I posted an earlier draft of this timeline a few months back. I made some changes in accordance with your suggestions, but freely admit that I sacrifice plausibility for creative license at points. Enjoy.1870: Leopold Hohenzollern crowned King of Spain. Thusly, the Franco-Prussian War, and all it’s consequences, are averted.1879: Italy begins to attempt the colonization of Cameroon. While taking the coast, the northern interior region belonging to the Sultan of Sokoto remains independent.1886: Britain establishes control over Tanganyika, plotting to build the Cape to Cairo railroad. King Ludwig II of Bavaria dies. He is replaced by the easily manipulated Otto I.1887: Bavaria announces it has entered into an alliance with Austria-Hungary, which is in direct violation of the peace treaty it and the other south German states (Hesse, Baden, and Wurttemburg) were forced to sign with Prussia after the War of 1867. Prussia threatens war, but backs down when France also announces that it has an alliance with Bavaria. Hesse, Baden and Wurttemburg announce their intention to remain neutral in any war between Austria and Prussia.1888-9: Denmark re-establishes its claim to Togo, fighting with the natives for over a year. By 1889, King Mlapa III has surrendered, giving Denmark full control over the area.1890: In what turns out to be Bismarck’s last great triumph, he finishes negotiations to assemble Prussia, Russia and Italy into the Dreireichsbund: a military alliance aimed specifically at dismantling Austria-Hungary. In response, France, Austria-Hungary, and Bavarian representatives meet in Rome to solidify their alliance, the Entente Roman (with Pope Leo XIII’s blessing).1890-1914: Spanish-American War, Italio-Ethiopian War, Boxer Rebellion, Russio-Japanese War, the Two Balkan Wars, and any major geo-political events occurs the same as in OTL, with the following exceptions:In 1901, the British respond to the Boer guerrillas not with concentration camps, but rather with deportation: Afrikaaners are shipped out to as yet uncolonized Namibia, and are allowed to set up a new republic there. They manage to establish control over the southern parts within a few years, while the Portugeuse respond by extending Angola’s borders over the remainder. The Trans African Railroad is completed in 1905.In 1905, Britain successfully warns France against colonizing Morrocco.1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand assasinated while on a state visit to Serbia. Austria-Hungary makes its ultimatum to Serbia, who respond by going to Russia for aid. The respective alliance systems are invoked, as what becomes known as the Continental War in the UK, the Mitteleuropa War in the German speaking world, and the War of the Entente Roman in France.In the weeks following the outbreak of war, Pope Pius X dies in Rome, and his successor Pius XI (Andrea Carlo Ferrari of Milan) announces his intention to carry on Pius X’s policies, including leaning towards France, Bavaria and A-H.For the beginning months of the war, progress is very slow, as most of the nations involved are involved in more than one front, and attack plans are overly ambitious. France attacks both Prussia and Italy, Italy defends in the west while attacking Austria and going for Trieste, Prussia defends while invading Bavaria, and Austria defends against both Italy and Russia while going after Serbia. Russia’s invasion into Galicia is the fastest moving front in the war, while Italy invades what remains of the Papal States, overwhelming the French garrison in Rome, citing it as an attack on French troops occupying soil rightfully belonging to Italy. The Holy See, and the person of Pius XI are treated with nothing but respect by the Italian troops, but this operation does detract from Italy’s other theatres of combat.France establishes naval superiority in the Mediterrainean by defeating the Italian Navy at the Battle of the Straits of Messina.In October, the Three Pashas go behind the Ottoman sultan’s back and sign an alliance with France, immediately declaring war on Russia. Greece almost immediately declares war against the Entente. Meanwhile, the British parliament passes the Irish Home Rule bill, with elections for the Dial to be held the following year. Ulster is, as expected, excluded from Home Rule.1915: The war continues to grind on. The Ottoman’s entry into the war is a great boon to Austria, since this divides Russia’s forces and allows them to establish a defensive line at the Carpathians. Increased French pressure in Piedmont means that Italy is pulling troops away from the Adriatic theatre, and Trieste remains in Austrian hands. On February 2nd, Belgrade falls to the Austrians, which convinces Bulgaria to declare war against Serbia and Greece. France and Austria-Hungary plan a massive spring offensive to knock Prussia out of the war: Austria will strike at Silesia, while France will invade Baden, Hesse, and Wurrtemburg in an attempt to outflank the Prussians and link up with Bavaria. Due to manpower shortages, the Austrian attack never gets a full head of steam, and is cut off when the Prussians counterattack and capture Liberec. The French offensive bogs down, and Baden, Hesse and Wurttemburg all declare for Prussia. Still, the dual offensive has the effect of taking the pressure off of Bavaria for the first half of the year. It won’t be until autumn that the Prussians can renew their assault there.By June, the Russians have taken most of Galicia, and Armenia. The Austrians hold the line at the Carpathians though, and the Black Sea Fleet is annihilated by a combined French-Ottoman force. King Wilhelm attempts to convince his cousins in Spain and Rumania to join in the war. Spain refuses, not wanting to get entangled in another war after their loss toAmerica, but Rumania joins in order to get Transylvania. The underequipped Rumanians don’t make any big gains against Austria, but it’s one more straw on the camel’s back. Tripoli falls to France in the early part of the year, and France has a major breakthrough in Piedmont in September. The Italians manage to regroup and hold them outside of Genoa, which is besieged both by land and sea. In December, the French test a new prototype weapon: an armoured vehicle mounted on tracks called a tank. In the Irish elections, John Redmond’s Parliamentarians win against Sean MacDiarmada’s Clan na Poblachta, with James Connolly’s Socialists coming in third.1916: The war reaches its end game. The siege of Genoa continues. For the first months of the year, France is unable to get another breakthrough against either Prussia or Italy, even with its new “Tank” weapons. France is thoroughly bogged down in the southwestern German states. Prussia captures Munich on Janurary 10th, and masses on the border with Austria. Russia starts to cross the Carpathians, and the Hungarians look for a separate deal (reportedly just before Rumania was about to declare war). The Ottomans and Bulgarians continue to fight on, but without much success. France needs a miracle, and gets one on March 3rd, when it decides to begin a mass tank offensive against the Italians. The assault is amazingly successful, ripping through the Italian lines and placing Milan in danger. The siege of Genoa ends with the French entering into the city on March 10th. France attempts another tank offensive in the Rhineland on March 21st, that does gain ground but is contained by the Prussians by the 25th. France is desperate, knowing that with it’s allies down the Bund’s numerical superiority will grind it down eventually, while the Bund thinks breaking France is more trouble than it‘s worth. An armistice is declared on March 31st, with both sides agreeing to British mediation.The Treaty of London is signed on September 20th:1) Austria-Hungary to be partitioned as follows: Austria proper to be placed under Prussian occupation indefinitely. Bohemia and Moravia set up as the independent nation of Czechia. Hungary (which includes Slovakia) becomes independent, under the rulership of Karl Hapsburg. Transylvania goes to Rumania. Italy is to annex Trieste and Dalmatia, while occupying Croatia. Galicia goes to Russia. Bosnia and Herzegovina go to Serbia. 2) Bavaria also goes under indefinite Prussian occupation.3) Both France and Prussia withdraw their troops from Hesse, Baden and Wurttemburg, and both promise to respect their neutrality in the future.4) Italian soil held by France, including Genoa, is returned to Italy in exchange for The Italians withdrawing from the Holy See and allowing the French garrison to return there. Italy’s capital to be kept at Florence.5) Italy cedes Libya and their portion of Somalia to France.6) Bulgaria cedes Thrace to Greece and the Western Outlands to Serbia.7) The Ottomans cede Armenia and Kars to Russia. In November, Charles Evan Hughes defeats Woodrow Wilson to become the 29th President of the United States.Post war:Unlike in our world, everyone sees the potential for armoured warfare, and all nations are researching into building bigger and better tanks. Tanks will be further ahead than they were in our world, but most other military technology will be behind: Great Britain still has the largest navy in the world, with no serious competitors on the horizon. Prussia did use poison gas against France and Austria in the war, but on a much smaller scale than in our world. Gas is seen as an ineffective and unnessecarily brutal weapon, and is frequently used to demonize the Prussians. Aerial warfare is probably the furthest behind, as synchronization gear has yet to be invented.In 1921, Pope Pius XI dies, and Cardinal Damiano Achille Ratti is elected as his successor. Ratti takes the name Sylvester IV, and embarks on a policy that “Christ must be King over every aspect of life”. He states that all Catholic nations must first purge their own nations of Godlessness, and then that they must stand together on the world stage against all non Catholic states. This policy becomes known as “Sylvesterism”. In 1917, the discovery of how the Three Pashas manipulated the Sultan into entering the war is made public in the Ottoman Empire. Citizens take to the streets demanding action against the Young Turks, and the Sultan plans on having the organization disbanded and it’s members arrested. The Young Turks move quicker however, arresting the Sultan and his family and declaring the Sultanate abolished. This emboldens nationalist movements across the Empire, and Russia, Britain and France are all trying to carve out spheres of influence. The Ottoman Empire is effectively finished, but it is not yet known what shall emerge from it.Nation by Nation in 1923
russia: Is occupying Bavaria and Austria with an eventual goal of annexation. Due to the cost of holding down this territory against various Socialist and Sylvesterist militias and the Fatherland Front (an apocalyptic terrorist group in Austria that demands revenge against the Prussians, the Pope, the French, the Italians, the Hungarians, the Czechs, the Russians, the Jews, the British, the Rumanians, the Greeks, the Serbians and anyone else they consider responsible for the downfall of their country) they know that a long war with any nation (particularily France) would be disastrous. Thusly, tank development is the focal point of their military policy, and a continued alliance with Russia is central to their foreign policy.France: After the fall of Austria-Hungary and Bavaria in 1916, Emperor Napoleon IV was considering surrendering. But the military persuaded him to go ahead with the March offensives, and due to their success the war could be considered a victory. In post-war France, the Emperor is largely a figurehead, and the Legislature find’s its power severely limited. The military, principly Henri Petain, who was promoted to Field Marshall after the Piedmont offensive, is calling the shots now. France sees another war with the Russian/Prussian alliance as inevitable, and is courting Britain as an ally, starting by co-ordinating their policy with the British in regards to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. France has a growing Sylvesterist element, and the military hopes to use this to it’s advantage. Petain believes he can make the Pope his puppet instead of the other way around, and in doing so, build a power bloc to rival Russia’s.Baden, Wurrtemburg and Hesse: After the war, the three nations banded together under a mutual protection pact (to keep both Prussia and France away) and a free trade agreement. Negotiations to go to a common currency have begun. All three states have significant Sylvesterist parties, although none of them are close to taking power yet.Italy: Came through the war by the skin of their teeth. Though they gained in Europe, they lost in Africa, and the populace blames the government for being underprepared. Holding Croatia is deemed to be too expensive, and Italy grants the interior it’s independence in 1922 while holding onto the coastal region (which is what they really wanted anyway). A younger cousin of the King of Italy is placed on the throne of Croatia largely as a face saving measure. Giving up half of it’s gains from the war fuels the fire of the malcontents as the Marxists organize a March on Florence to ask the King “What did we fight the war for anyway?”. The March is broken up with what is considered excessive violence by much of the population. Somewhat surprisingly, the Marxists are more popular than the Sylvesterists. Turkey: The Young Turks have sealed Turkey up pretty neatly, though they have lost control of the rest of the Empire. The Greeks made a grab for Constantinople in 1919, and the new government gained a great deal of populairity and legitimacy in beating back the invasion convincingly. The Sultan and his family are still under house arrest, while the new government is debating whether to execute them, even though both France and Britain are leaning on the Turks to have them extradited instead.Great Britain: Still the world’s pre-eminent naval and financial power. Although helping to end the war, and taking an active part in the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Britain is still largely wary of ending their splendid isolationism. Britain formally annexed Cyprus in 1920 after the Ottoman’s collapse and the Greek invasion, stationing a large fleet there to keep other powers away from Constantinople (which the Turkish Republic is incredibly grateful for). Ireland: After the ascension of Pope Sylvester IV, the Clan na Poblachta faced a schism as the more rightward leaning Republicans split to form the Teaghlach na Dia Party. The remnants of Poblachta entered into a coalition with the Socialists. The schism has only strengthed the Parliamentarians hold on the Dial.Hungary and Croatia: After the death of King Karl I, his son Otto took the throne and reformed the country according the decrees set down by the new Pope, becoming the world’s first Sylvesterist nation. After gaining independence in 1923, Croatia became the second, and has effectively turned into a Hungarian satellite in order to keep the Serbians and Italians away. Croatia is formally a Kingdom under a member of the House of Savoy, but the King is a puppet of the more conservative revolutionaries (the liberals ones are mostly dead or in exile).Spain: King Leopold did a lot to reorganize the army along Prussian lines as he took the throne back in 1870, but that didn’t matter alot in the mostly naval conflict with the United States. After the war, there was a brief revolution against the foreign dynasty, and the modernized army was effective in putting that down. King Leopold decided not to be too harsh on the populace after the revolution was broken, and began to focus on internal developments, a process that was continued by his son King Guillermo, and led to the decision to stay out of the war. Spain is wealthier, more stable and with less internal strife and regional disparity than in our world.Czechia: After gaining independence, Czechia decided to model itself on Switzerland; arming itself to the teeth, becoming a confederation, focusing on banking and the manufacturing industries and staying strictly neutral. Despite unofficial support for Slovakian insurgents in Hungary, it has mostly stuck to this. Bulgaria: After the war, a Communist revolution broke out, and for a time, succeeded. The Communists successfully captured Sofia in 1918, and executed Tsar Ferdinand, becoming the first, (and so far only) Communist nation. It didn’t last long. Ferdinand’s son Boris managed to escape to Russia however, and after apologizing profusely for Bulgaria turning against Russia during the war, managed to get an expeditionary force made up of Russian troops and fellow exiles to reclaim the country. The war was successful, and Boris reclaimed the throne of Bulgaria in 1920.Rumania: King Ferdinand was immensely popular after getting Transylvania in the war, despite his country’s poor military performance. Ferdinand however is a devout Catholic, and is fascinated by the decrees of Sylvester IV, especially with a sizeable Catholic influx due to the annexation of Transylvania. Ferdinand was however mysteriously assasinated in 1922, and his young son Michael, who was raised Orthodox, has formally taken the throne under a pro Russian regency.Russia: Slowly but surely modernizing, it’s victory in the war has largely erased the memory of it’s defeat by Japan. Has built up a reliable bloc of satellites in Prussia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Serbia and Greece (which has turned against Britain after Britain condemned it‘s invasion of Turkey). It’s treatment of Catholic dissidents in Poland and Lithuania, coupled with it’s support of anti-Catholic states like Prussia and Serbia make it Pope Sylvester IV’s favourite target to rail against. In Janurary 1922, after a particularily frustrating meeting with Prime Minister Kerensky, Tsar Nicolas II went out and chopped wood for hours, catching a fatal dose of hypothermia. Alexei IV took the throne, still largely under Rasputin‘s thumb. However, Rasputin’s sexual relationship with an underage girl resulted in his arrest and eventual execution, and Alexei did not live out his first year on the throne. Nicolas’ brother Mikhail has become Tsar, and his arch conservatism puts him at odds with the Duma.
russia: Is occupying Bavaria and Austria with an eventual goal of annexation. Due to the cost of holding down this territory against various Socialist and Sylvesterist militias and the Fatherland Front (an apocalyptic terrorist group in Austria that demands revenge against the Prussians, the Pope, the French, the Italians, the Hungarians, the Czechs, the Russians, the Jews, the British, the Rumanians, the Greeks, the Serbians and anyone else they consider responsible for the downfall of their country) they know that a long war with any nation (particularily France) would be disastrous. Thusly, tank development is the focal point of their military policy, and a continued alliance with Russia is central to their foreign policy.France: After the fall of Austria-Hungary and Bavaria in 1916, Emperor Napoleon IV was considering surrendering. But the military persuaded him to go ahead with the March offensives, and due to their success the war could be considered a victory. In post-war France, the Emperor is largely a figurehead, and the Legislature find’s its power severely limited. The military, principly Henri Petain, who was promoted to Field Marshall after the Piedmont offensive, is calling the shots now. France sees another war with the Russian/Prussian alliance as inevitable, and is courting Britain as an ally, starting by co-ordinating their policy with the British in regards to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. France has a growing Sylvesterist element, and the military hopes to use this to it’s advantage. Petain believes he can make the Pope his puppet instead of the other way around, and in doing so, build a power bloc to rival Russia’s.Baden, Wurrtemburg and Hesse: After the war, the three nations banded together under a mutual protection pact (to keep both Prussia and France away) and a free trade agreement. Negotiations to go to a common currency have begun. All three states have significant Sylvesterist parties, although none of them are close to taking power yet.Italy: Came through the war by the skin of their teeth. Though they gained in Europe, they lost in Africa, and the populace blames the government for being underprepared. Holding Croatia is deemed to be too expensive, and Italy grants the interior it’s independence in 1922 while holding onto the coastal region (which is what they really wanted anyway). A younger cousin of the King of Italy is placed on the throne of Croatia largely as a face saving measure. Giving up half of it’s gains from the war fuels the fire of the malcontents as the Marxists organize a March on Florence to ask the King “What did we fight the war for anyway?”. The March is broken up with what is considered excessive violence by much of the population. Somewhat surprisingly, the Marxists are more popular than the Sylvesterists. Turkey: The Young Turks have sealed Turkey up pretty neatly, though they have lost control of the rest of the Empire. The Greeks made a grab for Constantinople in 1919, and the new government gained a great deal of populairity and legitimacy in beating back the invasion convincingly. The Sultan and his family are still under house arrest, while the new government is debating whether to execute them, even though both France and Britain are leaning on the Turks to have them extradited instead.Great Britain: Still the world’s pre-eminent naval and financial power. Although helping to end the war, and taking an active part in the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Britain is still largely wary of ending their splendid isolationism. Britain formally annexed Cyprus in 1920 after the Ottoman’s collapse and the Greek invasion, stationing a large fleet there to keep other powers away from Constantinople (which the Turkish Republic is incredibly grateful for). Ireland: After the ascension of Pope Sylvester IV, the Clan na Poblachta faced a schism as the more rightward leaning Republicans split to form the Teaghlach na Dia Party. The remnants of Poblachta entered into a coalition with the Socialists. The schism has only strengthed the Parliamentarians hold on the Dial.Hungary and Croatia: After the death of King Karl I, his son Otto took the throne and reformed the country according the decrees set down by the new Pope, becoming the world’s first Sylvesterist nation. After gaining independence in 1923, Croatia became the second, and has effectively turned into a Hungarian satellite in order to keep the Serbians and Italians away. Croatia is formally a Kingdom under a member of the House of Savoy, but the King is a puppet of the more conservative revolutionaries (the liberals ones are mostly dead or in exile).Spain: King Leopold did a lot to reorganize the army along Prussian lines as he took the throne back in 1870, but that didn’t matter alot in the mostly naval conflict with the United States. After the war, there was a brief revolution against the foreign dynasty, and the modernized army was effective in putting that down. King Leopold decided not to be too harsh on the populace after the revolution was broken, and began to focus on internal developments, a process that was continued by his son King Guillermo, and led to the decision to stay out of the war. Spain is wealthier, more stable and with less internal strife and regional disparity than in our world.Czechia: After gaining independence, Czechia decided to model itself on Switzerland; arming itself to the teeth, becoming a confederation, focusing on banking and the manufacturing industries and staying strictly neutral. Despite unofficial support for Slovakian insurgents in Hungary, it has mostly stuck to this. Bulgaria: After the war, a Communist revolution broke out, and for a time, succeeded. The Communists successfully captured Sofia in 1918, and executed Tsar Ferdinand, becoming the first, (and so far only) Communist nation. It didn’t last long. Ferdinand’s son Boris managed to escape to Russia however, and after apologizing profusely for Bulgaria turning against Russia during the war, managed to get an expeditionary force made up of Russian troops and fellow exiles to reclaim the country. The war was successful, and Boris reclaimed the throne of Bulgaria in 1920.Rumania: King Ferdinand was immensely popular after getting Transylvania in the war, despite his country’s poor military performance. Ferdinand however is a devout Catholic, and is fascinated by the decrees of Sylvester IV, especially with a sizeable Catholic influx due to the annexation of Transylvania. Ferdinand was however mysteriously assasinated in 1922, and his young son Michael, who was raised Orthodox, has formally taken the throne under a pro Russian regency.Russia: Slowly but surely modernizing, it’s victory in the war has largely erased the memory of it’s defeat by Japan. Has built up a reliable bloc of satellites in Prussia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Serbia and Greece (which has turned against Britain after Britain condemned it‘s invasion of Turkey). It’s treatment of Catholic dissidents in Poland and Lithuania, coupled with it’s support of anti-Catholic states like Prussia and Serbia make it Pope Sylvester IV’s favourite target to rail against. In Janurary 1922, after a particularily frustrating meeting with Prime Minister Kerensky, Tsar Nicolas II went out and chopped wood for hours, catching a fatal dose of hypothermia. Alexei IV took the throne, still largely under Rasputin‘s thumb. However, Rasputin’s sexual relationship with an underage girl resulted in his arrest and eventual execution, and Alexei did not live out his first year on the throne. Nicolas’ brother Mikhail has become Tsar, and his arch conservatism puts him at odds with the Duma.
