Here is the Campaign Informant as of 8 July 2010. The campaign is not ready to start, of course, as a lot more work is required, but that is now mostly in the area of finances, army lists and character creation. The broad political outlines of the campaign version of the H.R.E. has taken form. I have taken the liberty of “rescuing” as it were branches of the various families which had become extinct as of our real time line to be the heads of the Houses and States in the campaign.
The House of Hapsburg – not of Hapsburg-Lorraine as in our time line – in the person of Emperor Leopold III Joseph, son of Emperor Leopold II Joseph, son of Joseph I and Princess Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg, daughter of John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. (In our time line, Leopold II died as a child, setting the stage for the Empress Maria Theresa and the War of the Austrian Succession – didn’t happen here). All of the historical titles, thrones and holdings remain in his hands as Archduke of Austria, etc. The Emperor’s primary concern at the start is Turkey and it’s resumption of the expansion of Islam into Europe by way of Austria.
The House of Hohenzollern – here, Grand Duke of Prussia and Margrave-Elector of Brandenburg. Prussia lost its eastern possessions in the course of their wars with Poland-Lithuania about a century ago. In this time line, Poland secured an effective alliance with Russia, who actually provided troops to fight Prussia and sent a general who was neither senile nor corrupt beyond reason. As a consequence, there is no King in Prussia for this House. The present Grand Duke is the aged Frederick William III, son of Frederick William II of Prussia and Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, married to Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and their children are: Frederick William 15 October 1795; Charlotte 13 July 1798; Charles 29 July 1801; Alexandrine 23 February 1803; Ferdinand 13 December 1804; Louise 1 February 1808; Albert (Albrecht) 4 October 1809.
The House of Hesse – with only one ruling branch in this time line and all the Hessen lands consolidated by familial agreements into one state. The present Landgraf & Elector is Wilhelm I, Kurfurst von Hessen, who married Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark and Norway; their children are two daughters Korline Amalie & Marie Friederike and one son, Wilhelm the heir.
The House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin – The current Grand Duke is Friederick Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (10 December 1756) Grand Duke1785 of German state of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. On 1 June 1775 in Gotha Friedrich Franz married with the Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1756-1808). They had six children:[1]Friedrich Ludwig (13 June 1778 – 29 November 1819). He married Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, a daughter of Paul I of Russia and Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg. They were parents of Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Paul Friedrich’s oldest son was Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1823-1883), who succeeded as Grand Duke in 1842. Louise Charlotte (19 November 1779 – 4 January 1801). Gustav Wilhelm (31 January 1781 ). Karl (2 July 1782). Charlotte (4 December 1784).
The House of Wittelsbach – in our time line, the Bavarian Branch became extinct in 1799, combining Bavaria and Pflazgraf branches. In the campaign time line, Joseph I Ludvig Leo, 25 August 1728 did not die at age 5 and succeeded his older brother Maximilian III in 1777; his eldest son Joseph II Ludvig, 13 July 1758, became Elector upon Joseph I Ludvig’s dead in 1799. Joseph II Ludvig married Theresia Maria Josepha Magdalena, youngest daughter of the Elector of Saxony Frederick Christian and their children are: two girls (whom I haven’t named yet) and two boys = Maximillian Karl (heir), 15 Jan 1788; one other (likewise awaiting a name and birthday).
The House of Wittelsbach, Palatinate Branch – (I need to complete this information; the current Elector-Pfalzgraf is Maximillian I Joseph.)
The House of Brunswick-Luneburg – in our time line, this House had become the Kings of England in the person of Georg I, which House held both the throne of England and that of Hanover until Victoria became Queen of England and the Salic law provisions of Hanover’s laws of succession made her uncle Ernest August, Duke of Cumberland the King of Hanover. Not so here. Queen Anne had a son who lived and the Tudor line continues in England. The current ruler is Kurfurst-Herzog of Brunswick-Luneburg: Ernest I Augustus (5 June 1771), recently came to the titles; as yet unmarried.
These are the first seven of the royal and noble houses in our Campaign. The missing details will be added into this post as I complete them and the other five will be the subject of a separate Informant.
Filed under: Napoleonic Campaign
