Deleted member 1487
What if the Ferdinand I were given the Habsburg lands in German, which would include the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Franche Comte? Let's say that because the Hungarians win at Mohacs and their King Louis II survives to have children the Habsburgs don't inherit Hungary or Bohemia by Charles V's death, so in order to strengthen Ferdinand's position in the HRE Charles passes the above lands on to his brother. The Italian lands pass on to Spain as OTL.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Habsburg_Map_1547.jpg
How would the Austrian Habsburgs handle the Netherlands? Would it butterfly away the Dutch revolt? Also would the Dutch develop an identity outside of the Germany without being part of Spain?
Obviously Protestantism is going to be a major issue when it spreads widely throughout the HRE, but without the Turks (at least before 1560) besieging Vienna, Habsburg focus will remain on the HRE and struggle with France.
How would this evolve?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Habsburg_Map_1547.jpg
How would the Austrian Habsburgs handle the Netherlands? Would it butterfly away the Dutch revolt? Also would the Dutch develop an identity outside of the Germany without being part of Spain?
Obviously Protestantism is going to be a major issue when it spreads widely throughout the HRE, but without the Turks (at least before 1560) besieging Vienna, Habsburg focus will remain on the HRE and struggle with France.
How would this evolve?