Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2019 February 16

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February 16

How much did the Count of Chambord's unwillingness to compromise stem from the fact that the Orleanists were his successors?

On his Wikipedia article, it states that Henri, Count of Chambord was unwilling to accept the French tricolor flag and that this sabotaged attempts at a monarchical restoration in France in the early 1870s.

How much did the Count of Chambord's unwillingness to compromise in regards to this stem from the fact that the Orleanists were his heirs (considering that he was childless)?

I know that there was some bad blood between the elder branch of the House of Bourbon and the House of Orleans due to Philippe Egalite's support for Louis XVI's execution and also due to Philippe Egalite's son Louis-Philippe I usurping the French throne in 1830. Thus, I'm wondering if Chambord decided to sabotage hopes of a monarchical restoration in France in order to ensure that the Orleanists will never acquire the French throne again. I mean, why come out of retirement to be French King for a decade when those traitorous Orleanists are going to be the ones who are going to succeed you?

Also, on a relevant note, do you think that the Count of Chambord would have been more willing to compromise in regards to the French tricolor flag if he would have had a son or a younger brother? (Had the Count of Chambord's father Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry not been assassinated in 1820, it is very likely that he would have had more children--including at least one more surviving son.)

Thoughts? 68.96.93.163 (talk) 08:07, 16 February 2019 (UTC)

Most accounts simply explain that Chambord was a reactionary old coot who would not compromise on the issue of the flag (for him, the tricolor symbolized the régime that had guillotined his great-uncle). The strategy for the légitimiste party was to wait for him to die off and give restoration another try then. This would have meant that the Orléans family would be back on the trone, but since there were no longer any other male heirs from the Bourbons, this was a foregone conclusion already in 1871-1873. This is why the assembly named Patrice de Mac-Mahon President with a seven-year term, figuring Chambord would have passed away by then, and a more reasonable heir could be put on the throne. However, their miscalculation was that by 1879, Chambord was still alive, and their moment had passed, as there was no longer strong popular support for putting an end to the Third Republic. Xuxl (talk) 14:59, 16 February 2019 (UTC)

Why was Chambord expected to die by 1879? Was he already in bad health in 1873?

Also, do you think that the Count of Chambord would have been more willing to compromise in regards to the French tricolor flag if he would have had a son or a younger brother? 68.96.93.163 (talk) 00:50, 17 February 2019 (UTC)

How likely is anyone to find a reference for that? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:00, 17 February 2019 (UTC)

Well, maybe someone has previously speculated about this. If not, you can say your own opinion here. 68.96.93.163 (talk) 04:38, 17 February 2019 (UTC)

This is not supposed to be a forum. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:04, 17 February 2019 (UTC)

What about my talk page? Can my question here be answered on my talk page? 68.96.93.163 (talk) 06:34, 17 February 2019 (UTC)

Moving this whole section to your talk page would work. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:24, 17 February 2019 (UTC)

I have now done this. Specifically, I have kept this entire conversation here but also created an exact copy of this conversation on my talk page. 68.96.93.163 (talk) 21:21, 17 February 2019 (UTC)