it once did. Now this could be a blessing in disguise as it could allow Vienna to concentrate their resources and enact some desperately needed reforms. Similarly, the collapse of their Empire effectively forces Vienna to refocus its efforts towards the West as revanchism towards Hungary aside, they don't have much pulling them eastward anymore.
Vienna's biggest problem is that they are effectively split into three Kingdoms, each with competing aims. For that reason, I doubt the Croats and Czechs would be very interested in wasting their treasure and their blood to the sole benefit of the Austrians by aggrandizing themselves in Germany. Likewise, I don't see Vienna or Prague supporting a Croat expansion into Bosnia or Czech expansion into Slovakia. Actually, this last point might actually be the most likely given Austria's resentment towards Hungary. Ultimately, its a house of cards that will require a lot of skill to manage and a lot of luck to survive long term, but anything is possible and stranger things have certainly happened.
One last note, I'll have the next chapter out tomorrow.
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Since the Free Congo State wasn't actually a Belgian colony but rather a private posession of Leopold, how about making ITL Congo a full-on international conglomerate zone ?
Since the US wants free trade in the region, and the European powers want a neutral zone, they decide that the region won't go to any single country, but instead will be a international free trade zone, ruled by the "Free Congo Company" under joint british, french, portuguese, american and german ownership as the shareholders board.
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Complete with faction fighting in the main port city for extra flavour.
Goooooooood.
Tbf you can have both Romania and Dacia where Dacia is the exonym and Romania is the autonym much like Germany and Deutschland.
Tbf the primary ally of Hungary in the Balkans is Bulgaria. They both have Serbia as an enemy as they all have competing claims from each other. Bulgaria is also an enemy of Greece which makes an Greek Hungarian alliance even less plausible.
Also new update! Nice and thanks!
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Well, Napoleon II was born in 1811 - so if we're nearing 1860, that would make te Eaglette 49 years old. Which, though no doubt appearing ancient to his own children (has he any yet?) I don't think would really constitute "getting quite old." At least, uhhhhh, I really hope not! Ain't there yet, but it's significantly closer than 21
49 is getting quite old, news to me at 31.Well, Napoleon II was born in 1811 - so if we're nearing 1860, that would make te Eaglette 49 years old. Which, though no doubt appearing ancient to his own children (has he any yet?) I don't think would really constitute "getting quite old." At least, uhhhhh, I really hope not! Ain't there yet, but it's significantly closer than 21
I jest, kinda...but yeah, Nappy is getting there in age, considering not counting his father, a lot of his family survived into their late 60s, so maybe another 20 years, even then, while France (and maybe even Britain) are viable major allies, not sure if either would want Hungary as an ally.
I mean wasn’t life expectancy in the 1800’s like 40-50? Obviously being a powerful ruler gives you a much better chance at having a long life but that is hardly guaranteed
It was that low but generally only if you were counting from birth onwards, which given high-rates of infant and child mortality drastically skewed it downward.
Of course there's still been large improvements too, especially in women given declining maternal deaths. But point being someone who had survived to the age of 20 reasonably could expect to live into their 50s or beyond, all else being equal.
Part 95: The Coburg Love Affair
Part 95: The Coburg Love Affair
The King and his Mistress
The relationship between Leopold and his children has been well documented and detailed as mentioned in previous chapters. He was a doting father to his daughter Katherine, upon whom he showered all his parental love and affection. He was strict, yet fair to his second son Alexander owing to the latter’s skills and the strong resemblance to himself. Finally, he was cold at best and abusive at worst to his eldest son and heir, Constantine whom he constantly ridiculed and neglected. Yet the relationship between King Leopold and their mother, his wife Queen Marie of Württemberg has been much harder to discern.
On the surface, King Leopold was portrayed as a faithful, if somewhat distant husband to his wife of 29 years. They were regularly seen together either walking down the main promenade of Athens or riding horses across through the Attica countryside – one of the few pastimes that still brought visible excitement to Leopold. They would regularly entertain guests in the Royal Palace, whilst on quieter occasions they would sit together and read in their study for hours on end. He would confide in her and listen to her counsel on matters of state and foreign policy – even if he didn’t always follow it. Finally, they had had three successful children and numerous grandchildren with more on the way, ensuring that their line would continue for generations to come. Yet, despite all this, there was something amiss with their marriage.
For one, Leopold was more than 25 years her senior, having been born in 1790, whilst she was born in 1816. Although age gaps between spouses was certainly common, especially among royal couples; the great magnitude of this difference was certainly an outlier even by the standards of the day. By all rights, Leopold was old enough to be her father - coincidentally he was only 9 years younger than her actual father, King Wilhelm of Württemberg. Moreover, owing to their vastly different ages, the two had vastly different experiences growing up which would shape them in completely different ways.
Having been born on the 16th of December 1790, the first twenty-five years of Leopold’s life would be shaped by tragedy and strife brought on by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. In late 1806, his homeland the Ernestine Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld was occupied by the French during the War of the Fourth Coalition after his father had made the disastrous decision to join Prussia in its fight against the Corsican Devil.[1] Broken by this defeat, Leopold’s father Duke Francis died soon after, whilst his brother Ernest and mother Augusta Reuss were forced to flee to Russia for refuge. Leopold himself was taken as a hostage and later sent to Paris in return for an end to French occupation of the Duchy. After some time as a captive in France, he would escape to Russia where he would serve during the Patriotic War of 1812 and following War of the Sixth Coalition, making a name for himself as a brave and dashing cavalry officer culminating in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig. Sadly, the end of war and defeat of Napoleon would not signal an end to Leopold’s hardships or his tragedies, but it would offer a brief respite.
In early 1816 on a chance meeting in London, Leopold met Charlotte Princess of Wales, the heiress to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The two would quickly develop a romantic attraction for one another and fell deeper and deeper into love in the coming months. By the end of the May, the two were wed and within a year, Charlotte was pregnant with their first child. Sadly, this happiness was but a fleeting moment in Leopold’s otherwise dreadful life as their infant son was stillborn. Completing the tragedy would be the death of Princess Charlotte hours later due to medical complications from the miscarriage. Devastated by these twin losses, Leopold retreated into a self-imposed solitude and stupor for 13 long years, barely stirring from Claremont House. When he was finally called upon to become King of Greece in 1830 by his British paymasters, he was a markedly different man. Where he was once kind and compassionate, he was now cold and callous. Where he had been once been brave and dashing, he had now become cautious and calculating.
Claremont House; Leopold’s home for 14 years
Queen Marie, meanwhile, was born on the 30th of October 1816 and would be raised during a time of general peace and prosperity across Europe as the Corsican Devil was defeated and the Old Order was finally restored. Unlike Leopold she would experience no wars or civil unrest, she would not need to flee to distant lands or fight in terrible wars. No, her childhood was an ideal one filled with love and family. The only tragedy Marie that would experience in her youth was the loss of her birth mother, Grand Duchess Katherine Pavlona of Russia in 1819. Yet, as she was only a small child at the time Marie hardly knew her at the time of her death. Soon after, her father, King William married his cousin, Duchess Pauline of Württemberg, and whilst this could have complicated young Marie’s life, her stepmother readily accepted Marie and her sister Sophie into her loving embrace, raising the two girls as if they were her own. Whilst her youth was certainly charmed, her marriage would not be as fortunate.
Though Leopold still retained most of his famous good looks at the time of their marriage in early 1833, he was emotionally distant and dreadfully dull. Moreover, his marriage to Marie was based more upon good business and politics, than on love or genuine affection between the two. Leopold certainly cared for her, or rather he cared for what she represented to him – a connection to one of the great distinguished houses of Europe and all the prestige and respect that marriage would bring to him. She knew all this, yet it still hurt her deeply that the man she was to marry had little love for her as a person. Ever the dutiful daughter, Marie would maintain appearances during the wedding service for the sake of her family, but behind closed doors she would later admit to her maids and ladies that she wept all throughout her wedding night. After spending a fortnight in Stuttgart, the royal couple would depart for Greece in what was to be another troubling event for the young Queen as she left the land of her birth for a distant and unruly land on the cusp of civilization.
Although Leopold was a cold and rather loveless man, he was not heartless or cruel to young Marie and would slowly win her affections through his gentle and respectful demeanor. Thanks to good providence, three children would be born from this union and to all it seemed as if Leopold and Marie had finally come to understand one another, if not love each other. Perhaps they did for a time. Yet the loss of their fourth child (a stillborn son) upended whatever affection had grown between them in their seven years of marriage. Both King and Queen were said to be deeply aggrieved by the loss of their fourth child as they went into mourning for several weeks. Yet, their grief would affect them in completely different ways.
Seeking to replace the loss of her fourth child through the nurturing of her first three, Queen Marie would devote herself to them more than ever before. She would dote on them whenever possible, giving her love freely and endlessly, whilst also providing them with toys and trinkets whenever Leopold would permit them. More than that, she would take on a more active role in their education and development; selecting instructors, preparing curriculum and providing them with opportunities to grow and have new experiences.
Queen Marie of Greece, circa 1834
In sharp contrast, King Leopold would withdraw further into himself. He would distance himself from his wife, both figuratively and literally, as he refrained from sharing the same bed as her for the remainder of their marriage. Yet Leopold did not suddenly choose the life of an ascetic, nor that of a chaste monk to ease his melancholy. No, it is likely that he simply did not wish to see his dear wife, suffer, and die in childbirth as his beloved Charlotte had so many years before. Instead, he would look for loose women and cheap thrills to fill the hole in his cold heart and satisfy the lustful urges he still possessed.
In what was perhaps, one of his worst kept secrets, King Leopold had a propensity for having several mistresses throughout his lifetime. Although it is unknown how many extramarital affairs Leopold engaged in over the years, there were a few noteworthy women to enter his life. The first was the German actress Caroline Bauer, niece of Leopold’s close friend and confidante Doctor Christian Friedrich Stockmar. Owing to her eerily close resemblance to his late wife Princess Charlotte, the two would develop a rather close relationship with one another, with Caroline showing great love and loyalty towards the dour Prince in their short time together. Although Leopold refrained from opening his heart to her fully, he did open his home to Caroline and her mother (Baron Stockmar’s sister). Because of this many believed that Leopold had married the woman. These rumors eventually proved untrue – much to Caroline’s disappointment, but they would continue to persist until Leopold formally broke off all relations with her in 1830 upon taking the Greek Throne.
Although he had ended his relations with Caroline Bauer upon arriving in Greece in 1830, he did not swear himself off from romantic flings as he quickly established relations with a number of women in the nascent Greek Court soon after arriving in his new Kingdom. To what extent these relations progressed, none but Leopold and those women can say. Nonetheless, it can be confirmed that Leopold was quite keen on the Phanariot actress Rallou Karatza during the first months of his reign, with particularly salacious rumors claiming the pair shared a few nights together in 1831. Similarly, rumors contend that Katarina Botsaris was also a familiar of the King. Although Katarina would reveal that she had tender feelings for King Leopold as a youthful girl, she remained adamant they did not engage in sexual activities together, nor was her dignity besmirched through promiscuity. Owing to her father’s good reputation and great influence - along with a few underhanded suggestions of violence by his followers, these rumors didn’t persist very long.
To his credit, Leopold would refrain from engaging in any extramarital affairs after his marriage to Queen Marie to not offend his young and fertile and beautiful wife (and his rather potent in-laws). Yet, as the years progressed and Marie’s beauty began to fade and her child baring years passed her by, Leopold’s lustful eyes began to wander. They need not look far as they would eventually settle upon one of his wife’s companions, the lady Fotini Mavromichali.
Granddaughter of famed Maniot chieftain Petros "Petrobey" Mavromichalis, Fotini was born in 1826 just prior to Ibrahim Pasha’s campaign in the Mani. There she would spend much of her childhood; only occasionally venturing out of Laconia alongside her father Anastasios on his business trips to Athens. Yet following her 17th birthday, her father brought her with him to the Capital as he had done many times before, yet on this specific occasion she would catch the eye of Queen Marie. The two quickly formed a rapport and within days she was brought into the Queen’s retinue as a lady in waiting. Known for her beauty as well as her kindness and great wit, Fotini was well regarded in the Greek court and quickly developed a fondness with the young Princess Katherine, effectively becoming a surrogate older sister for the young girl.
Fotini was also incredibly popular with many of the young men in court, who frequently romanced her and asked for her favor. Even the young prince Constantine is said to have been smitten by her beauty when he first laid eyes on her. Yet, being little more than a child at their first meeting and being highly inexperience in the art of romance, he failed to win her affections or her interest beyond a passing respect for his royal station much to young Constantine’s dismay. Twisting the knife even further, it would be his father King Leopold who earned her affections instead.
Fotini Mavromichalis, longtime mistress of King Leopold
Although official accounts on the beginning of their love affair are sparse, it is believed that Leopold first began courting the Mavromichalis girl within a few weeks of her arrival in Athens in late 1843. Try as she might to resist him at first, she would eventually succumb to his relentless advances sometime during the Spring of 1845, beginning an illicit affair that would last for the better part of the next two decades.[2] Slowly, but surely, rumors would begin to circulate first through the palace and then throughout Athens of Leopold’s infidelity. Hoping to cover his tracks and mitigate the bad press, he would arrange a fitting match for Fotini with Naval Commander Andreas Miaoulis in the Summer of 1846.
Lieutenant Commander Miaoulis was himself the grandson of the famed Hydriot Admiral Andreas Miaoulis and had joined the Hellenic Navy in 1836. Owing to his great skill and family connections within the Navy, Andreas would quickly rise through the ranks, earning the highly prestigious – if somewhat dull assignment as the ship captain for King Leopold’s leisure yacht Hellas. Despite the great differences in age and upbringing, the two developed a rather strong bond with one another based on their shared interests in the sea and their respective military experiences. Miaoulis was also known to be unquestionably loyal to Leopold, whom he considered as a friend and mentor. Regrettably, it was this very relationship that Leopold now sought to exploit.
Using Miaoulis’ prominent position in the King’s retinue as an excuse, Fotini could be kept nearer to Leopold, whilst her husband was conveniently occupied with the King’s business. Loyal Miaoulis, remained blissfully unaware of his liege’s true machinations and began courting Fotini upon Leopold’s suggestion in early 1846. Either through genuine affection for one another, or out of loyalty to Leopold, Fotini accepted Andreas’ proposal of marriage with King Leopold giving his blessing for the match on the 11th of June 1846. With a cover now established, the lovers were free to continue their affair in the shadows.
Eventually, Fotini would temporarily resign from the Queen’s service during the Fall of 1847, only to return to her service the following Spring after giving birth to a son, who was coincidentally named Leo. Although many would pretend otherwise, most assumed that the boy was the son of the King given his features and the alleged timing of his conception as his legal father was out of the country at the time.
Queen Marie for her part would feign ignorance, although she would dismiss Fotini from her service several months later – officially to provide her with more time to raise her son. Her attitude towards Leopold became noticeably different, however. Although she had always deferred to her husband and respected his judgement, by the late 1840’s/early 1850’s she became increasingly solemn and meek towards him, if not melancholic when in his company. Perhaps she felt as if she had failed him in some capacity or maybe she felt as if she had slighted him in some manner, justifying this betrayal. Hurt and confused as she was, Marie would not condemn Leopold for his infidelity, nor would she call him out on it in public enabling Leopold to continue with his affair as if nothing had happened at all.
Outside of this child's birth and all the rumors surrounding the boy’s true parentage, there would be few ramifications for Leopold as he remained both popular and prestigious and growed more popular still in the coming years. Leopold’s “patronage” of reputable journalists would also help to cover the King’s tracks as these writers and reporters would often dismiss the King’s extramarital adventures as idle gossip and slander against the Monarchy, whilst muddying the waters with stories of the King's successes and triumphs. Similarly, Leopold would go to great lengths to secure the support of the Mavromichali clan through various appointments to prominent positions in court for Fotini’s brothers Petros and Konstantinos, the Governorship of Laconia for her father Anastasios, and seats in the Senate for her other distinguished uncles and cousins. For a time then, it would have seemed that the issue was at an end. Little Leo was raised unaware of his royal lineage, whilst his “father”, Andreas magnanimously accepted the child as his own and made no further fuss about the issue – at least in public.
This state of affairs would continue for the better part of the next 15 years with the lovers seeing each other sporadically, until early May of 1862 when Queen Marie’s father, King Wilhelm I of Württemberg died from a stroke at the age of 80. Although he was quite old and Württemberg - like much of Germany, was awash with unrest and nationalistic fervor, his death was still rather sudden and unexpected for Queen Marie as he had been reportedly in good health only weeks before his passing. Despondent at the loss of her dear father, the Queen immediately departed for Stuttgart, accompanied by her sons and a number of her ladies. Noticeably absent from this Royal party was King Leopold, who was himself ill at the time and was unable to make the long journey with his wife to Germany. Despite her grief, Marie initially offered to stay and tend to her ailing husband, yet out of "true compassion" Leopold encouraged her to go without him, which she reluctantly agreed to.
Funeral Procession of King William I of Württemberg
With his wife and sons conveniently away from the Palace for the next few months, Leopold was thus presented with a golden opportunity to enjoy the company of his longtime mistress who quickly rushed to join him within a day of the Queen's departure. Although her looks had begun to fade by the 1860’s, Leopold still cherished his mistress and doted on her as he did his daughter long ago. Perhaps it was the absence of his beloved Katherine that prompted Leopold to call upon his longtime lover at this time. Or maybe it was a spur of the moment decision with his wife and sons away in Württemberg. Or perhaps, he had genuine feelings for her that went beyond looks and sex. Either way, Fotini Miaoulis was boldly seen entering the King’s bed chambers multiple times over the coming weeks and months, much to the concern and shock of the palace staff. Although his defenders would describe these interactions as that of one friend nursing another back to good health, his detractors would decry Leopold as fraternizing with his mistress whilst his grieving wife and children mourned her father in Stuttgart.
Although this was certainly a bad look for King Leopold, the worst was still to come as young Leo Miaoulis accompanied his mother to the Palace one day in late June. Instantly it became clear whose son he really was. Although barely 14 years of age, young Leo was the spitting image of King Leopold during his youth. He was tall, well muscled, with dark hair and a handsome face featuring the Coburg family’s famous good looks. Unable to deny the truth in front of him, the King and the “Miaoulis boy” would share a few words with one another in public, before departing behind closed doors for a much longer interaction. Sadly, what was said during this exchange was not recorded, but according to second-hand accounts, King Leopold all but confirmed young Leo’s true heritage to the boy and a group of his closest confidantes. Despite their best efforts at secrecy, this information quickly cascaded outwards throughout the Palace and then into the city of Athens.
For the boy’s legal father, Andreas Miaoulis the timing couldn’t have been worse. His life over the last decade and a half had been anything but blessed. His health had deteriorated, his looks had declined, and two of his children (a daughter named Chrissida and a son named Dimitrios) died of cholera in 1856. Moreover, his Naval career came to an abrupt end following the Lebanon Expedition in 1860. Whilst cruising off the coast of Sidon, his ship would come under fire from a pair of small fletches under the control of the Arab rebels. Despite being a veteran Navy captain of 24 years, the altercation greatly unnerved him as a nearby cabin boy was struck in the gut by a 6 pounder, disemboweling him instantly. Seeing a young boy no older than his own son die before him in an extremely excruciating manner, Captain Miaoulis succumbed to a minor nervous breakdown prompting his first mate to assume command in his stead.
Upon his return to Greece later that year, Andreas was promptly cashiered from the service citing problems with his health. Thereafter, he had troubling holding employment for longer than a few months before his deteriorating mindset forced him to retreat into isolation for weeks at a time to recover. Beyond the obvious financial problems caused by this, there were also a number of problems for his marriage with Fotini, whose status as a prominent Athenian socialite was dependent upon the appearance of a stable marriage and an opulent lifestyle. On several occasions between the Fall of 1860 and the Spring of 1862, no less than two dozen Gendarmeries were called to the Miaoulis household in downtown Athens to breakup spats between the embattled husband and his disgruntled wife.
Now came the renewed rumors of his wife’s infidelity, rumors which were confirmed in the harshest manner possible with the revelation that his eldest son was in fact the child of King Leopold. Although he had always suspected the truth regarding Leo's lineage – if not known it outright, Andreas Miaoulis had always treated him as his own. He had loved the boy and truly believed him to be his own, if not by blood than at least by choice. Yet this revelation still stung deeply. Moreover, he did not find a sympathetic press willing to support him in this distressing time. Instead, he would find himself being mocked as a cuckold and a fool. His marriage was revealed to be a sham, his eldest son wasn’t his own, and his close friend, the King was actually his greatest betrayer. Heartbroken and betrayed, Andreas Miaoulis would draw his service pistol and shoot himself in the head on the 20th of October 1862, killing him instantly.[3]
The Death of Andreas Miaoulis
For Leopold, this was an utter disaster.
At first, he would attempt to brush off Miaoulis’ suicide as an unfortunate coincidence brought about by his mental instability. Yet when this proved insufficient at diverting public attention; he and his supporters would instead go on the offensive, decrying his adversaries in the press and legislature for using the death of his close friend as a political weapon against him. Though this would work to some degree, it would soon be upended when a half dozen women came forward, claiming they had sired children with the King. Although most would be turned away as gossipers and liars, at least two of these claimants would be considered legitimate. The first was a former maid in the Palace, whose thirteen-year-old daughter Sophie bore a striking resemblance to Princess Katherine. The other was a young boy named Georgios, whose mother was not publicly identified beyond her name of Anna.[4] He was a stocky boy of 6 and had a a thick head of hair and a face similar to that of Prince Alexander when he was a small child making it apparent to all whose son he was.
Faced with mounting pressure from his adversaries and even some of his allies; King Leopold had little recourse but to publicly acknowledge his errors, admit his faults, and beseech the Greek people for their forgiveness. A magnanimous people by nature, the Hellenes, begrudgingly forgave their erstwhile King, but only after he had made sure to provide reparations to the aggrieved Miaoulis family for their tragic loss. Although the total sum was not officially revealed, the personal funds Leopold set aside would provide for the Miaoulis children for years to come. For his other children, Leopold would provide enough funds for their mothers to live comfortable lives, whilst Leopold would make various arrangements regarding their education and upbringing.
The Hellenic Legislature was less forgiving, as they formally denounced the King’s unfaithfulness towards his lawful wife and moved to censure him. The Vouli would also establish an oversight committee to oversee the Monarchy’s finances in general, but particularly those of the reigning monarch. Effectively, this was to ensure that the King wasn’t wasting the people’s money on his superfluous relationships and hush money on nosy journalists. This was not enough for some, as many of the Republicans and Socialists within the Vouli attempted to initiate an investigation into Leopold’s wrongdoings to see if he had perjured himself before the Vouli or committed any crimes with his numerous affairs and attempted coverups. Were it not for the stern leadership of Prime Minister Constantine Kanaris, it is possible that something more could have actually come of these investigations. Instead these matters were quashed and shelved, albeit at a great cost to Kanaris' already flagging health and political capital.
The true crucible, however, would come with the return of his wife Marie and their sons Constantine and Alexander. For Prince Constantine, this development effectively ended their relationship once and for all. Although he relished in his father’s public humiliation, Constantine could not help but feel that his father had tarnished the Crown’s good name in the waning days of his reign. Moreover, he despised his father for betraying their mother in the manner that he did and would henceforth refuse to speak to Leopold in person, only choosing to communicate with him via letters or intermediaries. Prince Alexander would be a little more reserved in his response, choosing to keep up appearances in public for the sake of the family. Yet in private, he would similarly distance himself from his father and only make amends with Leopold a few days prior to his death. Ironically, it would be Queen Marie who was the least hostile towards Leopold despite being the most aggrieved. Either out of genuine love for her husband or out of a keen political acumen, Queen Marie publicly forgave her lecherous husband for his infidelities against her and humbly asked that the people of Greece do so too. What was said in private between husband and wife is unknown however.
Regardless, Leopold’s extramarital affairs were formally ended in January 1863 as Fotini Miaoulis would promptly leave Athens and return to the Mani where she would reside with her family for the rest of her days. Not much is known about the other women in Leopold’s life after 1862, only that they similarly kept low profiles and disappeared from public life soon after the scandal became public knowledge. Years later, Fotini’s son Leo Miaoulis would follow his royal half-brothers into the Military, yet in honor of his late “father" Andreas, he would join the Navy and enjoy a long and storied career. Leopold’s other children, Sophie and Georgios would remain with their respective mothers until they came of age, with Leopold continually planning their education and development until his own death in 1864. Eventually, the matter would pass as other issues came to the fore of Greek politics and so it was, that the Hellenic Monarchy weathered its most fearsome storm yet. Whether they would weather the next crisis was anyone’s guess.
Next Time: The End of the Beginning
[1] Leopold’s brother, Ernest served in the battles of Jena and Auerstadt alongside the Prussians, whilst his other brother Ferdinand served in the Battles of Aspern-Essling and Wagram with the Austrians. All three brothers would reunite during the War of the Sixth Coalition where they all served with distinction.
[2] The OTL Fotini Mavromichali was also a lady in waiting to Queen Amalie of Greece, and it is rumored that she had an affair with King Otto. ITTL they aren’t just rumors.
[3] The tragic end of TTL’s Andreas Miaoulis is conjecture based upon his OTL suicide in 1887.
[4] OTL Leopold had at least two children out of wedlock.
The King and his Mistress
The relationship between Leopold and his children has been well documented and detailed as mentioned in previous chapters. He was a doting father to his daughter Katherine, upon whom he showered all his parental love and affection. He was strict, yet fair to his second son Alexander owing to the latter’s skills and the strong resemblance to himself. Finally, he was cold at best and abusive at worst to his eldest son and heir, Constantine whom he constantly ridiculed and neglected. Yet the relationship between King Leopold and their mother, his wife Queen Marie of Württemberg has been much harder to discern.
On the surface, King Leopold was portrayed as a faithful, if somewhat distant husband to his wife of 29 years. They were regularly seen together either walking down the main promenade of Athens or riding horses across through the Attica countryside – one of the few pastimes that still brought visible excitement to Leopold. They would regularly entertain guests in the Royal Palace, whilst on quieter occasions they would sit together and read in their study for hours on end. He would confide in her and listen to her counsel on matters of state and foreign policy – even if he didn’t always follow it. Finally, they had had three successful children and numerous grandchildren with more on the way, ensuring that their line would continue for generations to come. Yet, despite all this, there was something amiss with their marriage.
For one, Leopold was more than 25 years her senior, having been born in 1790, whilst she was born in 1816. Although age gaps between spouses was certainly common, especially among royal couples; the great magnitude of this difference was certainly an outlier even by the standards of the day. By all rights, Leopold was old enough to be her father - coincidentally he was only 9 years younger than her actual father, King Wilhelm of Württemberg. Moreover, owing to their vastly different ages, the two had vastly different experiences growing up which would shape them in completely different ways.
Having been born on the 16th of December 1790, the first twenty-five years of Leopold’s life would be shaped by tragedy and strife brought on by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. In late 1806, his homeland the Ernestine Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld was occupied by the French during the War of the Fourth Coalition after his father had made the disastrous decision to join Prussia in its fight against the Corsican Devil.[1] Broken by this defeat, Leopold’s father Duke Francis died soon after, whilst his brother Ernest and mother Augusta Reuss were forced to flee to Russia for refuge. Leopold himself was taken as a hostage and later sent to Paris in return for an end to French occupation of the Duchy. After some time as a captive in France, he would escape to Russia where he would serve during the Patriotic War of 1812 and following War of the Sixth Coalition, making a name for himself as a brave and dashing cavalry officer culminating in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig. Sadly, the end of war and defeat of Napoleon would not signal an end to Leopold’s hardships or his tragedies, but it would offer a brief respite.
In early 1816 on a chance meeting in London, Leopold met Charlotte Princess of Wales, the heiress to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The two would quickly develop a romantic attraction for one another and fell deeper and deeper into love in the coming months. By the end of the May, the two were wed and within a year, Charlotte was pregnant with their first child. Sadly, this happiness was but a fleeting moment in Leopold’s otherwise dreadful life as their infant son was stillborn. Completing the tragedy would be the death of Princess Charlotte hours later due to medical complications from the miscarriage. Devastated by these twin losses, Leopold retreated into a self-imposed solitude and stupor for 13 long years, barely stirring from Claremont House. When he was finally called upon to become King of Greece in 1830 by his British paymasters, he was a markedly different man. Where he was once kind and compassionate, he was now cold and callous. Where he had been once been brave and dashing, he had now become cautious and calculating.
Claremont House; Leopold’s home for 14 years
Queen Marie, meanwhile, was born on the 30th of October 1816 and would be raised during a time of general peace and prosperity across Europe as the Corsican Devil was defeated and the Old Order was finally restored. Unlike Leopold she would experience no wars or civil unrest, she would not need to flee to distant lands or fight in terrible wars. No, her childhood was an ideal one filled with love and family. The only tragedy Marie that would experience in her youth was the loss of her birth mother, Grand Duchess Katherine Pavlona of Russia in 1819. Yet, as she was only a small child at the time Marie hardly knew her at the time of her death. Soon after, her father, King William married his cousin, Duchess Pauline of Württemberg, and whilst this could have complicated young Marie’s life, her stepmother readily accepted Marie and her sister Sophie into her loving embrace, raising the two girls as if they were her own. Whilst her youth was certainly charmed, her marriage would not be as fortunate.
Though Leopold still retained most of his famous good looks at the time of their marriage in early 1833, he was emotionally distant and dreadfully dull. Moreover, his marriage to Marie was based more upon good business and politics, than on love or genuine affection between the two. Leopold certainly cared for her, or rather he cared for what she represented to him – a connection to one of the great distinguished houses of Europe and all the prestige and respect that marriage would bring to him. She knew all this, yet it still hurt her deeply that the man she was to marry had little love for her as a person. Ever the dutiful daughter, Marie would maintain appearances during the wedding service for the sake of her family, but behind closed doors she would later admit to her maids and ladies that she wept all throughout her wedding night. After spending a fortnight in Stuttgart, the royal couple would depart for Greece in what was to be another troubling event for the young Queen as she left the land of her birth for a distant and unruly land on the cusp of civilization.
Although Leopold was a cold and rather loveless man, he was not heartless or cruel to young Marie and would slowly win her affections through his gentle and respectful demeanor. Thanks to good providence, three children would be born from this union and to all it seemed as if Leopold and Marie had finally come to understand one another, if not love each other. Perhaps they did for a time. Yet the loss of their fourth child (a stillborn son) upended whatever affection had grown between them in their seven years of marriage. Both King and Queen were said to be deeply aggrieved by the loss of their fourth child as they went into mourning for several weeks. Yet, their grief would affect them in completely different ways.
Seeking to replace the loss of her fourth child through the nurturing of her first three, Queen Marie would devote herself to them more than ever before. She would dote on them whenever possible, giving her love freely and endlessly, whilst also providing them with toys and trinkets whenever Leopold would permit them. More than that, she would take on a more active role in their education and development; selecting instructors, preparing curriculum and providing them with opportunities to grow and have new experiences.
Queen Marie of Greece, circa 1834
In sharp contrast, King Leopold would withdraw further into himself. He would distance himself from his wife, both figuratively and literally, as he refrained from sharing the same bed as her for the remainder of their marriage. Yet Leopold did not suddenly choose the life of an ascetic, nor that of a chaste monk to ease his melancholy. No, it is likely that he simply did not wish to see his dear wife, suffer, and die in childbirth as his beloved Charlotte had so many years before. Instead, he would look for loose women and cheap thrills to fill the hole in his cold heart and satisfy the lustful urges he still possessed.
In what was perhaps, one of his worst kept secrets, King Leopold had a propensity for having several mistresses throughout his lifetime. Although it is unknown how many extramarital affairs Leopold engaged in over the years, there were a few noteworthy women to enter his life. The first was the German actress Caroline Bauer, niece of Leopold’s close friend and confidante Doctor Christian Friedrich Stockmar. Owing to her eerily close resemblance to his late wife Princess Charlotte, the two would develop a rather close relationship with one another, with Caroline showing great love and loyalty towards the dour Prince in their short time together. Although Leopold refrained from opening his heart to her fully, he did open his home to Caroline and her mother (Baron Stockmar’s sister). Because of this many believed that Leopold had married the woman. These rumors eventually proved untrue – much to Caroline’s disappointment, but they would continue to persist until Leopold formally broke off all relations with her in 1830 upon taking the Greek Throne.
Although he had ended his relations with Caroline Bauer upon arriving in Greece in 1830, he did not swear himself off from romantic flings as he quickly established relations with a number of women in the nascent Greek Court soon after arriving in his new Kingdom. To what extent these relations progressed, none but Leopold and those women can say. Nonetheless, it can be confirmed that Leopold was quite keen on the Phanariot actress Rallou Karatza during the first months of his reign, with particularly salacious rumors claiming the pair shared a few nights together in 1831. Similarly, rumors contend that Katarina Botsaris was also a familiar of the King. Although Katarina would reveal that she had tender feelings for King Leopold as a youthful girl, she remained adamant they did not engage in sexual activities together, nor was her dignity besmirched through promiscuity. Owing to her father’s good reputation and great influence - along with a few underhanded suggestions of violence by his followers, these rumors didn’t persist very long.
To his credit, Leopold would refrain from engaging in any extramarital affairs after his marriage to Queen Marie to not offend his young and fertile and beautiful wife (and his rather potent in-laws). Yet, as the years progressed and Marie’s beauty began to fade and her child baring years passed her by, Leopold’s lustful eyes began to wander. They need not look far as they would eventually settle upon one of his wife’s companions, the lady Fotini Mavromichali.
Granddaughter of famed Maniot chieftain Petros "Petrobey" Mavromichalis, Fotini was born in 1826 just prior to Ibrahim Pasha’s campaign in the Mani. There she would spend much of her childhood; only occasionally venturing out of Laconia alongside her father Anastasios on his business trips to Athens. Yet following her 17th birthday, her father brought her with him to the Capital as he had done many times before, yet on this specific occasion she would catch the eye of Queen Marie. The two quickly formed a rapport and within days she was brought into the Queen’s retinue as a lady in waiting. Known for her beauty as well as her kindness and great wit, Fotini was well regarded in the Greek court and quickly developed a fondness with the young Princess Katherine, effectively becoming a surrogate older sister for the young girl.
Fotini was also incredibly popular with many of the young men in court, who frequently romanced her and asked for her favor. Even the young prince Constantine is said to have been smitten by her beauty when he first laid eyes on her. Yet, being little more than a child at their first meeting and being highly inexperience in the art of romance, he failed to win her affections or her interest beyond a passing respect for his royal station much to young Constantine’s dismay. Twisting the knife even further, it would be his father King Leopold who earned her affections instead.
Fotini Mavromichalis, longtime mistress of King Leopold
Lieutenant Commander Miaoulis was himself the grandson of the famed Hydriot Admiral Andreas Miaoulis and had joined the Hellenic Navy in 1836. Owing to his great skill and family connections within the Navy, Andreas would quickly rise through the ranks, earning the highly prestigious – if somewhat dull assignment as the ship captain for King Leopold’s leisure yacht Hellas. Despite the great differences in age and upbringing, the two developed a rather strong bond with one another based on their shared interests in the sea and their respective military experiences. Miaoulis was also known to be unquestionably loyal to Leopold, whom he considered as a friend and mentor. Regrettably, it was this very relationship that Leopold now sought to exploit.
Using Miaoulis’ prominent position in the King’s retinue as an excuse, Fotini could be kept nearer to Leopold, whilst her husband was conveniently occupied with the King’s business. Loyal Miaoulis, remained blissfully unaware of his liege’s true machinations and began courting Fotini upon Leopold’s suggestion in early 1846. Either through genuine affection for one another, or out of loyalty to Leopold, Fotini accepted Andreas’ proposal of marriage with King Leopold giving his blessing for the match on the 11th of June 1846. With a cover now established, the lovers were free to continue their affair in the shadows.
Eventually, Fotini would temporarily resign from the Queen’s service during the Fall of 1847, only to return to her service the following Spring after giving birth to a son, who was coincidentally named Leo. Although many would pretend otherwise, most assumed that the boy was the son of the King given his features and the alleged timing of his conception as his legal father was out of the country at the time.
Queen Marie for her part would feign ignorance, although she would dismiss Fotini from her service several months later – officially to provide her with more time to raise her son. Her attitude towards Leopold became noticeably different, however. Although she had always deferred to her husband and respected his judgement, by the late 1840’s/early 1850’s she became increasingly solemn and meek towards him, if not melancholic when in his company. Perhaps she felt as if she had failed him in some capacity or maybe she felt as if she had slighted him in some manner, justifying this betrayal. Hurt and confused as she was, Marie would not condemn Leopold for his infidelity, nor would she call him out on it in public enabling Leopold to continue with his affair as if nothing had happened at all.
Outside of this child's birth and all the rumors surrounding the boy’s true parentage, there would be few ramifications for Leopold as he remained both popular and prestigious and growed more popular still in the coming years. Leopold’s “patronage” of reputable journalists would also help to cover the King’s tracks as these writers and reporters would often dismiss the King’s extramarital adventures as idle gossip and slander against the Monarchy, whilst muddying the waters with stories of the King's successes and triumphs. Similarly, Leopold would go to great lengths to secure the support of the Mavromichali clan through various appointments to prominent positions in court for Fotini’s brothers Petros and Konstantinos, the Governorship of Laconia for her father Anastasios, and seats in the Senate for her other distinguished uncles and cousins. For a time then, it would have seemed that the issue was at an end. Little Leo was raised unaware of his royal lineage, whilst his “father”, Andreas magnanimously accepted the child as his own and made no further fuss about the issue – at least in public.
This state of affairs would continue for the better part of the next 15 years with the lovers seeing each other sporadically, until early May of 1862 when Queen Marie’s father, King Wilhelm I of Württemberg died from a stroke at the age of 80. Although he was quite old and Württemberg - like much of Germany, was awash with unrest and nationalistic fervor, his death was still rather sudden and unexpected for Queen Marie as he had been reportedly in good health only weeks before his passing. Despondent at the loss of her dear father, the Queen immediately departed for Stuttgart, accompanied by her sons and a number of her ladies. Noticeably absent from this Royal party was King Leopold, who was himself ill at the time and was unable to make the long journey with his wife to Germany. Despite her grief, Marie initially offered to stay and tend to her ailing husband, yet out of "true compassion" Leopold encouraged her to go without him, which she reluctantly agreed to.
Funeral Procession of King William I of Württemberg
With his wife and sons conveniently away from the Palace for the next few months, Leopold was thus presented with a golden opportunity to enjoy the company of his longtime mistress who quickly rushed to join him within a day of the Queen's departure. Although her looks had begun to fade by the 1860’s, Leopold still cherished his mistress and doted on her as he did his daughter long ago. Perhaps it was the absence of his beloved Katherine that prompted Leopold to call upon his longtime lover at this time. Or maybe it was a spur of the moment decision with his wife and sons away in Württemberg. Or perhaps, he had genuine feelings for her that went beyond looks and sex. Either way, Fotini Miaoulis was boldly seen entering the King’s bed chambers multiple times over the coming weeks and months, much to the concern and shock of the palace staff. Although his defenders would describe these interactions as that of one friend nursing another back to good health, his detractors would decry Leopold as fraternizing with his mistress whilst his grieving wife and children mourned her father in Stuttgart.
Although this was certainly a bad look for King Leopold, the worst was still to come as young Leo Miaoulis accompanied his mother to the Palace one day in late June. Instantly it became clear whose son he really was. Although barely 14 years of age, young Leo was the spitting image of King Leopold during his youth. He was tall, well muscled, with dark hair and a handsome face featuring the Coburg family’s famous good looks. Unable to deny the truth in front of him, the King and the “Miaoulis boy” would share a few words with one another in public, before departing behind closed doors for a much longer interaction. Sadly, what was said during this exchange was not recorded, but according to second-hand accounts, King Leopold all but confirmed young Leo’s true heritage to the boy and a group of his closest confidantes. Despite their best efforts at secrecy, this information quickly cascaded outwards throughout the Palace and then into the city of Athens.
For the boy’s legal father, Andreas Miaoulis the timing couldn’t have been worse. His life over the last decade and a half had been anything but blessed. His health had deteriorated, his looks had declined, and two of his children (a daughter named Chrissida and a son named Dimitrios) died of cholera in 1856. Moreover, his Naval career came to an abrupt end following the Lebanon Expedition in 1860. Whilst cruising off the coast of Sidon, his ship would come under fire from a pair of small fletches under the control of the Arab rebels. Despite being a veteran Navy captain of 24 years, the altercation greatly unnerved him as a nearby cabin boy was struck in the gut by a 6 pounder, disemboweling him instantly. Seeing a young boy no older than his own son die before him in an extremely excruciating manner, Captain Miaoulis succumbed to a minor nervous breakdown prompting his first mate to assume command in his stead.
Upon his return to Greece later that year, Andreas was promptly cashiered from the service citing problems with his health. Thereafter, he had troubling holding employment for longer than a few months before his deteriorating mindset forced him to retreat into isolation for weeks at a time to recover. Beyond the obvious financial problems caused by this, there were also a number of problems for his marriage with Fotini, whose status as a prominent Athenian socialite was dependent upon the appearance of a stable marriage and an opulent lifestyle. On several occasions between the Fall of 1860 and the Spring of 1862, no less than two dozen Gendarmeries were called to the Miaoulis household in downtown Athens to breakup spats between the embattled husband and his disgruntled wife.
Now came the renewed rumors of his wife’s infidelity, rumors which were confirmed in the harshest manner possible with the revelation that his eldest son was in fact the child of King Leopold. Although he had always suspected the truth regarding Leo's lineage – if not known it outright, Andreas Miaoulis had always treated him as his own. He had loved the boy and truly believed him to be his own, if not by blood than at least by choice. Yet this revelation still stung deeply. Moreover, he did not find a sympathetic press willing to support him in this distressing time. Instead, he would find himself being mocked as a cuckold and a fool. His marriage was revealed to be a sham, his eldest son wasn’t his own, and his close friend, the King was actually his greatest betrayer. Heartbroken and betrayed, Andreas Miaoulis would draw his service pistol and shoot himself in the head on the 20th of October 1862, killing him instantly.[3]
The Death of Andreas Miaoulis
For Leopold, this was an utter disaster.
At first, he would attempt to brush off Miaoulis’ suicide as an unfortunate coincidence brought about by his mental instability. Yet when this proved insufficient at diverting public attention; he and his supporters would instead go on the offensive, decrying his adversaries in the press and legislature for using the death of his close friend as a political weapon against him. Though this would work to some degree, it would soon be upended when a half dozen women came forward, claiming they had sired children with the King. Although most would be turned away as gossipers and liars, at least two of these claimants would be considered legitimate. The first was a former maid in the Palace, whose thirteen-year-old daughter Sophie bore a striking resemblance to Princess Katherine. The other was a young boy named Georgios, whose mother was not publicly identified beyond her name of Anna.[4] He was a stocky boy of 6 and had a a thick head of hair and a face similar to that of Prince Alexander when he was a small child making it apparent to all whose son he was.
Faced with mounting pressure from his adversaries and even some of his allies; King Leopold had little recourse but to publicly acknowledge his errors, admit his faults, and beseech the Greek people for their forgiveness. A magnanimous people by nature, the Hellenes, begrudgingly forgave their erstwhile King, but only after he had made sure to provide reparations to the aggrieved Miaoulis family for their tragic loss. Although the total sum was not officially revealed, the personal funds Leopold set aside would provide for the Miaoulis children for years to come. For his other children, Leopold would provide enough funds for their mothers to live comfortable lives, whilst Leopold would make various arrangements regarding their education and upbringing.
The Hellenic Legislature was less forgiving, as they formally denounced the King’s unfaithfulness towards his lawful wife and moved to censure him. The Vouli would also establish an oversight committee to oversee the Monarchy’s finances in general, but particularly those of the reigning monarch. Effectively, this was to ensure that the King wasn’t wasting the people’s money on his superfluous relationships and hush money on nosy journalists. This was not enough for some, as many of the Republicans and Socialists within the Vouli attempted to initiate an investigation into Leopold’s wrongdoings to see if he had perjured himself before the Vouli or committed any crimes with his numerous affairs and attempted coverups. Were it not for the stern leadership of Prime Minister Constantine Kanaris, it is possible that something more could have actually come of these investigations. Instead these matters were quashed and shelved, albeit at a great cost to Kanaris' already flagging health and political capital.
The true crucible, however, would come with the return of his wife Marie and their sons Constantine and Alexander. For Prince Constantine, this development effectively ended their relationship once and for all. Although he relished in his father’s public humiliation, Constantine could not help but feel that his father had tarnished the Crown’s good name in the waning days of his reign. Moreover, he despised his father for betraying their mother in the manner that he did and would henceforth refuse to speak to Leopold in person, only choosing to communicate with him via letters or intermediaries. Prince Alexander would be a little more reserved in his response, choosing to keep up appearances in public for the sake of the family. Yet in private, he would similarly distance himself from his father and only make amends with Leopold a few days prior to his death. Ironically, it would be Queen Marie who was the least hostile towards Leopold despite being the most aggrieved. Either out of genuine love for her husband or out of a keen political acumen, Queen Marie publicly forgave her lecherous husband for his infidelities against her and humbly asked that the people of Greece do so too. What was said in private between husband and wife is unknown however.
Regardless, Leopold’s extramarital affairs were formally ended in January 1863 as Fotini Miaoulis would promptly leave Athens and return to the Mani where she would reside with her family for the rest of her days. Not much is known about the other women in Leopold’s life after 1862, only that they similarly kept low profiles and disappeared from public life soon after the scandal became public knowledge. Years later, Fotini’s son Leo Miaoulis would follow his royal half-brothers into the Military, yet in honor of his late “father" Andreas, he would join the Navy and enjoy a long and storied career. Leopold’s other children, Sophie and Georgios would remain with their respective mothers until they came of age, with Leopold continually planning their education and development until his own death in 1864. Eventually, the matter would pass as other issues came to the fore of Greek politics and so it was, that the Hellenic Monarchy weathered its most fearsome storm yet. Whether they would weather the next crisis was anyone’s guess.
Next Time: The End of the Beginning
[1] Leopold’s brother, Ernest served in the battles of Jena and Auerstadt alongside the Prussians, whilst his other brother Ferdinand served in the Battles of Aspern-Essling and Wagram with the Austrians. All three brothers would reunite during the War of the Sixth Coalition where they all served with distinction.
[2] The OTL Fotini Mavromichali was also a lady in waiting to Queen Amalie of Greece, and it is rumored that she had an affair with King Otto. ITTL they aren’t just rumors.
[3] The tragic end of TTL’s Andreas Miaoulis is conjecture based upon his OTL suicide in 1887.
[4] OTL Leopold had at least two children out of wedlock.
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This is quite interesting really, and I think even though Alexander would be the better king (Constantine has way too much daddy issues) this seems to pave the way for Constantine to move to the throne. The Abyssinia Adventure is a bit weird considering where it is. Tbf Africa is a money sink.