What if after the thirty year war (or some alternate war at the same tim) the Holy Roman Empire would have been abolished, what would have been the effect on the German pricipalities? And what should have happened in the thirty year war to have the HRE become abolished at the end of it? I am asking this to gain some background information for the vague idea i posted a couple of days ago.
No HRE
- Thread starter pompejus
- Start date
Napoleon was born more than 100 years after the peace of Westphalia so he will be butterflied away.
What would the motivation and the immediate effect be? If the HRE is dissolved, a clear-cut decision has to be made about the sovereignty of the individual members. I could see a situation where a group of territorial victors - maybe Bavaria, Austria, Denmark, Wurttemberg, Brandenburg, Saxony, Sweden, the Netherlands - decide to push for a dissolution in order to pursue their own policies and force the smaller parties into some kind of federations or feudal dependencies. That would have interesting effects down the line especially for Austria - less involvement with the German side of things - and Prussia - no need to ever become Prussia - and a freer hand for France - no instant conflict with Austrian interests along its Eastern border, and only small states in its path. This *could* become a Louiswank if you twist it the right way.
