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The main problem is Napoleon III himself if you want a true Second French Empire. As a POD, then, I'd personally like a smarter/better/whatever Napoleon III.

So.

Napoleon III takes over, but in the spirit of 1848 (as he was talking about IOTL, but didn't actually do). He keeps a free press, an independent legislature, and so forth—his own powers are technically unlimited but practically circumscribed by democracy.

Crimean War is the same as OTL, more or less, which (as IOTL) provides a nice boost to Napoleon III and the French Empire.


Now the French-Austrian War is interesting. IOTL the Italian unification seriously pissed off French conservatives—the backbone of Napoleon III's support. ITTL Napoleon III is already too liberal for them, but (being better at this) understands he wants to keep their support and (unlike OTL) also understands that Italian unification could lead to bad knock-on effects.

IOTL this meant Poland and Denmark thinking at least a little that the French would back them, and a reduction of internal support for Napoleon III (by liberals) when he failed to do so.

ITTL Napoleon III either doesn't bother to get involved, or does so in a desultory fashion aimed at securing Nice & Savoy while Italy essentially divided and perhaps still threatened by Austria. A minor victory, let's say, perhaps with territory. The Italians are somewhat pissed off, but continue to need anti-Austrian allies.

Sardinia would be best, but that is…*rather unlikely. At least now, anything is possible in the future.


That takes us to colonies pre-Franco-Prussian War. Now colonies are nice and all but, really, with the Royal Navy sitting off their coast does France have a chance to retain Asian territory? Of course not.

However the USA is heading into a Civil War, Mexico could be pretty nice, and this alt-French Empire is (for the sake of argument) doing better domestically and in industry.

So let's have the Mexican intervention work out just fine (perhaps with some quiet Spanish support) and the US is too internally busy to do anything about it. So French dominated (but not French run, yet…) Mexico and the Monroe doctrine is dead. Permanently, perhaps.

For extra fun (if we want the French Empire to be first or second among Great Power equals) we could have the US fall apart because the British and French back the Confederacy realpolitik style. Bonus points for independent super-California and/or expanded BNA.

French colonial goals would probably be Africa, but it would be interesting to see them head into the Middle East & and all of North Africa hard. Perhaps an attempt to turn the Mediterranean into a French lake. (They need Spain, Gibraltar, Malta, perhaps Sardinia (now that would be fun), Egypt, and some other stuff).


Would strong France (unlike strong Germany) get Britain to put together an Federated Empire framework? I doubt it, but it'd be cool.


The Big One. France Vs. Prussia.

Obviously the French have to win. Win big, even, and secure the Rhine valley for themselves. Nationalism, of course, will be a problem (I'm open to suggestions).

What does a defeated Prussia do? What does Austria, suddenly in a better place against Prussia do?


So far France has had a heck of run since Napoleon III took over, and the Brits must be getting nervous. The French candidate is on the Spanish throne, posing potential unification problems. The French Navy is starting to dominate the Med, and they're pushing hard to take over as much of North Africa & the Middle-East as possible. Italy is now trending French-dominated instead of Austrian-dominated.

Luckily for the Brits no super-Prussia yet, but super-France is nearly as worrying. War? The Brits would need an ally but both Prussia and Austria are licking wounds.


Ok. That's it for now. In the interests of super-France having a competitor can we create a Federal British Empire? Unify France with Spain and perhaps Sardinia or more of Italy? The French Empire, from Wallonia and the Rhine Valley to Gibraltar across North Africa, Egypt, to Turkey? Mexico? Cuba? More Caribbean property?

Anyway, most of this era isn't my speciality—everybody go wild :).
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