Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité

The year is 1898. The French monarchy is alive and strong, being ruled by the House of Orleans. However it wasn't always this way. At the end of the Franco-Prussian War, the French Government deposed Napoleon III. The National Assembly, having a monarchist majority, offered the throne to Henri de Bourbon, Comte de Chambord, and since he was older and childless, they named Philippe d'Orleans, Comte de Paris as his heir. This was done to please the legitimist and Orleanist factions in the government. Henri de Bourbon was crowned Henri V, King of France. He changed the French flag from the tricolor back to the Fleurs-de-lis flag used before the revolution. He reigned until his death in 1883, then Philippe succeeded him as Philippe VII, King of France. Philippe was a weak man and didn't bother to change many of the policies of Henri V, the flag remained and the people became more disgruntled with the monarchy. Philippe reigned until his death in 1894, he was succeeded by his son, Lucien Guillaume d'Orleans. Lucien, seeing the mistakes of his father and that the monarchy was in jeopardy, took action. He restored the tricolor and abandoned the title of King of France, declaring himself Emperor of the French. Lucien adopted many Bonapartiste policies and became a champion of the people. For the last 4 years, the economy has been on the rise and the monarchy is stronger than ever. However the political situation in Europe is deteriorating again, and no one knows for how long France will be able to maintain its new found prosperity....

~Pedro (Lucien Guillaume d'Orleans)