France annexes Belgium in 1748

Exactly during the Revolutionary Republic Regime and during Boney they annexed. But 1748 ain't like that.

If France tried to do that they would just managed to join all of europe, which was basically what happened in 1792, 1798, 1805, 1806, 1808, 1809, 1813 and 1815, against them.
This
Louis wasn't just being retarded in not expanding, everyone, Spain, Prussia, Sweden, Austria, and especially Britain and the UP agreed that the one thing they did want for the Austrian Netherlands was French annexation.
 
Considering the time period of this thread the political entity is the Kingdom of Great Britain, not "England", bunch of people misusing that, be like calling the United Provinces Holland.

If France does expand its borders to the Rhine in the 18th century I wouldn't suggest making predictions for what Napoleon will do in the 19th since he will never be born.

On the subject of royal motivations if Louis XIV has instilled a stronger sense of "France's natural borders" in Louis XV which seems difficult giving the birth dates, but then such an effect on his character may make him less of a terrible monarch. If you want a stronger France in this period just having a different sperm fertilise the egg and make Louis XV completely different should do it.
 
England still existed, even if not as a political entity. If Napoléon wanted to invade England, it is not the same thing as if he went for Scotland.

As for Napoléon, as France northern policy had few influence on Corsica, I believe a Napoleone Buonaparte would in fact exist, but he will not be "the" Napoléon. But if the British-French fighting continued after 1748, up until the French state bankrupting itself, a Révolution-like event is likely. In this context, an all-out war including French attempts at attacking Britain (more precisely England) is expectable.
 
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So without Louisbourg France does even worse in the overseas portion of the 7 years War. Quebec will fall years earlier.
 
So without Louisbourg France does even worse in the overseas portion of the 7 years War. Quebec will fall years earlier.
Louisbourg was given back in exchange for Madras OTL. I think this would remain unchanged unless Great Britain wants to have a more difficult war in India (which is richest than Acadia).
 
England still existed, even if not as a political entity. If Napoléon wanted to invade England, it is not the same thing as if he went for Scotland.

As for Napoléon, as France northern policy had few influence on Corsica, I believe a Napoleone Buonaparte would in fact exist, but he will not be "the" Napoléon. But if the British-French fighting continued after 1748, up until the French state bankrupting itself, a Révolution-like event is likely. In this context, an all-out war including French attempts at attacking Britain (more precisely England) is expectable.
It could still be possible, though, that Buonaparte may become THE Napoleon if circumstances play out still similarly enough.
 

longsword14

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It could still be possible, though, that Buonaparte may become THE Napoleon if circumstances play out still similarly enough.
Not possible. Napoleon had the best combination of skill and opportunity. He won't get it anywhere else other than where he did. At best he will be some middling officer a decade into his career.
 
France had Antwerp for a long time in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars and during all those years, the so called 'pistol aimed at England' didn't do anything for France against Britain.
 
Is it reasonable to assume that the Seven Years War of TTL is the same as the OTL version as its UK and Prussia vs France and Austria so it doesn't make any difference if its the French Netherlands ITTL instead of the Austrian Netherlands. Plus its too soon after 1748 for a significant expansion of the French Navy.
 
Not possible. Napoleon had the best combination of skill and opportunity. He won't get it anywhere else other than where he did. At best he will be some middling officer a decade into his career.

OTL, if the revolution had not started, Napoleon would have taken a contract as an Ottoman Officer
 
Is it reasonable to assume that the Seven Years War of TTL is the same as the OTL version as its UK and Prussia vs France and Austria so it doesn't make any difference if its the French Netherlands ITTL instead of the Austrian Netherlands. Plus its too soon after 1748 for a significant expansion of the French Navy.
Does anybody agree or disagree?

Next is the American Revolutionary War, which France didn't join until 1778 IOTL, 30 years after the France annexes the Austrian Netherlands and plenty of time for the French to have expanded their navy in line with their extra resources.
 
Trafalgar and the previous decades didn´t help.
The Nile is really the turning point. In 1796, the French managed to sent a fleet to Ireland. Storms and inefficient leadership prevented that fleet from having a role, but the power projection of the French navy was real, although limited, prior to 1799.
 
Louisbourg was given back in exchange for Madras OTL. I think this would remain unchanged unless Great Britain wants to have a more difficult war in India (which is richest than Acadia).

Read back a few pages. Madras was a secondary extra. Louisbourg was mainly given back for the Austrian Netherlands.
 
The Ottoman business (a military mission actually) was in 1795, at a time when Napoleon's jacobinism let him unemployed.

AFAIK, there was another opportunity, when Napoleon was still a lieutenant, before the revolution. When the revolution stopped the negociation, they were arguing about Grade (and thus salary). The ottomans were offering to jump him to Colonel; he wanted General (straight from Lieutenant!)

EDIT: a) I don't have online sources; it's a memory from a book I read some time ago. b) it seems he also offered his service to Russia in 1791 and was rejected because he demanded to be jumped to too high a grade.
 
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I don't think it is reasonable to assume that all the diplomatic shifts and the ensuing war to play out identically, no.
I vaguely remember from my A Level history that the Diplomatic Revolution that occurred between the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War happened by accident because the Duke of Newcastle wasn't very good at foreign policy.

And as incorporating the Southern Netherlands makes France more powerful it alters the balance of power so countries that were allies of France IOTL might become its enemies.
 
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