1726 Anglo-Spanish War

OTL this was a Ltd engagement to which the Spanish eventually abandoned their attempts to regain Gibralter and Minorca.

The Empire was reluctant in its support of Spain due to British diplomacy. Assume instead that Charles VI stays the course and commits more fully to the Spanish cause.

Can the Imperials and Spain prevail against Britain in the med. I am thinking that marshalling imperial resources in Naples & Sicily and the rest of Italy and combining them with the Spanish should be sufficient to wear the British resolve down. I am not sure exactly what the Spanish expected of the Emperor in this endeavour. Townshend had been disposed to the retrocession to Spain, given lacklustre support its allies and a few reverses in the theatre that are sufficiently draining on British resources it probably could be done. It would be at tremendous cost though to both the Empire and Spain.

Russia, Bavaria and Saxony are the Imperial & Spanish prospective allies.

Britain under the treaty of Hannover can call on the French, Brandenburg-Prussians, Dutch, Danes and Swedes.. however there seems to more reasons for division here than common grounds for opposition.

Fleury was decidedly pacific during his tenure and this is in the immediate aftermath of the bursting of the South Seas bubble with its devastation in the immediate term of French finances. Any armies France raises if it acts, are going to be decidedly smaller than those that went before, and dependent on what the French coffers can afford to field. The elector of Brandenburg seems more intent in husbanding his military might than actually using them unless absolutely necessary, so its hard to see how he can see a military or strategic imperative to go against the Emperor on this.

Is this likely to spiral into an earlier continent wide war.....ala the WAS. or remain limited to Spain and the Mediterranean?

Any input...
 
Alright a limited war as in OTL just significantly more Imperial commitment...

Alright lets say that at the onset of hostilities Charles VI has elements of the Neapolitan fleet sail for Spain to augment the Spanish Squadrons in setting up blockade to prevent re-supply of Gibraltar. As these units arrive off Gibralter, say end of October, a smaller fleet of Genovese transports and with frigates as protection depart with Imperial troops for rendezvous off Minorca with a similar sized squadron from Spain to jointly seize the island from Britain.

The Neapolitan and Spanish Squadrons off Gibraltar while taking somewhat heavier damage than their British opponents in Wager`s re-supply fleet (6 SoL, 2Ca and 2bomb vessels) refuse to yield the seas and Wager is forced to retire.

Spring of `28 the Tsarina begins re-mobilizing in the Baltic, threatening the Scandinavian allies, They won`t actually do anything, the threat is enough to force Britain to the table. Port Mahon and Gibraltar finally capitulate to the combined Spanish and Imperial forces.

At the initial ceasefire Britain agrees to retrocession of Gibraltar and Minorca, and the rights of the Spanish infantes to succeed to the Italian duchies. They do not accept the Pragmatic sanction and Maria Theresa`s right to succession in the Hapsburg hereditary lands. The Austro- Spanish alliance is confirmed and Maria Theresa will marry Infante Carlos, Maria Anna will marry Infante Philip.

During the course of this exchange, France has remained decidedly pacific given the state of its finances, and a blow to British abilities in the med. will actually serve their purpose. The elector of Brandenburg was bought off as in OTL with the Emperor's agreement to recognize his succession in the duchies of Julich-Berg (this will be thorn in his side later, but not at this time)

this will change considerably the events that follow.
 
Actually he is not giving the Empire to the Borbons....he is attempting to secure the inheritance for his daughter Maria-Theresa. Charles currently only stands to be Duke of Parma and Tuscany, not King of Spain. There is currently a schism between the French and Spanish Bourbon houses. It will establish the new line of Hapsburg-Borbon and he can stand for Emporer after Charles dies, since she cannot, he is like OTL likely to be consort and co-ruler though. The Austro-Spanish alliance was the first of his many external concessions Charles VI agreed to in his attempts to secure outside recognition, it is up to this point historical fact, and with this turn of events, the alliance is strengthened and has passed its first test. It remains to be seen if Spain can return the favour when needed. Those concessions would of course all be for nought and result in war as in OTL... I am simply trying to have Charles move down a different path and removing as many of those foreign concessions as possible and strengthen the Hapsburg lands to withstand the inevitable.

Avoiding the debacle of the Polish succession War is next on the agenda.
 
Yes, he is. The Bourbons are a very senior line, it'll surely overtake the matrilineal Habsburg name, contrast the Lorraines that were just a bunch irrelevant Dukes constantly needing foreign help to avoid annexation, you'll not a create a House of Habsburg-Bourbon, Charles would just be a Bourbon.
 
This Bourbon line is junior to the house in France as you are aware. And all of this is as per OTL... these alliances were planned... to suggest that he would `not give the lands to the Borbons is nonsense, as he actually did DO THIS. Your suggestion is total nonsense....Charles will be her co-ruler only if she decides to make him so. He is attempting to secure his daughter`s inheritance and maintain the Hapsburg inheritance as intact as possible.

and the House of Lorraine was easily as old and prestigious as the Hapsburg or the Bourbon.
 
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