I'm not saying this is THE way, but...
Say, Prussia and Austria start the second Silesian war in 1795, with the Ottomans joining Prussia and the Russians Austria. Prussian support to the Netherlands starts to dwindle, while both sides still avoid too-serious conflict along the Rhine. A petition by Dutch patriot exiles in Paris gets the attention of the French minister of foreign affairs (or whatever his name shall be), and a plot is hatched. In 1797 a French army bypasses defences in the Austrian Netherlands and, nominally under the banner of the Dutch patriots, marches into States Brabant. Panicking, the Stadholder Willem V (or actually his wife) surrenders large amounts of power to the States-General (who themselves suffer 7 mini-revolutions resulting in larger representation of the patriots). He also signs an alliance with France.
Prussia is justifiably upset, and requests support from Britain, which is itself very worried about events in the Netherlands, made worse when the Austro-French alliance of 1798 is signed (later called the 'Quadruple Alliance nr umpteen' as the Dutch are bullied to join and the Russians continue to fight alongside Austria).
In early 1799, Britain declares war on the Dutch Republic and France, and fighting starts throughout the globe. Spain joins France's side against Britain, hence why the Quadruple Alliance never gets more of a name. By 1801, Prussia is defeated and gives up Silesia and parts of Poland to Austria and, in a diversion from prior policy, large concessions in the Rhineland are granted to the Netherlands (Geldern, Lingen) and Austria's late ally Bavaria (more of the triple-duchy of Julich-Cleves-Berg). Austria also makes concessions in its Belgian possessions to both the Netherlands and France. Several cities along the west bank of the Rhine are also brought under French control though not annexed outright.
Now, with the Ottomans on the run, the French, Dutch and Spanish hatch a plot to defeat Britain once and for all. At the naval battle of Brest, a combined Spanish-French naval taskforce barely manages to save an incoming Dutch squadron, bringing the entire Channel into a contentious stalemate between the Continental System (as the alliance is now called) and Britain. By 1803, peace is signed with several colonies shifting sides (greatly straightening out the border in the East Indies, for instance, though the total change in the power balance is limited), and the Canadian-US border shifts a few miles to please the late-joining USA.
Now beginning to despair after two lost wars, Britain begins work on an unholy alliance with Russia while the Austro-French alliance patchwork falls apart (Patriot reforms in the Netherlands leading to the Netherlands almost being a power again and the lack of Spanish gains dispersing the rest). In 1814, Europe stands on the verge of another war between Britain and France, but the British have Russia, now...
Say, Prussia and Austria start the second Silesian war in 1795, with the Ottomans joining Prussia and the Russians Austria. Prussian support to the Netherlands starts to dwindle, while both sides still avoid too-serious conflict along the Rhine. A petition by Dutch patriot exiles in Paris gets the attention of the French minister of foreign affairs (or whatever his name shall be), and a plot is hatched. In 1797 a French army bypasses defences in the Austrian Netherlands and, nominally under the banner of the Dutch patriots, marches into States Brabant. Panicking, the Stadholder Willem V (or actually his wife) surrenders large amounts of power to the States-General (who themselves suffer 7 mini-revolutions resulting in larger representation of the patriots). He also signs an alliance with France.
Prussia is justifiably upset, and requests support from Britain, which is itself very worried about events in the Netherlands, made worse when the Austro-French alliance of 1798 is signed (later called the 'Quadruple Alliance nr umpteen' as the Dutch are bullied to join and the Russians continue to fight alongside Austria).
In early 1799, Britain declares war on the Dutch Republic and France, and fighting starts throughout the globe. Spain joins France's side against Britain, hence why the Quadruple Alliance never gets more of a name. By 1801, Prussia is defeated and gives up Silesia and parts of Poland to Austria and, in a diversion from prior policy, large concessions in the Rhineland are granted to the Netherlands (Geldern, Lingen) and Austria's late ally Bavaria (more of the triple-duchy of Julich-Cleves-Berg). Austria also makes concessions in its Belgian possessions to both the Netherlands and France. Several cities along the west bank of the Rhine are also brought under French control though not annexed outright.
Now, with the Ottomans on the run, the French, Dutch and Spanish hatch a plot to defeat Britain once and for all. At the naval battle of Brest, a combined Spanish-French naval taskforce barely manages to save an incoming Dutch squadron, bringing the entire Channel into a contentious stalemate between the Continental System (as the alliance is now called) and Britain. By 1803, peace is signed with several colonies shifting sides (greatly straightening out the border in the East Indies, for instance, though the total change in the power balance is limited), and the Canadian-US border shifts a few miles to please the late-joining USA.
Now beginning to despair after two lost wars, Britain begins work on an unholy alliance with Russia while the Austro-French alliance patchwork falls apart (Patriot reforms in the Netherlands leading to the Netherlands almost being a power again and the lack of Spanish gains dispersing the rest). In 1814, Europe stands on the verge of another war between Britain and France, but the British have Russia, now...
