Emperor Maximilian and Empress Charlotte of Mexico

[MrSaporuco]

DIOS BENDIGA AL IMPERIO VIVAN MAXIMILIANO , MIRAMON Y MEJIA

[powerdriller10]

One little known fact about this tragic story was that Napoleon III had the suspicion that Maximilian was the son of Napoleon II, "the king of Rome", the son of Napoleon I . So Max would have been the grandson of Napoleon the Great.

Napoleon II, died in 1832 at the age of 21 of Consumption. Some rumors linked him with the Empress of Austria, the mother of Maximilian.

This is a good case for DNA analysis or maybe for a pseudo-historical novel.

[fjbs1973]

How did you get hold of those pictures? I had never seen some of them before.

[cazadorez]

What is the name of the sound track of this video? Excellent!

[lostsplendour]

@cazadorez It's Serenata Immortale by Immediate

[1toscany]

This was a foolish endeavor by both Napoleon III and the ex-Archduke. Very few Mexicans wanted him, and no other government supported him there! Further, the House of Habsburg was always just for "show". They were do nothings, had no military significance in Europe, ever...Germany always had to come to their aid and bail them out of trouble.

A terrible mistake and sham, in history, for the Habsburg family indeed.

[ziegle9876]

@1toscany Please, not that much ignorance. Mexico even today has a strong monarchical element, and Maximiliano is held in high esteem, with many events held to his memory. Many have understood that Juarez was nothing but a Yankee agent. The Habsburgs preferred to settle matters peacefully, and the militaristic Prussianism was key to the destruction of central Europe.

[ABBAOPAXO]

@ziegle9876 first of all I accept that Juarez had his mistakes, like all of us, but those words, YANKEE AGENT shows a poor knowledge about the matter, above all, he was a liberal patriot, who created humanistic laws with LA REFORMA taking away the power of the greedy catholic sect by separating the state and the church. 1toscany is right, almost no one wanted Maximiliano, except for those that kept the monarchical element, as you mention, the 10% of the scum that even today rule my country.

[NuovoPiero]

Character content cut me short.

She was the first woman in centuries to live in the Apostolic Palace.

Also, there is a fabulous story of Austria's Empress Elizabeth( jealous of Carlotta ) setting her mastiffs on the lap dogs that Queen Victoria gave, as a gift, to Carlotta ( Leopold was Queen Victoria's uncle, the Duchess of Kent's brother....) The mastiffs made quick work of the poor, little dogs.

A fascinating couple. Fascinating times.

[NuovoPiero]

Superb, as always. Your history is impeccable and you present it with wisely chosen images and this music was a perfect choice.

One historical incident that I would, humbly, add....... Carlotta went to Rome during the depths of her madness ( which had sunk to paranoid schizophrenia ). She sought, and was granted, an audience with Pope Pius IX. She convinced him that the only safe place for her to avoid assassination was in the Apostolic Palace with him. She would only drink cocoa he prepared.