netherlands wank

"Rule the Netherlands! The Netherlands rule the waves!" What is the easiest way to make the Netherlands one of the strongest nations on the planet, within the top five economies and militaries? Sandwiched between the French and German cores of Europe, I don't think they can expand far into...

OTL, due to a combination of corruption, tensions between catholics and protestants, and economic issues, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands fell into modern belgium and the netherlands. But what if it didn't? Say the king is less corrupt, and the economic drainage belgium suffered doesn't...

Historically, the dutch culture was heavily associated with Germany. At least a bit more than the Prussians. So your goal is for the netherlands/the kingdom in the low countries, to be the military power that unites Germany. Austria, prussia (the stuff past brandenburg) and colonies all optional.