What if at the Treaty of Aix-la-chapelle of 1748, France who did occupy the whole of the Austrian Netherlands, decides or the king decides to annex them? Since the middle ages this was one of the richest regions in Europe and it was a long term policy of France to annex it. King Louis XV, out of misplaced pride, decided to not annex and say that "he is a king, not a merchant". What if he was less of a retard and got better advice and listened to it? How would French and European history evolve from this decision of enlarging France?