Russia and France vs Britain, circa 1850

France and Russia are the closest thing Britain had to rivals after the Napoleonic Wars, before America and Germany rose.

In the OTL, Britain and Russia settled their differences and aligned with a third power (Ottomans) to defeat Russia.

What if instead it was Russia and France who worked together to fight Britain, perhaps with a third power to make it 3v1.

How might such a war emerge? What would be the likely result?
 
France and Russia are the closest thing Britain had to rivals after the Napoleonic Wars, before America and Germany rose.

In the OTL, Britain and Russia settled their differences and aligned with a third power (Ottomans) to defeat Russia.

What if instead it was Russia and France who worked together to fight Britain, perhaps with a third power to make it 3v1.

How might such a war emerge? What would be the likely result?

Interesting combination but how the meaningful fight could happen with Britain not being able to oppose the enemies on land while these enemies are not being able to oppose it on the seas (the French navy had been reasonably advanced but still....)?
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
This was an alignment in the early 1820s. All the continental great powers were lined up with each other, including Russia and France. The continental powers won the "fights" in Spain, Italy and Germany, whereas Britain, by virtue of naval superiority, prevented the Spanish or any other continental from projecting decisive force against the revolutionary states Spanish America.

As for making it happened around 1850, that's tough.

How might such a war emerge?

Honestly the most plausible way I see it starting is as a byproduct of Britain foolishly picking fights with both at the same time. Palmerston decides that France with its expanding number of South Pacific voyages and forts around the African coast is getting too big for its britches and going too far to break out of its colonial inferiority as imposed in 1763 and 1815. So he has Britain vigorously move to contest and contain France everywhere in the extra-European world, possibly to the point of snatching French colonies.

Meanwhile, he also eggs on the Ottomans to contest Russian pacification of the Caucasus, with Britain providing open support for the Turks in the Black Sea.

What would be the likely result?

British dominance in the seas, Africa, Asia and perhaps major Mediterranean islands. A bunch of sullen continental powers dominating the continent of Europe, including the Balkans and possibly as far afield as Asia Minor, northern Persia and the Fertile Crescent.
 
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