1813: Austro-French alliance

True but I think it goes in the principal of becoming the dominant & independent German power and then being able to exert influence in the Confederation of the Rhine and Italian peninsula. Possibly seeing Napoleons conquests as unstable and only lasting through Napoleon life time through his military skill

Till then with a humiliated Russia its likely Austria would focus on dominating the Balkans and the weakened Prussia.
 
Would that be possible if the Confederation of the Rhine remained under French control? I find it kind of hard to imagine Napoleon giving that up voluntarily.

No. Metternich demanded France to dissolve the Rhine confederacy which was but a puppett in the hand of a hegemon called France.

Austria could accept or pretend to accept France retaining control of Italy. But It could not accept France retaining control of both Italy and most of Germany.

Napoleonic France controlling Germany (except Austria/Bohemia and reduced post Iena/Tilsitt Prussia) and Italy was equivalent to Charlemagne's empire.
 
TBH Prussia is a much more beneficial ally for France. Avoid Jena and have them jump in a la Saxony and Bavaria, and partition Austria for good. The Prussian couldn't care less about Italy, the Balkans or the Rhine, and would happily take bites out of Poland et al at Nappys side.
 
TBH Prussia is a much more beneficial ally for France. Avoid Jena and have them jump in a la Saxony and Bavaria, and partition Austria for good. The Prussian couldn't care less about Italy, the Balkans or the Rhine, and would happily take bites out of Poland et al at Nappys side.


I think that by 1813 the bridges were long since burnt as far as Prussia was concerned.
 
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