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Hello, so I've been musing and ATL involving the Napoleonic wars and as part of the research for it I've been trying to find out how exactly the COR formed and how it induced Francis II to abdicate his throne as HRE.
I looked up a translation (google translate so bear with me), and from my understanding of the treaty Francis was still recognised as HRE/German Emperor but had to reliquish suzerainty over the bavarian, franconian and swabian circles and recognise Bavaria and Wuttermberg as kingdoms though they were still technically part of the empire.
This certainly weakens Francis's Imperial Authority but it doesn't mention anything with regards to the remaining circles. Granted at this point Prussia and Austria were virtually equals in all but name and Hanover under French occupation, This would still leave the few minor states in the other circles nominally within the suzerainty of Francis as HRE. So how was it possible for the minor states in those circles to accede into the COR in July of 1806? They had to right to conduct their own foreign affairs (Fer III messed up) but I don't think that applied to leaving the HRE. Was it simply Francis couldn't do anything about it accepted the formation of the confederation and then resigned his post as HRE as it was utterly meaningless after the formation of the COR?
Thanks, sorry if the question is a bit longwinded.
Also I've read that it was because he knew another habsburg wouldn't win the next Imperial election in event of his death, how much truth is there to that?