AD Elisabeth Marie (*2nd Sep. 1883) was the only child of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary and his wife Stephanie of Belgium.
Suppose that the child was born a boy, who would be named Leopold Franz Joseph (after his paternal and maternal grandfathers and many important Habsburgs over the centuries).
Assuming that AD Leopold would live to his eighties (like his female counterpart bid), what would his existence change?
Obviously, he would be at the moment of his birth the next in line of succession after Crown Prince Rudolf. If Rudolf still commits murder-suicide in 1889, then Leopold will be the designated imperial and royal successor and can be replaced only by dying.
But note that the death of Rudolf is far from sure: AFAIK, his great disappiontment about the birth of a daughter instead of a son accelerated his enstrangement from his Belgian wife and led to extramarital affairs and his (and his wife's) syphilis.
So we have two possible courses of history:
A) Rudolf survives and stays bodily and mentally healthy. Expect a continuous cold war over the education of AD Leopold: Emperor Franz Joseph as head of the family and the conservative Crown Princess Stephanie will favour a traditional, military upbringing while emphasizing discipline and physical education. Crown Princess Rudolf (and probably his mother, Empress Elisabeth) will prefer a much more modern, liberal way. How Leopold will turn out - a little Wilhelm II or a "Bertie of Wales" is anyone's guess.
But the succession will seem very secure, and Archduke Karl Ludwig and his son Franz Ferdinand remain comparably unknown.
B) Rudolf still is so stressed out by the conflict with his wife and his father that he still commits suicide in or after 1889. According to some, he not only hated the new German ruler Wilhelm II., but was also convinced that the Kaiser would lead Germany and Austria-Hungary into destruction. No male heir Leopold would change that.
In this case, Leopold will receive a strictly conservative, military education as future officer and huntsman.
In any case, Leopold will probably marry when he is 23 or 24, like his father and grandfather. Who is a suitable, catholic bride of royal ancestry in c.1906? Of course, he might develop a rebellious streak and marry for love, far below his station - but this would copy FF, rather boring in my opinion.
I am fully aware that this PoD must lead to lots of speculation, since little is fixed. Just as Rudolf was liberal and pro-Magyar, Leopold might be a catholic-conservative pro-Pole or even an ardent Anti-Semite and Christian Social sponsor of Karl Lueger.
Just imagine the possible additional success of a CSP that enjoys the protection of "the next Kaiser".
Suppose that the child was born a boy, who would be named Leopold Franz Joseph (after his paternal and maternal grandfathers and many important Habsburgs over the centuries).
Assuming that AD Leopold would live to his eighties (like his female counterpart bid), what would his existence change?
Obviously, he would be at the moment of his birth the next in line of succession after Crown Prince Rudolf. If Rudolf still commits murder-suicide in 1889, then Leopold will be the designated imperial and royal successor and can be replaced only by dying.
But note that the death of Rudolf is far from sure: AFAIK, his great disappiontment about the birth of a daughter instead of a son accelerated his enstrangement from his Belgian wife and led to extramarital affairs and his (and his wife's) syphilis.
So we have two possible courses of history:
A) Rudolf survives and stays bodily and mentally healthy. Expect a continuous cold war over the education of AD Leopold: Emperor Franz Joseph as head of the family and the conservative Crown Princess Stephanie will favour a traditional, military upbringing while emphasizing discipline and physical education. Crown Princess Rudolf (and probably his mother, Empress Elisabeth) will prefer a much more modern, liberal way. How Leopold will turn out - a little Wilhelm II or a "Bertie of Wales" is anyone's guess.
But the succession will seem very secure, and Archduke Karl Ludwig and his son Franz Ferdinand remain comparably unknown.
B) Rudolf still is so stressed out by the conflict with his wife and his father that he still commits suicide in or after 1889. According to some, he not only hated the new German ruler Wilhelm II., but was also convinced that the Kaiser would lead Germany and Austria-Hungary into destruction. No male heir Leopold would change that.
In this case, Leopold will receive a strictly conservative, military education as future officer and huntsman.
In any case, Leopold will probably marry when he is 23 or 24, like his father and grandfather. Who is a suitable, catholic bride of royal ancestry in c.1906? Of course, he might develop a rebellious streak and marry for love, far below his station - but this would copy FF, rather boring in my opinion.
I am fully aware that this PoD must lead to lots of speculation, since little is fixed. Just as Rudolf was liberal and pro-Magyar, Leopold might be a catholic-conservative pro-Pole or even an ardent Anti-Semite and Christian Social sponsor of Karl Lueger.
Just imagine the possible additional success of a CSP that enjoys the protection of "the next Kaiser".