AHC: Prosperous, United, Independent Basque Country, post-1776 POD

[Teutoberg Forest]

Basically, have the seven Basque provinces of Spain and France exist as an independent nation by the present-day, with this country being at least as prosperous as the area is today. Bonus points for having the Basque State take additional territory from either Spain or France and/or more Western Europe balkanization. My ideal borders for a "Greater Basque Country" would be the Adour, or if we wanted to get really ambitious, the Garonne, with some border expansion in Spain as well.

The main problem that I see in this scenario is that nobody really has a reason to promote the creation of a Basque state which would presumably need a boatload of foreign help to have a chance at survival. Because of this, said state would probably need to form during one of France or Spain's periodic outbreaks of instability which occurred throughout the 19th century. Once they establish themselves, I can see them being a British ally; of course, even such an alliance would leave the Basques at the mercy of the French.

I say post-1776 POD because this leaves time to influence the French Revolution, which marked the start of the suppression of Basque in France.

 

[Wendell]

Messier French revolution?

 

[Analytical Engine]

Bad Things(TM) happen in Spain, resulting in an independent Basque state being created. Sometime later, there is a referendum in the French Basque Country on unification.

Not sure exactly how likely this is, though.

 

[Teutoberg Forest]

Oh I know it's unlikely as all hell, I just wanted to see if anyone had a better idea than I could come up with.

Perhaps a failed French Revolution where the Revolution itself fully crushes the monarchs but ultimately gets suppressed by Austria, Prussia, and Britain in ~1797 could result in some peripheral states being carved off from France if the revolutionaries become scary enough to everyone else. Ultimately, I would try to have a POD that directly strengthens Basque national sentiment that also results in a messy Revolution. The Basques would probably end up being in a similar position to Belgium, with a less strategic position and less population.

 

[Condottiero]

Basically, have the seven Basque provinces of Spain and France exist as an independent nation by the present-day, with this country being at least as prosperous as the area is today. Bonus points for having the Basque State take additional territory from either Spain or France and/or more Western Europe balkanization. My ideal borders for a "Greater Basque Country" would be the Adour, or if we wanted to get really ambitious, the Garonne, with some border expansion in Spain as well.

The main problem that I see in this scenario is that nobody really has a reason to promote the creation of a Basque state which would presumably need a boatload of foreign help to have a chance at survival. Because of this, said state would probably need to form during one of France or Spain's periodic outbreaks of instability which occurred throughout the 19th century. Once they establish themselves, I can see them being a British ally; of course, even such an alliance would leave the Basques at the mercy of the French.

I say post-1776 POD because this leaves time to influence the French Revolution, which marked the start of the suppression of Basque in France.

ASBish, basque nationalism was a late XIX century invention.

 

[Teutoberg Forest]

ASBish, basque nationalism was a late XIX century invention.

Maybe in its modern sense, but that's only because it resulted from a gradual loss of traditional autonomy beginning with the French Revolution. A strong regional identity always existed, but nationalism only developed once this regional identity was antagonized by France and, more importantly but later on, Spain.

 

[Nivek]

Worse Spain, one Collapse earlier and all special cultural groups get back, maybe a worse French Revolution or one Napoleon decided to give independance cataluña and basque country under loyal men, divided et imperia.

 

[The Professor]

Well I would keep the Kingdom of Navarre from joining France or the Spanish Kingdoms.
Then have its independence backed by the rising Dutch and English-cum-British states to the point that any invasion is only temporary and Navarre gets investment from them.

 

[Condottiero]

Well I would keep the Kingdom of Navarre from joining France or the Spanish Kingdoms.
Then have its independence backed by the rising Dutch and English-cum-British states to the point that any invasion is only temporary and Navarre gets investment from them.

But, back to the XI and XII centuries, the basque provinces joined Castille on their own in order to fend off Navarre. They did not consider themselves navarrese!!

 

[The Professor]

But, back to the XI and XII centuries, the basque provinces joined Castille on their own in order to fend off Navarre. They did not consider themselves navarrese!!

Those are only 3 of the 7ish Basque "territories" though. If Navarre bases its nationality in Basque it may be that they join. Recall that nationality didn't really exist as we think of it back then.

 

[Teutoberg Forest]

Those are only 3 of the 7ish Basque "territories" though. If Navarre bases its nationality in Basque it may be that they join. Recall that nationality didn't really exist as we think of it back then.

The Castilian Basque provinces are also the three richest Basque provinces, with all of the major Basque cities other than Pamplona and Bayonne/Biarritz. Then again, there's nothing that stops a Basque state from gradually reclaiming/claiming territory a la Greece OTL.

 

[The Professor]

The Castilian Basque provinces are also the three richest Basque provinces, with all of the major Basque cities other than Pamplona and Bayonne/Biarritz. Then again, there's nothing that stops a Basque state from gradually reclaiming/claiming territory a la Greece OTL.

Today, yes. Who knows what butterflies of surviving Navarre would bring.

 

[Teutoberg Forest]

Today, yes. Who knows what butterflies of surviving Navarre would bring.

True, but that's why I restricted the POD to after the Revolutionary War; a surviving Navarre, especially one in possession of all Basque lands, would require a POD early enough that Europe will be unrecognizable because of butterflies.

 

[The Professor]

True, but that's why I restricted the POD to after the Revolutionary War; a surviving Navarre, especially one in possession of all Basque lands, would require a POD early enough that Europe will be unrecognizable because of butterflies.

Apologies, I genuinely didn't see the pod restriction!

 

[Condottiero]

Those are only 3 of the 7ish Basque "territories" though. If Navarre bases its nationality in Basque it may be that they join. Recall that nationality didn't really exist as we think of it back then.

They never did. In fact, some of their kings claimed to be Rex Totius Hispaniarum.