User:Roaddawg

Gottlieb of Aeschbach was the last legally recognized monarch of the Swiss Empire before its collapse. Following the Revolution of 1848, the Helvetic Rebublic was established, ending the last Absolute Monarchy in Europe. The upheval of the European Revolutions of 1848 led to the overthrow of the monarchy in the Bernat Rebellion. The resulting coup de tat resulted in the fleeing of the royals to Louisiana. They escaped by wagon to Reims, and then fled across France to Paris, and ultimately to Calais. From Calais they sailed by boat to New Orleans. The new Swiss Government, the Helvetic Republic, and its proponents, the Bernats, felt that as long as the Royals lived they would pose a threat to the new Republic. They feared that rebels who favored the monarchy would use them as a rallying point for a renewed revolution to restore the monarchy. In a rather unprecedented move for deposed absolute monarchs, the Aeschbachs fled the country rather than face execution before they could be apprehended by the Bernats. They were granted temporary exile by the French in Paris, but this was quickly revoked due to tensions from the new Helvetic Republic in neighboring Switzerland. As a result, they were allowed passage to Calais and across the sea to the formerly French-held city of New Orleans in the former Louisiana Territory, now part of the United States.

The title of King of Switzerland also ordained its holder "by the grace of God" the right to rule as Lord Regent of Zurich, and Lord of the Swiss Marches.