A larger chair for Charles

So...is it possible to have, say in 1918 an austrian-dominated Germany? I get to explain better: I need a scenario in wich Austria-Hungary does not exist anymore, (disbanded, collapsed due to war-wariness...whatever you want) BUT the Habsburgs keep their throne in Austria (and Bohemia as well), and also gain control over Germany (the two do not need to happen at the same time)...in a few words, a austrian-controlled Großdeutschland, just 50 years later.
I accept any PODS dating 1900-1918; bonus points if you also have Russia to collpase in the end and free some space in the east for "greater-german" political dominiation"
 
I can only think of one scenario, and it's a long shot.

The Soviets agree to the treaty with Germany only because they have operatives in Berlin and don't think it will matter. A revolution in Berlin in 1917 eliminates the Hohenzollerns and Junker elites and leaves Germany without Prussian leadership.

Charles suggests a return to the old German Federation, and with few options available the leaders of the remaining states agree. He pulls all the available soldiers out of the east and Balkans and places them on the western front. Then, from this position of strength he tries for another deal.

Essentially, Germany gets what it wants in the East while the Allies get what they want in the West and the colonies (Charles certainly doesn't care about German colonies or Alsace and Lorraine). The Balkans are stuck in client positions with Germany, but it looks like a win on all sides. The Allies maybe, just maybe, would say yes.
 
If it can be before WW1, perhaps Franz Ferdinand succeeds Franz Josef after the latter is assassinated (there was a plot in 1911.) The result is that they go to war with Serbia a few years early (becasue they are goaded into it since someone just killed their emperor) but the cost is that the Federation is too shaky. germany, Russia, and France all join the fight, as OTL, but because the Germans don't have the Haber process, they collapse quickly - but the Austrian confederation is good enough to beat the Russians becasue Brusilov is killed in battle early and some really bad general replaces him.

So, you have Germany blamed for the war but now in turmoil, and hey, the Austrians don't have their empire anymore because Franz Ferdinand just sort fo dissolved it, so the Allies agree to let the Austrians rule Germany thinking that FF will be more liberal than the Hohenzollerns.

It's a long shot, but it might work, if the Austrians can jump ina nd prevent a Communist revolution in Germany (which many thought would happen and with Lenin and Trotsky running around in exile could begin before it's squashed.)

Sorry, that's all kind of jumbled, I know, but it was right off the top of my head. Maybe you can do something with it, though. I don't think you can get them expanding much, though, becasue my idea is based on the Austrians coming to restore order, so Germany will be a mess for a good while.
 
Point 1) Hi guys, thanks for your replies; what if the Sixtus affair succeds? Austria signs a peace deal, only to be occupied by the germans soon after; the war continues to rage, until germany is ultimatley defeated: William II abdicates, Germany is a mess; in the meanwhile, Austria-Hungary is free of German military occupation, but still extremely shaky and on the brink of collapse; Charles, then, seizes the oportunity and is crowned emperor of Germany with support from the royalist factions within the country. immediatly later, he releaes Hungary, while still formally holding St. Stephen's crown (Milos Horthy will rule as regent, anyway). That said France is not happy at all, but they get Charles to subscribe the treaty wich the allies were preparing for Germany; also they realize that the armies have demobilisd, and thus, reopening the hostilities at that given moment would be impossible; also they realize that the french army was on the brink of collapse as well, and that neither the soldiers, or the public opinion would support such a move; so what we get is a negotiated settlement, with Germany having it's 1919 borders + Austria and Bohemia (and Slovenia as well; being that in the negotiated settlement after asutria's stepping back from the war, it was not considered to give that territoy away); Germany also retains upper Silesia; the Serbians get their Jugoslav state (minus Slovenia); Italy gets away as in OTL; same for Poland (the main difference here, being that the ensuing austrian leadership has no desire to reclaim polish lands). Hungary is reduced greatly, but keeps Slovakia. Germany has to pay indemnities, but less so than in OTL; alos military restrictions will be vague and temporary, as the new state claims to be the successor of the austrian empire, not the prussian-led german empire (wich will be equally blamed for starting the war). In the following years, I see Poland getting close to Germany, in an anti-soviet fashion. I aslo see Germany and Yugoslavia getting closer against Italy (Germany willing to reconquer land in the alps region, Yugoslavia willing to contain Italy. France will be in tatters.

Point 2) Antother possibility is having the war end by a negotiated settlement in 1918, assuming that the germans manage to break french lines in a last ditch offensive, but still being starved to death by british blockade; therefore, german political establishment collpases, and ...go to point 1; this secon case has the dvantag of having the war already over when the mess happens, also having central powers in a better negotiating position
 
Move th POD back to 1850, when Hungarian nobles get so uppity that they leave the dual-monarchy. After that loss, the Austrian Emperor re-evaluates which subject minorities are productive and which are pesky (Serbs) so a few more minorities are allowed to go their own way.
Remaining minorities are treated more fairly, so that they become more productive and more loyal to the "Greater Austria." For example, fewer Ukrainian farmers emigrate to Canada.
Austria retains a port on the Adriatic Sea.
The end result is a stronger "Greater Austria" that has sufficient reserve capital to industrialize a few years earlier than TTL. Better Austrian railroads help more Austrian troops quickly within Greater Austria. Hence Austrian soldiers are better armed and better fed. During WW1, Austrian soldiers dispense with Italians along their southern border much earlier.

During WW1, Prussian Junkers (e.g. Berliners) are defeated by WALLIES and Kaizer Whilhelm abdicates, retreats into exile, etc.

When communists threaten to take over Bavaria in 1919, Austria "assists" Bavarian police in quelling communists. Since the German populace is more comfortable with Royal rule, the Austrian Emperor is invited to "advise" more and more German states.
 
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