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Is this a pleaonasm?
| February 13th, 2015 at 7:33:48 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Partly that is true, but there is also a great deal of mythology. Washington was never really offered a monarchy (despite the stories), and he may have resigned after 8 years because of poor health. At the beginning of the USA as a nation on April 30, 1789 the population was almost 4 million, not radically different than the roughly 7 million Mexican population when Augustine I of Mexico was crowned 19 May 1822. But the American population was 95% rural, while Mexico had major cities and power centers. The more urban civilization was more naturally attracted to the dominant form of government at the time. But Mexico is always made out to be enamored of generals (mostly because of Santa Anna). In reality, about half of the original US presidents were generals including six in a row after the civil war. Other than Eisenhower, the modern presidents were not generals. George Washington (1732–1799) GENERAL John Adams (1735–1826) Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) James Madison (1751–1836) James Monroe (1758–1831) John Quincy Adams (1767–1848) Andrew Jackson(1767–1845) GENERAL Martin Van Buren (1782–1862) William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) GENERAL John Tyler (1790–1862) James K. Polk (1795–1849) Zachary Taylor (1784–1850) GENERAL Millard Fillmore (1800–1874) Franklin Pierce (1804–1869) GENERAL James Buchanan (1791–1868) Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) Andrew Johnson (1808–1875) GENERAL Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) GENERAL Rutherford B. Hayes (1822–1893) GENERAL James A. Garfield (1831–1881) GENERAL Chester A. Arthur (1829–1886) GENERAL Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901) GENERAL |
| February 13th, 2015 at 9:58:18 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
There was much discussion on what type of government to adopt. A monarchy would have fit in with the times, while a republic was a radical notion. Had the US become the Kingdom of North America instead, Washington would have been King George I for sure. I'd love to write an AH story along those lines. I'd have to read up on British and US history first, though. One thing I can imagine is having a King Robert keep the Kingdom together in the 1860s, compromising by abolishing slavery in stages over a period of ten years. That would be a cameo only, mentioned in passing as background. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| February 17th, 2015 at 1:08:12 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Tony Robinson (of Blackadder fame) did a popular documentary called "Britain's Real Monarch" where he traces an alternative history of British monarchy based on new evidence that back's the centuries old claim that Edward IV was illegitimate. He starts with Shakespeare's play Richard III that repeats the rumor that Edward was illegitimate, and goes into a document recently discovered. Richard, 3rd Duke of York had four sons. Two were king, and the death of Richard III on battlefield (whose corpse was recently found under a car park) ended the Middle Ages in 1485.
The alternate bloodline was well known to the Tudors. They ruthlessly murdered each generation of heir. Finally Elizabeth I was wary of their claim to the throne. When Elizabeth fell ill with the smallpox in October 1562, Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, was proposed as a successor. His brother Sir George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon died just after Elizabeth I. The clear succession of King James (King of Scotland) as King of England, meant that in actuality the families claim to the throne ended in reality. George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, third son (second "legitimate" son) of Richard, 3rd Duke of York Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, first son of George Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, second daughter, fourth line of George Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu, first son of Margaret Henry Pole, second son of Henry Catherine Hastings, first daughter, third line of Henry, 1st Baron Montagu Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, first son of Catherine George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon, second son of Catherine Francis Hastings, first son of George Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon, only son of Francis Ferdinando Hastings, 6th Earl of Huntingdon, first son of Henry Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon, only son of Ferdinando George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, second son of Theophilus Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, third son of Theophilus Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon, first son of Theophilus, 9th Earl Elizabeth Rawdon, 16th Baroness Botreaux, only daughter, second line of Theophilus, 9th Earl Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings, first son of Elizabeth George Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd Marquess of Hastings, eldest legitimate son of Francis Paulyn Rawdon-Hastings, 3rd Marquess of Hastings, first son of George Henry Rawdon-Hastings, 4th Marquess of Hastings, second son of George Edith Rawdon-Hastings, 10th Countess of Loudoun, first daughter, third line of George Charles Rawdon-Hastings, 11th Earl of Loudoun, first son of Edith Paulyn Francis Cuthbert Rawdon-Hastings, second son of Edith Edith Maud Abney-Hastings, 12th Countess of Loudoun, first daughter, third line of Paulyn Ian Huddleston Abney-Hastings, Lord Mauchline, only son of Edith Barbara Abney-Hastings, 13th Countess of Loudoun, first daughter, second line of Edith Michael Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun, eldest son of Barbara Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun, eldest son of Michael King Simon (age 40) in Wangaratta Australia outside of Melbourne. The documentary was made the year after his grandmother died.  |