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Maximilian and Carlota: Europe's Last Empire in Mexico
In this new telling of Mexico’s Second Empire and Louis Napoléon’s installation of Maximilian von Habsburg and his wife, Carlota of Belgium, as the emperor and empress of Mexico, Maximilian and Carlota brings the dramatic, interesting, and tragic time of this six-year-siege to life.
From 1861 to 1866, the French incorporated the armies of Austria, Belgium—including forces from Crimea to Egypt—to fight and subdue the regime of Mexico’s Benito Juárez during the time of the U.S. Civil War. France viewed this as a chance to seize Mexican territory in a moment they were convinced the Confederacy would prevail and take over Mexico. With both sides distracted in the U.S., this was their opportunity to seize territory in North America. In 1867, with aid from the United States, this movement came to a disastrous end both for the royals and for France while ushering in a new era for Mexico.
In a bid to oust Juárez, Mexican conservatives appealed to European leaders to select a monarch to run their country. Maximilian and Carlota’s reign, from 1864 to 1867, was marked from the start by extravagance and ambition and ended with the execution of Maximilian by firing squad, with Carlota on the brink of madness. This epoch moment in the arc of French colonial rule, which spans North American and European history at a critical juncture on both continents, shows how Napoleon III’s failure to save Maximilian disgusted Europeans and sealed his own fate.
Maximilian and Carlota offers a vivid portrait of the unusual marriage of Maximilian and Carlota and of international high society and politics at this critical nineteenth-century juncture. This largely unknown era in the history of the Americas comes to life through this colorful telling of the couple’s tragic reign.
From 1861 to 1866, the French incorporated the armies of Austria, Belgium—including forces from Crimea to Egypt—to fight and subdue the regime of Mexico’s Benito Juárez during the time of the U.S. Civil War. France viewed this as a chance to seize Mexican territory in a moment they were convinced the Confederacy would prevail and take over Mexico. With both sides distracted in the U.S., this was their opportunity to seize territory in North America. In 1867, with aid from the United States, this movement came to a disastrous end both for the royals and for France while ushering in a new era for Mexico.
In a bid to oust Juárez, Mexican conservatives appealed to European leaders to select a monarch to run their country. Maximilian and Carlota’s reign, from 1864 to 1867, was marked from the start by extravagance and ambition and ended with the execution of Maximilian by firing squad, with Carlota on the brink of madness. This epoch moment in the arc of French colonial rule, which spans North American and European history at a critical juncture on both continents, shows how Napoleon III’s failure to save Maximilian disgusted Europeans and sealed his own fate.
Maximilian and Carlota offers a vivid portrait of the unusual marriage of Maximilian and Carlota and of international high society and politics at this critical nineteenth-century juncture. This largely unknown era in the history of the Americas comes to life through this colorful telling of the couple’s tragic reign.
552 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
37 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Mary Margaret McAllen Amberson
6 books2 followersMary Margaret McAllen is a historian and author whose work explores transnational history through vivid, character-driven narratives. Her critically acclaimed book Maximilian and Carlota: Europe’s Last Empire in Mexico was praised for bringing historical figures to life beyond dates and battles. She is also the author of I Would Rather Sleep in Texas, an award-winning, extensively researched study of Texas history, and A Brave Boy and A Good Soldier. McAllen has appeared on PBS series including History Detectives, contributed to major historical anthologies, and lives in San Antonio, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 16, 2014
In always looking for books on Mexico, sometimes I get ahold of one that seems only tangental, like this one. Lots of detail about the royal families of Europe, and lots of reminders why we don't want the rich people in power. Humble Mexico, especially in the person of Juarez, comes out with the moral highground, even with all the violence. This telling of the Empire story makes for good reading.
August 5, 2021
Sad story of the divine right of kings....
April 25, 2014
A TOP SHELF review, originally published in The Monitor
A childhood spent on a South Texas ranch, devouring the stories of the Mexican Revolution and other momentous events from the history of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, set Mary Margaret McAllen on the road to scholarly investigation of this fascinating past.
Her first two books, which garnered critical acclaim and award recognition, dealt in various ways with the intersection of U.S./Texas and Mexico. In her latest, most ambitious project to date, Maximilian and Carlota: Europe's Last Empire in Mexico, McAllen turns the focus of her research on the clash between Old World and New.
Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec emperor, was stripped of power in 1521 by the Spanish. Seven years in the making, Maximilian and Carlota traces the arrival 340 years later of a new Mexican emperor, former Austrian archduke Ferdinand Maximilian von Hapsburg, who had been wooed to accept the reins of power by Mexican monarchists working with Napoleon III to wrest power from Benito Juárez and his liberal republican allies.
McAllen immediately draws the reader in, building up details about Maximilian and his wife Charlotte (known in Mexico as Carlota) with engaging artistry that rivals that of historians like David McCullough. The imperial couple are both zealously earnest about wanting to bring stability and prosperity to Mexico and hopelessly naive about their chances. As they attempt to navigate the unfamiliar factions, they underestimate their ability to control the country, leading to their tragic end.
The Civil War ends, and the United States threatens involvement, forcing Napoleon III to withdraw troops and funding, effectively cutting the emperor's legs out from under him. As monarchists fall to republicans on the battlefield, the emperor is arrested and executed and his wife driven literally mad. The short Second Mexican Empire ends up solidifying a sense of nationalism in Mexico and souring its people against European involvement in their affairs.
A wonderfully written book accessible to history buffs and scholars alike, Maximilian and Carlota charts an important but often-overlooked moment in the history of the Western Hemisphere. Definitely top shelf.
A childhood spent on a South Texas ranch, devouring the stories of the Mexican Revolution and other momentous events from the history of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, set Mary Margaret McAllen on the road to scholarly investigation of this fascinating past.
Her first two books, which garnered critical acclaim and award recognition, dealt in various ways with the intersection of U.S./Texas and Mexico. In her latest, most ambitious project to date, Maximilian and Carlota: Europe's Last Empire in Mexico, McAllen turns the focus of her research on the clash between Old World and New.
Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec emperor, was stripped of power in 1521 by the Spanish. Seven years in the making, Maximilian and Carlota traces the arrival 340 years later of a new Mexican emperor, former Austrian archduke Ferdinand Maximilian von Hapsburg, who had been wooed to accept the reins of power by Mexican monarchists working with Napoleon III to wrest power from Benito Juárez and his liberal republican allies.
McAllen immediately draws the reader in, building up details about Maximilian and his wife Charlotte (known in Mexico as Carlota) with engaging artistry that rivals that of historians like David McCullough. The imperial couple are both zealously earnest about wanting to bring stability and prosperity to Mexico and hopelessly naive about their chances. As they attempt to navigate the unfamiliar factions, they underestimate their ability to control the country, leading to their tragic end.
The Civil War ends, and the United States threatens involvement, forcing Napoleon III to withdraw troops and funding, effectively cutting the emperor's legs out from under him. As monarchists fall to republicans on the battlefield, the emperor is arrested and executed and his wife driven literally mad. The short Second Mexican Empire ends up solidifying a sense of nationalism in Mexico and souring its people against European involvement in their affairs.
A wonderfully written book accessible to history buffs and scholars alike, Maximilian and Carlota charts an important but often-overlooked moment in the history of the Western Hemisphere. Definitely top shelf.
February 27, 2014
I received this book through a First Reads giveaway. I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised. The story of Maximillian von Habsburg and Carlota is a riveting, intense, tragic ride. This book proves that non-fiction when presented well, can be as captivating as a fantasy novel.The backdrop is 1860's Mexico. Louis Napoleon sees an opportunity to take possession of Mexico with the US preoccupied with the civil war.He plants Maximillian, an archduke of Austria,as emperor of Mexico.Maximillian gives up alot in this endeavor:he is forced by his own brother to relinquish his right of succession. Along the way, Maximilian is admired by many while making powerful enemies.His eventual fall is tragic as he was on his way to abdicating the throne before being captured and killed. His execution is brilliantly narrated by the author. Afterwards, his wife is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I highly recommend this book for it's riveting and sympathetic portrayal of a monarch's rise and fall and it's explanation of why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated.
February 3, 2014
All I remembered from my school days of this story is that Maximilian was executed, so this book was eye opening to me. It was surprising to read that this whole scheme was designed by the French who convinced Maximilian to become emperor of a country they never fully conquered and then left Maximilian to his fate. This story is so audacious that if I didn't know it was true, I would think it was a work of fiction. I think this book does a good job of telling the story of the failed Mexican empire, a story that most Americans are only vaguely aware of.
June 19, 2014
This book discussed in detail the reign of Maximilian, a Hapsburg Austrian, as the Emperor of Mexico. Although the book was well-researched, towards the middle, I lost interest and had difficulty in completing the read.
June 23, 2014
Great account of failed imperial hubris, when Napoleon III attempted to acquire Mexico by installing an Austrian heir, married to a Belgium princess, as king of Mexico. Spoiler alert: it did'nt work out so well for Max
March 19, 2014
This is nonfiction which reads like fiction. A very interesting bit of history which is rarely discussed.
October 28, 2019
It needs to be said upfront: this needs to be made into a movie. The opponent of Mexican emperor Maximilian, Benito Juarez, has had his story told on the big screen, but it was a propaganda piece, displaying Juarez as the singular source of justice in his country. The story is much more nuanced than that; neither of them are the bad guy. Maximilian was certainly a usurper, convinced to leave behind the Hapsburg line of succession for a new country where the promise of popular sovereignty beckoned. However, he was fooled. In many ways he was a benevolent monarch, but Mexico did not ask for this; France, demanding to be repaid their loans to this bankrupt country, believed a puppet state directed by the true enemy of Mexico, Napoleon III, would be the only solution. Seeing the US in the middle of a civil war meant the Monroe Doctrine would be impossible to enforce. Napoleon felt taking Mexico would be easy, but holding on proved too difficult and expensive, especially with a rising Germany. Stranded, our tragic hero Maximilian holds on for one last stand against Juarez, refusing to return to Europe without his allies. Defeated, pleas for a pardon are met with silence and the emperor suffers a traitor's death. All the while, his wife Charlotte, begging for money and military support, is trapped back in Europe (pleading anywhere she can, including the Austrian royals she married in to as well as her ancestral French homeland) suffering a nervous breakdown. The burden of guilt weighs heavily upon her as she was the deciding voice in the Hapsburg/Napoleonic intervention in Mexico in the first place. As this was going on during the US Civil War and Reconstruction, Americans knew little of this event at the time and more so today. But I guarantee if you were watching this story, you'd be awestruck. Told brilliantly, the author paints a picture of the most forgotten North American royal family in a way you'll never forget again.
June 13, 2024
The Mexican Empire was nothing but a colonial attempt by France to exploit yet another nation. they cleverly chose a Habsburg prince and his young wife to rule, both with the right amount of ambition, desire to prove themselves, good but completely misled intentions and a great deal of naivety. it was a recipe for national awakening on one hand and a human tragedy on the other. This is a book that very logically and succinctly presents the uneasy and constantly shifting conflict, remains admirably objective and definitely stands as a dignified portrait of its protagonists. I only thought it a pity that very little time was given to the life of Maximilian and Charlotte before they became ensnared in the French scheming. there is hardly any time spent on their childhood and formative years or even their courtship.
December 24, 2022
This is a detailed and clear account of Maximilian and Carlota's life and, above all, the Mexican experiment. I would gladly give it five stars but for the excessive neutrality of the author, who is so careful to not express judgments that sometimes it is difficult to understand what were real Maximilian's weaknesses and why some of his decisions were disastrously wrong.
May 5, 2021
The euro intrigues, Confederate conspiracy, and imperialist hold outs that led to Cinco de Mayo and poisoned the well of revolution. Not comprehensive history of the revolution, but deep and interesting background.
November 30, 2021
Very enjoyable account of the Austrian and Belgian rulers of Mexico and their lives before and afterwards.
August 25, 2015
This is a good, very informative book, but be warned: it reads like a college text-book. Very slow starting, and ends very quickly, but the middle chapters are very interesting. Considering most Americans have never heard about a French-Austrian empire in Mexico, this book is very interesting to read. Just be ready, it's not for the casual reader!
August 4, 2015
Book was very informative. I knew a little about this reign and the French invasion but nothing about the actual workings of it. I especially liked the epilogue of the book. Interesting how this led to Porfirio Diaz's dictatorship later on.
November 22, 2015
Good, if ordinary biography on Maximilian and Carlotta. While it is sound on the lives of the two principles, it could have been better with more attention to some of the secondary characters such as Juarez and Napoleon III.
December 25, 2024
I read about 1/2 of this book, I am fascinated by this story of Maximilian and Carlotta. How odd that a Hapsburg Prince took on the challenge of Emperor of Mexico. The book felt well researched and was fairly easy to read. I just had a difficult time staying engaged with it.
May 10, 2014
Not the personal-perspective nonfiction narrative promised. Sadly, its dry, textbook reading made it impossible to finish.
May 30, 2015
One of the greatest tragedies in history. Heart breaking in so many ways. Very well researched.
April 27, 2019
Excellent, well-written exploration of a complicated story involving the ambitions and destinies of half a dozen countries and the establishment of a European empire in Mexico in the 1860s.
The author deftly weaves the personal narratives of the Austrian Archduke Maximilian and his wife, Princess Carlota of Belgium, as they haphazardly lead a violently divided Mexico on the fool's errand of setting up a French outpost for Napoleon the III in the Western Hemisphere.
In every way this is a fascinating tale that does the impossible in presenting a sympathetic portrayal of both Maximilian and the legendary Mexican nationalist Benito Juarez, whose forces eventually led to the demise of the Archduke's regime as well as the Archduke itself.
A richly rewarding read.
The author deftly weaves the personal narratives of the Austrian Archduke Maximilian and his wife, Princess Carlota of Belgium, as they haphazardly lead a violently divided Mexico on the fool's errand of setting up a French outpost for Napoleon the III in the Western Hemisphere.
In every way this is a fascinating tale that does the impossible in presenting a sympathetic portrayal of both Maximilian and the legendary Mexican nationalist Benito Juarez, whose forces eventually led to the demise of the Archduke's regime as well as the Archduke itself.
A richly rewarding read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews