Alternate Austrian Succession War
Okay, its been a looooooong time since I actually posted something other than replies, and I hope this will open the floor to discussion. Maybe someone will even tackle this as an alternate timeline-assuming it hasn't already been done. With all that said, here's the 'What If'.....and the opening setup:
According to what I recently read in the book The Pursuit of Glory: Europe 1648-1815 by Tim Blanning. In the run-up to the War of the Austrian Succession, Charles VI-Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, had failed to sire a male successor. As a means of maintaining the unity of the Hapsburg Monarchy, he drafted a edict called the Pragmatic Sanction which in essence guaranteed that should he die without a male heir, his dominions would pass undivided to his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, effectively bypassing the heirs of his close relative and predecessor Joseph I. Charles VI had to practically promise the moon and some stars in order to get the Austrian estates, the Hungarian diet, the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, and finally the courts of Europe to accept the Sanction and recognize Maria Theresa as his heir*. Within days of his death, Austria's neighbors began to repudiate the Sanction and attack the Monarchy, starting with Prussia's invasion and conquest of Silesia. Frederick the Great later admitted he had done it to pre-empt the Saxons, who were also looking to claim Silesia to bridge the gulf between the Electorate and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where the Saxon elector was also king. France backed the candidacy of Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria for Holy Roman Emperor against Duke Frances Stephen of Lorraine, whose territory was almost wholly surrounded by France. Charles Albert even made a claim on Bohemia and Upper Austria as a means of securing his claim to the Imperial title. Spain hoped to make gains in the Italian peninsula at Austria's expense and potentially restore the position they had lost as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession (1700-1716). Comte de Vergennes, France's minister, even had a plan for the partition of the Hapsburg Monarchy would would've created three new power-blocs in the HRE, awarded Spain and Sardinia-Piedmont some territory in Italy, and awarded the Austrian Netherlands (i.e Belgium) to France along with the right of succession to the Duchy of Lorraine.
* Spain had already won Parma and Piacenza in central Italy, both as part of the terms of the treaty ending the Polish Succession War and as a pre-condition of their acceptance of the Pragmatic Sanction. France also had already secured the acquisition of the Duchy of Lorraine, which would've allowed Francis Stephen to become Duke of Tuscany in exchange and as a pre-condition of their adherence to the Pragmatic Sanction.
What if the War of the Austrian Succession gone the way de Vergennes had planned it (more or less), and the Vergennes Plan been fulfilled as a result of victory? What would an alternate Europe look like as a result? Would there be a Seven Years War? American War of Independence? French Revolution? Now here are some things to consider when discussing this What If:
- France would be more focused on the continental campaigns and initially only defend her colonial empire from Britain, until their objectives were fulfilled and Austria were brought to her knees. Then and only then would they switch to a "blue water" strategy, both repelling British attacks and even going on the offense themselves with Spanish assistance.
-The United Provinces (Holland or The Netherlands) would be overrun quickly by the French, forcing them out of the war. What the terms of surrender would be can be left open, but most likely they would lose some territory overseas and pay a large indemnity. They could even be forced to join the French side and go to war with Britain. Again, this can be left open to discussion.
-Frederick the Great would still gain Silesia much as IOTL (except maybe a small portion in the south of the province, which Saxony would seize and thus link their Electorate-however small-with their Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lands. Saxony could potentially, and as a means of compensation, divide the Swabian territories of the Hapsburgs with Bavaria.
-Bavaria would not only be able to seize and hold Bohemia (possibly with Saxon and Prussian assistance) and Upper Austria, but they could even invade and occupy Lower Austria or the Tyrol (or both) and make restoring one of those territories the condition of peace with Austria. As new Holy Roman Emperors they could even forbid any future ambitions for the Imperial Crown from the Hapsburg dynasty. This can be left open to discussion.
-Hungary could use the distractions and invasions of the Monarchy to assert their independence, and receive recognition of such from Prussia, France, Spain, Bavaria and possibly even the Ottoman Empire. While they may or may not become involved in the war, any opportunity to cripple the Hapsburgs would be welcomed by the Ottoman Empire as it would mean one less rival in the Balkans to have to contend with.
-The role of Russia, Sweden and Portugal would be open to discussion as its unknown how big or small a role these nations played in the Austrian Succession War. Perhaps Russia gets involved as a belated ally of Austria to try and prevent Bavaria and Prussia from tearing the Monarchy apart. Perhaps Russia becomes a neutral. Perhaps Russia joins in the partition. The same could be said of Sweden, as they still held German territory along the Baltic. They could join in Austria's partition not so much for territory as for guarantees from the new, Bavarian Emperor for commerce and security.
Let me be clear, I dont have exact figures on military strength, finance so I won't even venture to make a guess on those. Also there may have been a few things I left out...I'm only Human. Lastly I don't intend this to go into ASB territory, which is why the source information I provided in Italics was written, so no one thinks I'm doing an ASB. If there already exists an alternate timeline coming off the war which I am not aware of, please provide a link so I may check it out.
Aside from that, the floor is now open to discuss, debate, strategize and create
According to what I recently read in the book The Pursuit of Glory: Europe 1648-1815 by Tim Blanning. In the run-up to the War of the Austrian Succession, Charles VI-Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, had failed to sire a male successor. As a means of maintaining the unity of the Hapsburg Monarchy, he drafted a edict called the Pragmatic Sanction which in essence guaranteed that should he die without a male heir, his dominions would pass undivided to his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, effectively bypassing the heirs of his close relative and predecessor Joseph I. Charles VI had to practically promise the moon and some stars in order to get the Austrian estates, the Hungarian diet, the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, and finally the courts of Europe to accept the Sanction and recognize Maria Theresa as his heir*. Within days of his death, Austria's neighbors began to repudiate the Sanction and attack the Monarchy, starting with Prussia's invasion and conquest of Silesia. Frederick the Great later admitted he had done it to pre-empt the Saxons, who were also looking to claim Silesia to bridge the gulf between the Electorate and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where the Saxon elector was also king. France backed the candidacy of Charles Albert, Elector of Bavaria for Holy Roman Emperor against Duke Frances Stephen of Lorraine, whose territory was almost wholly surrounded by France. Charles Albert even made a claim on Bohemia and Upper Austria as a means of securing his claim to the Imperial title. Spain hoped to make gains in the Italian peninsula at Austria's expense and potentially restore the position they had lost as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession (1700-1716). Comte de Vergennes, France's minister, even had a plan for the partition of the Hapsburg Monarchy would would've created three new power-blocs in the HRE, awarded Spain and Sardinia-Piedmont some territory in Italy, and awarded the Austrian Netherlands (i.e Belgium) to France along with the right of succession to the Duchy of Lorraine.
* Spain had already won Parma and Piacenza in central Italy, both as part of the terms of the treaty ending the Polish Succession War and as a pre-condition of their acceptance of the Pragmatic Sanction. France also had already secured the acquisition of the Duchy of Lorraine, which would've allowed Francis Stephen to become Duke of Tuscany in exchange and as a pre-condition of their adherence to the Pragmatic Sanction.
What if the War of the Austrian Succession gone the way de Vergennes had planned it (more or less), and the Vergennes Plan been fulfilled as a result of victory? What would an alternate Europe look like as a result? Would there be a Seven Years War? American War of Independence? French Revolution? Now here are some things to consider when discussing this What If:
- France would be more focused on the continental campaigns and initially only defend her colonial empire from Britain, until their objectives were fulfilled and Austria were brought to her knees. Then and only then would they switch to a "blue water" strategy, both repelling British attacks and even going on the offense themselves with Spanish assistance.
-The United Provinces (Holland or The Netherlands) would be overrun quickly by the French, forcing them out of the war. What the terms of surrender would be can be left open, but most likely they would lose some territory overseas and pay a large indemnity. They could even be forced to join the French side and go to war with Britain. Again, this can be left open to discussion.
-Frederick the Great would still gain Silesia much as IOTL (except maybe a small portion in the south of the province, which Saxony would seize and thus link their Electorate-however small-with their Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lands. Saxony could potentially, and as a means of compensation, divide the Swabian territories of the Hapsburgs with Bavaria.
-Bavaria would not only be able to seize and hold Bohemia (possibly with Saxon and Prussian assistance) and Upper Austria, but they could even invade and occupy Lower Austria or the Tyrol (or both) and make restoring one of those territories the condition of peace with Austria. As new Holy Roman Emperors they could even forbid any future ambitions for the Imperial Crown from the Hapsburg dynasty. This can be left open to discussion.
-Hungary could use the distractions and invasions of the Monarchy to assert their independence, and receive recognition of such from Prussia, France, Spain, Bavaria and possibly even the Ottoman Empire. While they may or may not become involved in the war, any opportunity to cripple the Hapsburgs would be welcomed by the Ottoman Empire as it would mean one less rival in the Balkans to have to contend with.
-The role of Russia, Sweden and Portugal would be open to discussion as its unknown how big or small a role these nations played in the Austrian Succession War. Perhaps Russia gets involved as a belated ally of Austria to try and prevent Bavaria and Prussia from tearing the Monarchy apart. Perhaps Russia becomes a neutral. Perhaps Russia joins in the partition. The same could be said of Sweden, as they still held German territory along the Baltic. They could join in Austria's partition not so much for territory as for guarantees from the new, Bavarian Emperor for commerce and security.
Let me be clear, I dont have exact figures on military strength, finance so I won't even venture to make a guess on those. Also there may have been a few things I left out...I'm only Human. Lastly I don't intend this to go into ASB territory, which is why the source information I provided in Italics was written, so no one thinks I'm doing an ASB. If there already exists an alternate timeline coming off the war which I am not aware of, please provide a link so I may check it out.
Aside from that, the floor is now open to discuss, debate, strategize and create