Growth of the British Empire without Ireland

The POD in this scenario would be, Britain would defeat Ireland like in OTL but, choose to keep it independent, occupying only OTL's Northern Ireland. Britain would disarm Ireland and create a new constitution keeping it internationally neutral, to prevent it from posing a significant threat. They would also fortify Northern Ireland's border to protect it from Irish nationalists wanting to cross and terrorize.
 
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The POD in this scenario would be, Britain would defeat Ireland like in OTL but, choose to keep it independent, occupying only OTL's Northern Ireland. Britain would disarm Ireland and create a new constitution keeping it internationally neutral, to prevent it from posing a significant threat. They would also fortify Northern Ireland's border to protect it from Irish nationalists wanting to cross and terrorize.
When is the POD?
 

GdwnsnHo

Banned
Complete and utter disaster?

Ireland couldn't be kept neutral, disarmed, and in any way united or independent as a polity. It isn't switzerland, where they are neutral with an army to back them up and mountains to assist. They aren't right in the middle of any territory that would considered essential to national defence for either France, Germany, or Italy (or their ATL equivalents)

Ireland however is right in the middle of British shipping lanes, if disarmed and neutral, is likely to be invaded by someone else to provide a base at the first opportunity by a rival to Britain. Ireland is in the perfect position to raid, and pirate across the Irish Sea, making it vastly costly NOT to control Ireland, because you have to pay to protect it from piracy.

I can't see WHY the British would do this. Especially since Ireland was conquered by the Tudors! If the PoD is to leave Ireland independent, then you need to explain why they give up so much territory so much earlier. It certainly isn't vogue at this point in history to do such things.
 

1800. It's meant to diverge from the Acts of Union.

Not feasible.

In 1800 the center of British control was Dublin not Belfast in any case. And Ulster was the home of the United Irishmen who rebelled in 1798 so would be the least likely part to be kept in any 1800 division.

Certainly in 1800 the concept of "internationally neutral" did not exist and was not recognized (as Switzerland found out)
 

Sycamore

Banned
Not feasible.

In 1800 the center of British control was Dublin not Belfast in any case. And Ulster was the home of the United Irishmen who rebelled in 1798 so would be the least likely part to be kept in any 1800 division.

Certainly in 1800 the concept of "internationally neutral" did not exist and was not recognized (as Switzerland found out)

So, what if GB had created Ireland as a puppet state instead, in a similar fashion to the manner which contemporary France was establishing its 'sister republics'? Couldn't the 'sister kingdom' of Ireland in such a scenario be viable? And couldn't TTL's Kingdom of Ireland potentially endure as an entity (or entities, if it subsequently breaks up) independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, in a similar manner to the way that the Kingdom of Italy (and its successor states) remained independent of France?
 
So, what if GB had created Ireland as a puppet state instead, in a similar fashion to the manner which contemporary France was establishing its 'sister republics'? Couldn't the 'sister kingdom' of Ireland in such a scenario be viable? And couldn't TTL's Kingdom of Ireland potentially endure as an entity (or entities, if it subsequently breaks up) independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, in a similar manner to the way that the Kingdom of Italy (and its successor states) remained independent of France?

Ireland was a puppet state pre-1800.:confused:

If the 1801 Union did not go through then it would remain a puppet state.

The Kingdom of Italy ceased to exist when Eugene was deposed. It did not have successor states - the states were recreated from prior to the Kingdom of Italy's formation.

Fundamentally there was no upside to Great Britain demilitarizing Ireland - and none of Napoleon's puppet states wee demilitarized. In fact most of them doubled or trebled the size of their forces to support their puppet master.
 
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