alternatehistory.com

The Mouse That Roared, still a good film, was on television last weekend which got me thinking of whether it was possible to have more microstates in Europe like the fictional Duchy of Grand Fenwick. Happily the Principality of Neuchatel seems to fit the bill quite handily and appears like it could easily have become a second Liechtenstein-like state but on the western border of Switzerland with France. One of the main events that needs to be changed however is the selection of Frederick I in Prussia as the new Prince when the reigning house died out in 1707 so as to avoid the later unpleasantness of 1848 that saw them become a republic.

I've done some brief searches on the internet but all any of the sites that cover it say is that when the Princess Marie de Nemours died in 1707 that there were between fifteen and twenty or so candidates that put themselves forward as potential choices to become the new Prince, but not who they actually were. I don't suppose anyone would happen to know who was on the list do they? Failing that anyone that would have made a decent candidate that fulfilled the criteria of being Protestant, strong enough to oppose any potential French encroachments yet far enough away to not actively intervene in local affairs? Thanks.
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