Max Sinister
Banned
Recently I found what is probably the first AH book specifically about Austrian history. It contains no less than fourteen scenarios - one set in Ancient times, three in the medieval ages, four in the early modern age, the rest in the long 19th century.
The book is only available in German, but since it's not very expensive, I can recommend it.
For everyone else, here are the scenarios covered:
1. Marcus Aurelius loses against the Germanics in 172
Consequences: Avidius Cassius rebels successfully against Marcus. The area between Danube and Alps (plus Dacia) is lost by the Romans, a new state with a mixed Germanic-Romanic population emerges. Western Rome falls around 300, the pope has to flee to Carthage, Catholicism becomes a sect. The Arian Christianity wins instead, western Europe gets christianized much later.
2. Ogedei Khan survives in 1241, the Mongols invade Central Europe
The Mongols (centered on Hungary) ravage Central Europe until the Europeans manage to unite and beat them under Enguerrand de Coucy III in 1243 in a huge battle near Reims. Russia also manages to shake off the Mongol yoke, only the steppes stay under their control. Austria never becomes a state and is divided between Bohemia and Hungary.
Alternatively, the Mongols stay in Hungary, which becomes the new end of the Silk Road. In this case, Europe has the chance to make contact with East Asia - IOTL lost.
3. Rudolf von Habsburg loses against Ottokar Przemysl in 1278
The German electors choose Rudolf's son Albrecht instead as an anti-emperor. At first, Ottokar can defend against him, but ticks off too many people when he tries to expand even further. In 1286, he is defeated in the battle of Hollabrunn; the Habsburgs get their Austrian empire, and the Przemysls will end similar as IOTL.
4. Rudolf IV dies in a snowstorm in 1363, Bavaria gets Tyrol
Austria never becomes a great power, later falls to the Ottomans who are only stopped in 1529 at Munich.
5. Sulayman takes Vienna in 1529 (you knew this was going to be there...)
Since the Ottomans are overstretched, even this victory doesn't help them. Emperor Ferdinand has to make concessions to France and the Protestants. Eventually, they're driven out of Europe again. The most important changes involve Vienna, which stays a small garrison city instead of a glorious metropolis.
6. The Protestants in Bohemia win in 1620 - no Thirty-Year War
The PoD would involve the elector of Saxony, who did not support the Protestants IOTL. The emperor has to accept the Protestants to get Bohemia back. A liberal middle-class might have developed in Austria, an earlier German national state too, and the traumatic experiences of the Thirty-Year War would have been avoided.
7. Kara Mustafa takes Vienna in 1683 (see comment above)
Again: The Ottomans were overstretched and would have lost Vienna not too long afterwards. So, a change not that big.
8. Maria Theresia dies in 1738 from a complicated birth
Instead, her sister Maria Anna Eleonore becomes successor of her father. As IOTL, the other powers of Europe ally in 1740. When Maria Anna Eleonore dies too in childbed in 1743, it's over. Hungary becomes independent, Bohemia and Austria go to Bavaria, France gets Belgium and Luxembourg, Prussia Silesia, Spain the Austrian parts of Italy. Bavaria-Austria is the strongest German state now and has an enlightened ruler, Maximilian Joseph III.
9. Austria makes its own revolution in 1795
Quite improbable - the Austrian revolutionaries under Hebenstreit, Riedel, Martinovics and Gotthardi agitate the Austrian people who hate the war-caused inflation. The emperor is caught, Austria gets a Jacobin regime. Many noblemen die under the guillotine. A bit later, the moderates under Riedel topple the radicals under Hebenstreit, Austria becomes a loose confederation / constitutional monarchy (the republics of Bohemia and Hungary are member states). The new state also helps Poland to regain the areas lost in 1793. Afterwards? Hard to see.
10. The revolution of 1848 is successful
Again quite improbable - but let's say the revolutionaries had caught the imperial family. Soon after, the empire splits into the republics of Austria, Bohemia and Hungary. But the imperial troops are still loyal to the monarchy and topple the new governments. Franz Joseph becomes emperor as IOTL. Even if not: Prussia and Russia probably would have intervened anyway.
11. Emperor Franz Joseph is assassinated in 1853
New emperor is his brother Maximilian. He reforms the Austrian army and the empire, stops Prussia from taking over Germany, even acquires colonies in Africa. Architect Haussmann renovates Vienna, like he did in Paris. The relationships between France and Austria are good. Together, they try to make empress Charlotte's brother Philip emperor of Mexico - without success, however. When he dies in 1889, Franz Ferdinand becomes the new emperor. When his nephew and designated successor Karl is shot in Sarajevo, there's just a short war with Serbia. Oh, and no empress Sissi.
12. General Benedek wins the battle of Königgrätz in 1866
Conditions: Austria doesn't cut the military budget by a third in 1864 and introduces new rifles, like those used in the ACW. After the won battle, the Austrians make peace; Germany gets divided in spheres of influence, Saxony being in the Austrian half. Prussia still stays imperialistic; Austria becomes the Triple monarchy, the Slavs have equal rights. German nationalists try to make pro-Prussian revolutions, but are suppressed. In 1873, Prussia defeats France and can annex the other German states except for Bavaria. In 1880, a coalition of Prussia, Russia and Italy defeats Austria + Bavaria. World War I is avoided, however.
13. Crown prince Rudolf shoots Franz Joseph in 1888 during a hunt
Rudolf becomes emperor, wants to reform everything, but suffers a nervous breakdown. Archduke Albrecht Friedrich becomes regent. Sigmund Freud can cure the emperor in 1891. In 1895, Albrecht dies, Rudolf steps down and makes Franz Ferdinand emperor. Triple monarchy, no World War I, Freud's method becomes famous even earlier.
14. Franz Ferdinand isn't killed in Sarajevo (again)
Two years later, Franz Joseph dies, and Franz Ferdinand can make reforms. The World War is avoided - two scenarios are possible: In the optimist one, everything runs more smoothly in general, although technological progress is somewhat slower. Hitler sells his paintings to the tourists coming to Vienna. The pessimist one: Two power blocks develop, an Anglo-American one, and a German-lead one. Imperial Japan creates a huge empire and threatens Russia. There is an armament (and production) race, no one cares for ecology, global warming starts around 1980.
Title: "Kein Denkmal für Maria Theresia" (No monument for Maria Theresia)
Subtitle: Eine alternative Geschichte Österreichs
Author: Dr. Reinhard Pohanka, an Austrian historian, expert for medieval history and former curator at the Vienna museum
The book is only available in German, but since it's not very expensive, I can recommend it.
For everyone else, here are the scenarios covered:
1. Marcus Aurelius loses against the Germanics in 172
Consequences: Avidius Cassius rebels successfully against Marcus. The area between Danube and Alps (plus Dacia) is lost by the Romans, a new state with a mixed Germanic-Romanic population emerges. Western Rome falls around 300, the pope has to flee to Carthage, Catholicism becomes a sect. The Arian Christianity wins instead, western Europe gets christianized much later.
2. Ogedei Khan survives in 1241, the Mongols invade Central Europe
The Mongols (centered on Hungary) ravage Central Europe until the Europeans manage to unite and beat them under Enguerrand de Coucy III in 1243 in a huge battle near Reims. Russia also manages to shake off the Mongol yoke, only the steppes stay under their control. Austria never becomes a state and is divided between Bohemia and Hungary.
Alternatively, the Mongols stay in Hungary, which becomes the new end of the Silk Road. In this case, Europe has the chance to make contact with East Asia - IOTL lost.
3. Rudolf von Habsburg loses against Ottokar Przemysl in 1278
The German electors choose Rudolf's son Albrecht instead as an anti-emperor. At first, Ottokar can defend against him, but ticks off too many people when he tries to expand even further. In 1286, he is defeated in the battle of Hollabrunn; the Habsburgs get their Austrian empire, and the Przemysls will end similar as IOTL.
4. Rudolf IV dies in a snowstorm in 1363, Bavaria gets Tyrol
Austria never becomes a great power, later falls to the Ottomans who are only stopped in 1529 at Munich.
5. Sulayman takes Vienna in 1529 (you knew this was going to be there...)
Since the Ottomans are overstretched, even this victory doesn't help them. Emperor Ferdinand has to make concessions to France and the Protestants. Eventually, they're driven out of Europe again. The most important changes involve Vienna, which stays a small garrison city instead of a glorious metropolis.
6. The Protestants in Bohemia win in 1620 - no Thirty-Year War
The PoD would involve the elector of Saxony, who did not support the Protestants IOTL. The emperor has to accept the Protestants to get Bohemia back. A liberal middle-class might have developed in Austria, an earlier German national state too, and the traumatic experiences of the Thirty-Year War would have been avoided.
7. Kara Mustafa takes Vienna in 1683 (see comment above)
Again: The Ottomans were overstretched and would have lost Vienna not too long afterwards. So, a change not that big.
8. Maria Theresia dies in 1738 from a complicated birth
Instead, her sister Maria Anna Eleonore becomes successor of her father. As IOTL, the other powers of Europe ally in 1740. When Maria Anna Eleonore dies too in childbed in 1743, it's over. Hungary becomes independent, Bohemia and Austria go to Bavaria, France gets Belgium and Luxembourg, Prussia Silesia, Spain the Austrian parts of Italy. Bavaria-Austria is the strongest German state now and has an enlightened ruler, Maximilian Joseph III.
9. Austria makes its own revolution in 1795
Quite improbable - the Austrian revolutionaries under Hebenstreit, Riedel, Martinovics and Gotthardi agitate the Austrian people who hate the war-caused inflation. The emperor is caught, Austria gets a Jacobin regime. Many noblemen die under the guillotine. A bit later, the moderates under Riedel topple the radicals under Hebenstreit, Austria becomes a loose confederation / constitutional monarchy (the republics of Bohemia and Hungary are member states). The new state also helps Poland to regain the areas lost in 1793. Afterwards? Hard to see.
10. The revolution of 1848 is successful
Again quite improbable - but let's say the revolutionaries had caught the imperial family. Soon after, the empire splits into the republics of Austria, Bohemia and Hungary. But the imperial troops are still loyal to the monarchy and topple the new governments. Franz Joseph becomes emperor as IOTL. Even if not: Prussia and Russia probably would have intervened anyway.
11. Emperor Franz Joseph is assassinated in 1853
New emperor is his brother Maximilian. He reforms the Austrian army and the empire, stops Prussia from taking over Germany, even acquires colonies in Africa. Architect Haussmann renovates Vienna, like he did in Paris. The relationships between France and Austria are good. Together, they try to make empress Charlotte's brother Philip emperor of Mexico - without success, however. When he dies in 1889, Franz Ferdinand becomes the new emperor. When his nephew and designated successor Karl is shot in Sarajevo, there's just a short war with Serbia. Oh, and no empress Sissi.
12. General Benedek wins the battle of Königgrätz in 1866
Conditions: Austria doesn't cut the military budget by a third in 1864 and introduces new rifles, like those used in the ACW. After the won battle, the Austrians make peace; Germany gets divided in spheres of influence, Saxony being in the Austrian half. Prussia still stays imperialistic; Austria becomes the Triple monarchy, the Slavs have equal rights. German nationalists try to make pro-Prussian revolutions, but are suppressed. In 1873, Prussia defeats France and can annex the other German states except for Bavaria. In 1880, a coalition of Prussia, Russia and Italy defeats Austria + Bavaria. World War I is avoided, however.
13. Crown prince Rudolf shoots Franz Joseph in 1888 during a hunt
Rudolf becomes emperor, wants to reform everything, but suffers a nervous breakdown. Archduke Albrecht Friedrich becomes regent. Sigmund Freud can cure the emperor in 1891. In 1895, Albrecht dies, Rudolf steps down and makes Franz Ferdinand emperor. Triple monarchy, no World War I, Freud's method becomes famous even earlier.
14. Franz Ferdinand isn't killed in Sarajevo (again)
Two years later, Franz Joseph dies, and Franz Ferdinand can make reforms. The World War is avoided - two scenarios are possible: In the optimist one, everything runs more smoothly in general, although technological progress is somewhat slower. Hitler sells his paintings to the tourists coming to Vienna. The pessimist one: Two power blocks develop, an Anglo-American one, and a German-lead one. Imperial Japan creates a huge empire and threatens Russia. There is an armament (and production) race, no one cares for ecology, global warming starts around 1980.
Title: "Kein Denkmal für Maria Theresia" (No monument for Maria Theresia)
Subtitle: Eine alternative Geschichte Österreichs
Author: Dr. Reinhard Pohanka, an Austrian historian, expert for medieval history and former curator at the Vienna museum
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