Recent content by Archduke

The problem with letting Brandenburg and the Dutch do their own thing, is that you're still fighting undermanned. You want all the Imperials under one roof because that's how you achieve supremacy over the overstretched French. If the Brandenburgers are left out, then you can achieve parity or...

That's a very good point. The Dutch might use the Portuguese war exactly like OTL, to advance their own empire.

I think firstly it needs to pointed out that the Spanish trounced both the Savoyards and the Austrians on land in the War of the Quadruple Alliance. The Spanish stormed Sardinia, the Spanish seized most of Sicily and then beat the Austrians back. Only after Cape Passaro did Spain start to lose...

3 separate Habsburg rulers, each strong in their own right and able to focus on ruling their own territories is a nightmare for France. Based on my understanding of Spanish military strategy, I believe that Spain and the Netherlands remain strong military allies to balance out against France's...

I think that France and Germany reconciling is possible, but that reconciliation is the result of a world war being avoided entirely and France and Germany reconciling politically and transitioning their rivalry into pure economics. But getting France and Germany into a world war on the same...

Something to note is that Beatrice of Portugal, John of Castile's wife is now widowed. So, someone might marry her to revitalize claims against Portugal. So Portugal might not be entirely safe just yet. Perhaps the next claimant can do better, but then again Portugal defended itself well enough...

I think you have the right idea that the creation of the Italian electorate has to begin before the Golden Bull. I do think if the Canossas survive they have a great opportunity to become electors because they likely accumulate so much power that their exclusion becomes impossible. Additionally...

Burgundy's rulers so often aligned themselves with the ideals of the Christian knight and crusader, and Burgundy besides having many burghers also had many knights and nobles who seemed to lean toward Catholicism. I imagine that if Burgundy is switching toward Protestantism that it does so more...

I’ll explain more later, post-work. But the first thing that needs to be accounted for is Fleury’s France. Fleury did not want to fight the war, which is why the Anglo-Spanish War never escalated. France has the ability to be a game wrecker even after the damage suffered during the wars of Louis...

Eugene in Italy is possible, especially considering he is related to the Duke of Savoy. Ludwig leading in the Middle Rhine makes sense in that he will be more controllable than electors, but you risk upsetting the electors by naming Ludwig as commander. The last thing that Leopold wants is to...

It is the consensus within the French government that Luxembourg was truly the best. In assignments, the French primarily relied on the seniority of marechals which is why in 1689, Humieres (promoted in 1668) was given Flanders (always considered the most important theater), Duras (promoted in...

XII: Plan 1690 Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I Spain’s entry into the war against France was a necessary condition for the Grand Alliance’s survival. Without Spain clearing the roads of Flanders for the Dutch army, the Dutch would have remained practically locked out of the Continental war except...

In terms of England politics, any quick version of victory for James II means him getting swept back into power by many traitors. Like people such as Churchill or even Douglas-Hamilton switching sides and hand delivering the kingdoms to James II. in this case, James II will still have to contend...

On the question of William III and England, I think it goes without saying that personal reasons played a huge role in William III's decision to invade. Just looking at the saga of the Principality of Orange, William III took his personal titles very seriously and believed that he needed to...

Yes, Cologne's army has survived the year and is still attached to the French army. The French have probably suffered a few more casualties than OTL due to Mainz being a little more exciting. Bonn and the battles around there would have taken roughly the same number of casualties. I guess the...