Greater Austria/Germany

Ok so I am wondering what would happen if Austria had kept its 1848 alliance with Russia during the Crimean war. Austrian men and material could have made the war a bit more of a stalemate but that's probably not the important part. You would end up with a very powerful and possibly lasting Russian/Austrian alliance of conservative emperors. A Russian-backed Hapsburg would most likely roll over Prussia in the inevitable war but in that scenario what is the likelihood of uniting Germany in some war. The emperor might even shed some Hapsburg possessions to appease the nationalist masses. Maybe giving Galicia to Russia in exchange for help or releasing Hungary under a personal union. France and maybe even Britain would intervene in war to unite Germany but even combined they probably wouldn't have a chance in a land war against a Russo-German alliance. Thoughts?
 
The most obvious change is that new frontier exists in the Crimean war where the main French and Savoy forces face the Austrians and the Russians in Northern Italy. Given that the French won a couple of years later, I don't see why this shouldn't be the case now with British support. Thus I think the Russian-Austrian alliance would still loose, but it would take longer and the war might severely affect Austrian lands. Savoy would get Lombardy and Venice.

The interesting question is whether the other German states join the war on either side. I tend to believe them staying neutral. But fighting against the French might stir up nationalistic feelings.
 
I'm not sure if France would beat up Austria in northern Italy. I mean the Russians held off Britain and France pretty well for quite a while OTL and with France deploying in northern Italy instead of in the Crimea Russia might well have the resources to send aid to Austria. Another possibility is that Austria's Involvement right away might keep France and, more likely, Sardinia on the sidelines as Sardinia would have much more to lose potentially, especially if France had already deployed into Russia or the Balkans before Austrian involvement, then Sardinia would fear being steamrolled before France or Britain could redeploy. The Austrian military wasn't particularly effective at the time but the Hapsburgs were a savvy lot and would probably time their involvement well. Again, my main concern is what an Austrian-Russians alliance would do post-war in relation to the uniting of Germany
 
The premise is highly unlikely. Austria was well aware that she would never reapy Russian support in Hungary with support in the Balkans. Russians occupying the Danubian Principalities (as they did in the first part of the Crimean War, before Austria threatened war) were a big no go for Vienna.
I can imagine a situation where Austria allies with Russia, provided they can agree on a partition of European Turkey that was highly problematic for both; Austria actually was not so sure she WANTED a further share of Balkan Slavic peoples (notably Serbs) quite not welcoming her rule. They would upset an already problematic nationality balance (though it was not the clusterfuck of later times) and even give Russia some possible leverage to meddle inner Austria affairs. On the flip side, they could help weaken those obnoxious Hungarians, and their nationalism, albeit developing, was still infant.
However, Austria would gain troublesome mountanious and unruly places, a headache in Italy, and the risk of further headaches in Germany, for the pleasure to give Russia full control over the Straits and the mouths of the Danube, that is two vital bottlenecks for Austrian economy. This, in case of victory.
War is against the first world power of the time (Britain), another Great Power, France (possibly the second or third one), and two minor allies both in a very good military position to force a two-front was being helped by the major enemies. The only neutral great power has been humiliated by Austria some years before and is perfectly situated to open a third front in case it seeks for revenge. Defeat may seem a not so far-fetched possibilty.
Sort of not looking like a particularly wise move short term.
(Of course, Austrian leadership of the time is not famous for its incredibly wise moves in general, so who knows).
 
I'm not sure if France would beat up Austria in northern Italy. I mean the Russians held off Britain and France pretty well for quite a while OTL and with France deploying in northern Italy instead of in the Crimea Russia might well have the resources to send aid to Austria. Another possibility is that Austria's Involvement right away might keep France and, more likely, Sardinia on the sidelines as Sardinia would have much more to lose potentially, especially if France had already deployed into Russia or the Balkans before Austrian involvement, then Sardinia would fear being steamrolled before France or Britain could redeploy. The Austrian military wasn't particularly effective at the time but the Hapsburgs were a savvy lot and would probably time their involvement well. Again, my main concern is what an Austrian-Russians alliance would do post-war in relation to the uniting of Germany

They'll be too busy with Balkan stuff for quite a while to bother with Germany. Also, doing things in Germany would likely piss off Britain even more (Hannover). They might try to explain Prussia a thing or two if Berlin tries funny things with Schleswig-Holstein TTL, but in this situation I hardly see Russia letting Austria unify Germany... unless it is the price for Eastern Balkans. But Austria will not be so interested in the task in any case.
If the Crimean War sees Prussia on their side, it may be constructed as Liberation War part II, France is defeated "again" and the GC probably somehow induced to develop closer ties (maybe Austria in the Zollverein?). The dualism woul remain though.
 
Well I suppose I am working under the premise that:

1.Rather than Austria "joining a war" already in progress, it keeps a fairly public alliance with Russia post-1848. If this is this is the case would Britain and France be as likely to want to slap Russia around for meddling with the Ottomans? Remember they didn't interfere in 1877. Austria might not be looking for territorial acquisitions in the Balkans but rather increased influence over Bosnia or (if they were more forward thinking than in OTL) an alliance against Prussia which was rapidly industrializing, modernizing its military, and generally looking for trouble.

2. The Hapsburgs are also not trying to unite Germany in this timeline but rather increase influence. I doubt even a crushing victory over Prussia would unite the empire but rather, they would reclaim Silesia, possibly annex the Rhineland and the Ruhr (with Russia taking a chunk of east Prussia), not Hanover. In OTL Hanover gets annexed in 1866 by Prussia with no intervention by Great Britain. Baden, Wurttemburg, and Bavaria might be semi-absorbed into a greater Austria in this scenario because of influence and economic control, much as the northern states were marginally absorbed into Prussia. This would fairly neatly give Austria a very large portion of ethnic Germans that don't have all those nasty independent tendencies. Future meddling by France, or a GB backed revanchist Prussia might make the small German states unite under the only German power that can still protect them: Austria. Russia might encourage a strong ally, especially in return for continued support in the Balkans, increased autonomy for Slavic peoples within the empire (which the Hapsburgs might not mind considdering their recent aquisitions and that they always considered Austria a German empire (albiet with non-German inhabitants).
 
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