A small imperial army and a divided political base

Maximilian's own Mexican army is described as roughly one-third the size of the liberal forces. Its leading generals understood cooperation better in theory than in practice. Meanwhile, the emperor repeatedly alienated conservative supporters through liberal policies. A monarch's assumed conservative credentials could also make some conservative audiences more willing to accept liberal reforms. A speculative alternative imagines the liberals accepting him as a constitutional monarch and thereby dividing his conservative backers. Neither side pursued that accommodation, leaving his political alignment at odds with many of his own inclinations.