So using Mike's idea to have Joesph I live just a touch longer and in the ensuing peace Austria keeps the occupied Bavaria in return for giving Maximilian II Emanuel the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily, becoming the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. As part of the deal when trading Bavaria they also give up the status of being an Prince-elector which is doled out as reward to an Austrian ally. Austria picks up what would become the Austrian Netherlands, the Duchy of Milan, and Sardinia as in our timeline. Fast forward a little and when Maria Josepha who has been married to Charles Emmanuel III becomes Archduchess and Queen creating the House of Habsburg-Savoy that brings Savoy into the fold as well. Assume that he also plays the role of our timelines Francis I by being elected Holy Roman Emperor due to Maria Josepha not being able by dint of being a woman. In the War of Austrian Succession I think the extra weight of Bavaria and Savoy might be able to force a draw in the fighting with Prussia so that it ends with a status quo ante bellum meaning no loss of Silesia, important for future development and also by denying it to Prussia. That gives you a pretty hefty boost to start with, allows you to retain an industrially important region a short while later, and gives you a much freer hand in Italy.
Some random thoughts are if Maximilian II Emanuel gives up the Electoral dignity then who would the Habsburgs give it to? The Margraviate of Baden seems like a possibility to me what with Louis William fighting for the Habsburgs, so they get promoted about ninety years early. You've also got a sister and two cousins to think about marrying off, some judicious matches could be most beneficial to bring important states closer to them.
All of this is fairly rough and ready without much in the way of planning. What happens as a consequence of possible changes like these and what happens afterwards is going to be affected by whole flocks of butterflies, things are going change at least somewhat from our timeline. Probably best not go on for too long since this is Avitus' thread and we've got no idea in what direction they might want to take things.
Some random thoughts are if Maximilian II Emanuel gives up the Electoral dignity then who would the Habsburgs give it to? The Margraviate of Baden seems like a possibility to me what with Louis William fighting for the Habsburgs, so they get promoted about ninety years early. You've also got a sister and two cousins to think about marrying off, some judicious matches could be most beneficial to bring important states closer to them.
All of this is fairly rough and ready without much in the way of planning. What happens as a consequence of possible changes like these and what happens afterwards is going to be affected by whole flocks of butterflies, things are going change at least somewhat from our timeline. Probably best not go on for too long since this is Avitus' thread and we've got no idea in what direction they might want to take things.
It's also going to do some interesting things to Italian nationalism and il Risorgimento without a national government pushing for it. Assuming that the Habsburgs are eventually able to take over Venice to form the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, a big if since the butterflies have a hundred years or so to do their work, and collect up the rest of the northern Italian states who else is there to lead it? The Papal States certainly aren't going to be interested and be pretty much antithetical to the kinds of people that would champion Italian nationalism. The Kingdom of Two Sicilies being at the other end of the peninsula separated from the rest by the Papal State, culturally distinct and the largest and richest of the Italian states I think probably wouldn't really be all that interested and just get on with minding their own business.Austria basically ran Italy through proxy rulers after Napoleon (save Piedmont-Sardinia). Actually having them directly rule Italy as a part of the Empire is awesome.