What if Franz Josef was Assassinated? (And His BROTHER Became Emperor?)

The Habsburg Empire had, for centuries, been one of, if not the most powerful empire in Europe for centuries. But, by the end of the 19th Century, the Austrian Empire had become hopelessly divided between numerous different ethnic groups, which tore it apart, as the Emperor, Franz Josef, was unsuccessful in solving the issue. But, in 1853, an assassination attempt was made on Franz Josef, which, if successful, would have placed his younger brother Maximilian on the throne, who had a much different approach to the problem. So, what if, in an alternate timeline, Franz Josef was assassinated, and his brother became Emperor? Enjoy!

MUSIC:

Video Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:48 Background
3:54 Scenario

[michaely]

Maximillian's death was a tragedy. He was on track to set Mexico on a better path, nearly impossible in the 1800s

[TheTrueCaesar]

Josh Trying To Not Make a Constitutional Monarchy Challenge
Impossible

[aaronfire]

Franz Josef's was a tragic personal life for sure. After all the death and assassination's that occurred around him, and to his family in particular, when his wife Elizabeth was murdered he reportedly froze in his chair for a moment at the news, then slumped back and said "I shall then be spared nothing on this earth."
(I cannot recall if the near constantly stoic Emperor had indeed cried during this news or not)

[danielsantiagourtado]

LOVED it! Suggestion: What if Alexander II of russia survived?

[mannywilliams]

If Maxamilian had become Emperor and had enacted " liberal policies" he may have eventually ended up as the ruler of Austria only. The various nationalist movements would have ended the Astro-Hungarian Empire sooner. Which in hindsight may not have been a bad thing!

[NCR-National-Reclamation-Gov]

What if Spanish Loyalists in Peru managed to hold out( not the entire empire)

[nhyfiery]

I hear something about Austria, Habsburgs survive, I like.

[lerneanlion]

Wait! You didn't say anything about the Crimean War at all. The year 1853 was the year when the Crimean War happened. And since this is the timeline where the Austrian Empire had been liberalized, why they do not join the Allies in the war against Russia? As long as Britain and the Ottoman Empire pledged to be trading partners and allies after the war ended, I see this might be a good ending for Austria.

[arturoc]

Our great emperor Maximiliano I could have saved Austria and Mexico, but he always had many obstacles that prevented him from doing so. I am sure he would have tried to pass a constitution, but I doubt very much that he wanted to reduce the emperor's power much and probably would not have created an elected senate as he also liked power and even if he did not, he would have known that it was best to democratize and liberalize Austria gradually.
Gott schütze, Gott beschütze Maximilian den Kaiser.

[智慧-wk]

My main concern is how to survive all of these financial and political crisis, especially in light of the US political power scuffle. The government has really called things more difficult for its citizens, and we can't sit back and bear all the consequences of the bad governance.

[schris]

Before watching the video, as a Mexican I know Maximilian that although he was much more charismatic and charming, he had much less political acumen than his brother, something he should have in abundance to keep something as disjointed as the Austro Hungarian Empire together, and that same lack of political acumen cost him his life in Mexico.

[aaronfire]

I also completely disagree with the notion that the imperial authority be limited by a constitution and power transferred to a diet of any kind. True an imperial diet will likely be created in any scenario regarding the Habsburg Empire in the 19th century, but the emperor and his personal authority is the only strong glue holding the empire together, federalized or not. A monarch initiating the creation of a constitution also doesn't mean the empire becomes a constitutional monarchy, it simply means it is an imperial system with constitutional elements, it's no different from the creation of the Estate General by Louis IX in the 12th century, or the creation of the first English parliament by Edward I in the 13th century, Monarchs have always summoned large "representative bodies" to aid in the governing of their realms. The Habsburgs would likely justify it on similar grounds.

[justinpachi]

The whole idea of the "United States of Austria" is an absurd pipe-dream. Franz-Ferdinand realized this which was why quickly abandoned such an untenable idea.

The ancient organizational structures of the Kingdom were quite firmly entrenched. If anything it would have been easier to reform the Empire based on the model of the HRE, the Reichskreise system (Imperial Circles) with the framework of the Constituent Kingdoms and crownlands.

The Crown of St Stephen for political and prestige reasons should still remain in place, but could be devolved into smaller regional unites for Transylvania, Banat, and possibly Slovakia as a "Duchy of Upper Hungary." Croatia given its historic precedents, could be given a devolved regional administration as well.'

The same could also work for Galicia and Bohemia both of which were Kingdoms. You could then have a federal system with a single Council of State based in Vienna for the Imperial Government.

As for nationalism, it was simply were too big in Italy past 1848. Maximilian tried to adopt a liberal and conciliatory approach when he was Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia but he was largely unsuccessful and had a cold reception among the people and its local notables.

[MAGNAVOX]

3:00 🕒 Benito Mussolini is named Benito becouse his father likes Benito Juárez 🇲🇽.

Feliz día de la independencia 🎇🇲🇽🎉🎊

[ayyybob]

What if Franz Josef was Assassinated in 1914 instead of Franz Ferdinand? and, to make it more interesting, what if WW1 was avoided (but not prevented obviously) allowing Ferdinand to have some time as emperor?

[ChariTheAlternate]

And now we've finally created the USOGA

[MTRON-lqrx]

Fun Fact: There is the possibility that Maximilian is actually a Bonapart, because Napoleon II and his mother were lovers

[mattthesilentRED]

PLEASE do a What if about the Jacobites!

[droblox]

Let bro continue to cook with these AHistory videos!

[mappingshaman]

Fun fact: if franz josefs father died in 1828 and if he didnt die of TB, napoleon II could have inherited austria