All right, a lot of you probably seen me discuss the possibility of a TL where Maximilian is crowned Emperor of Austria after the assassination attempt on Franz Joseph succeeds, but thanks to my l33t procrastination skills, I unfortunately delayed making this TL for a long time. However, with PISOT2 coming up on the horizon, I finally decided to write this TL down and publish it on the site.
I know the "History Book" approach to writing ATLs is popular, and I initially wanted to write it like this, but I unfortunately found it difficult to write this in that fashion, so I had to fall back on the "Year XXXX: Event" format, but maybe I can revisit this in the future, when I finish this.
Of course, I'm not the greatest expert in this period, so constructive criticism is welcomed.
Part 1: Into the Valley of Death: Maximilian and the Russian War
1853: While walking on the battlements of Vienna with officer Maximilian O'Donell, Franz Joseph is assaulted by a Hungarian nationalist and ex-Hussar. He strikes Maximilian in the back with a knife, before being struck down by O'Donell's sabre. Despite this, Franz Joseph dies of his wounds later that afternoon, and his brother Maximilian is crowned Emperor of Austria.
One of the first pressing events that he must face is the Russian occupation of the Danube Principalities in July (ostensibly to protect the Orthodox holy sites there), prompting the Ottoman Empire to start fortifying the mouth of the Danube. The neutral European powers (Prussia, Austria, Britain and France) spearheaded by Maximilian attempt to prevent the tenuous relations between Russia and Turkey from becoming a full-scale war. However, these attempts fail, and within two weeks, the Russian War begins as the Turks cross the Danube River and the Russians sink several Turkish ships off the coast of Anatolia.
Maximilian and the other allies, though, do not declare war immediately, preferring to attempt to solve the crisis between the Russians and Turks peacefully, though this is largely fruitless. Maximilian attempts several financial reforms in order to fund the modernisation of the Austrian Army, as the Austrian government is deeply in debt at this time.
On a happier note, Maximilian meets Duchess Helene of Bavaria, who was slated to be Franz Joseph's bride before his assassination, and they agree to marry once the war is over.
1854: The Russian War begins in earnest as the Russians turn down an ultimatum to end the war in March. After months of preparation, the Allies spring into action. The Austrian Army pours into Moldavia, with elements assisting the Ottomans in attacking Wallachia. However, the Austrian advance is ground to a halt at the Siege of Iashi, although due to attacks elsewhere the Russians find increasingly difficult to relieve the Danube Principalities. Due to difficulties in Austrian training and logistics, Iasi becomes a bloodbath, with many soldiers succumbing to disease and cold. The remainder of the Austrian troops dig in.
Meanwhile, the British and French bombard Russian defences at Bomarsund, and Allied troops invade Sevastopol and the Crimean peninsula. Although this was expected to take approximately 3 months, it ends up lasting for several more months due to logistic difficulties.
1855: In April, Iashi finally falls to the Austrian forces, while most of Wallachia save for some cities on the coast fall to combined Austro-Ottoman forces later on in the summer. Due to the stretching out of Russian forces, Sevastopol falls in May.
1856: The Treaty of Paris ends the Russian War. In order to provide a buffer state in Eastern Europe between Russia and the Ottomans, Wallachia and Moldavia are joined to create the United Principalities under the rule of Rainer Ferdinand von Habsburg. Russia also pays a good amount of money to the Allied powers and Austria in particular.
However, the Allies learn many hard lessons about modern warfare, including the importance of logistics and sanitations. The Austrian General Staff agrees to start modernising the army as soon as possible.
In the months following the conclusion of the Russian War, Maximilian proceeds to introduce a number of liberal reforms, first and foremost the institution of universal public education across the Empire, with the emancipation of the Jews following.
1857: General peace in Austria reigns. Maximilian finally marries Duchess Helene of Bavaria.
With the war over, Maximilian continues paying off Austria’s debts and reforming Austria’s economy in order to make the aforementioned debt paying easier. In the meantime, he meets Georges-Eugene Haussmann and discusses the possibility of renovating Vienna like he did with Paris. Both agree to wait until at least the 1860s.
Maximilian also declares a Constitutional Monarchy in June, with most of his former power being in the power of an elected Diet. This is seen as being a major landmark in the liberalisation of Austria, and is later commemorated as Democracy Day.
In Wallachia-Moldavia, despite the relatively enlightened and progressive rule of Rainer Ferdinand, many still resent what they perceive as a Habsburg's absolute rule over Romanian land. Several protests (i.e. riots) break out, but as of yet, no major organised rebellion takes place.
1858: Maximilian makes several visits to France to discuss the possibility of a Franco-Austrian alliance with Napoleon III. Napoleon has his doubts, but is nonetheless relatively open to the concept. He also decides to visit Sardinia-Piedmont to meet with Cavour. However, Cavour is much less open to the idea of a Sardinian-Austrian alliance on account of the Austrian domination of Lombardy-Venetia. Despite granting local autonomy that basically made Lombardy-Venetia an independent nation in personal union with Austria and the enacting of liberal reforms, the region is still heavily influenced by Austria, and this does little to stop the high anti-Austrian sentiments in the area anyway.
As tensions between Italy and Austria runs high, Maximilian also oversees the continuing modernisation of the Austrian military, including the purchasing of several steamships, the gradual addition of newer, breechloading rifles, and the construction of several new armaments factories that produce the aforementioned weapons to a higher quality than before.
On a lighter note, the Austrian Diet passes a bill declaring “customary languages” to be of equal status in the Empire, though exactly what counts as a “customary language” is up to debate; at least Hungarian, Italian, and to a lesser extent, Czech are generally agreed to count as them.
I know the "History Book" approach to writing ATLs is popular, and I initially wanted to write it like this, but I unfortunately found it difficult to write this in that fashion, so I had to fall back on the "Year XXXX: Event" format, but maybe I can revisit this in the future, when I finish this.
Of course, I'm not the greatest expert in this period, so constructive criticism is welcomed.
Part 1: Into the Valley of Death: Maximilian and the Russian War
1853: While walking on the battlements of Vienna with officer Maximilian O'Donell, Franz Joseph is assaulted by a Hungarian nationalist and ex-Hussar. He strikes Maximilian in the back with a knife, before being struck down by O'Donell's sabre. Despite this, Franz Joseph dies of his wounds later that afternoon, and his brother Maximilian is crowned Emperor of Austria.
One of the first pressing events that he must face is the Russian occupation of the Danube Principalities in July (ostensibly to protect the Orthodox holy sites there), prompting the Ottoman Empire to start fortifying the mouth of the Danube. The neutral European powers (Prussia, Austria, Britain and France) spearheaded by Maximilian attempt to prevent the tenuous relations between Russia and Turkey from becoming a full-scale war. However, these attempts fail, and within two weeks, the Russian War begins as the Turks cross the Danube River and the Russians sink several Turkish ships off the coast of Anatolia.
Maximilian and the other allies, though, do not declare war immediately, preferring to attempt to solve the crisis between the Russians and Turks peacefully, though this is largely fruitless. Maximilian attempts several financial reforms in order to fund the modernisation of the Austrian Army, as the Austrian government is deeply in debt at this time.
On a happier note, Maximilian meets Duchess Helene of Bavaria, who was slated to be Franz Joseph's bride before his assassination, and they agree to marry once the war is over.
1854: The Russian War begins in earnest as the Russians turn down an ultimatum to end the war in March. After months of preparation, the Allies spring into action. The Austrian Army pours into Moldavia, with elements assisting the Ottomans in attacking Wallachia. However, the Austrian advance is ground to a halt at the Siege of Iashi, although due to attacks elsewhere the Russians find increasingly difficult to relieve the Danube Principalities. Due to difficulties in Austrian training and logistics, Iasi becomes a bloodbath, with many soldiers succumbing to disease and cold. The remainder of the Austrian troops dig in.
Meanwhile, the British and French bombard Russian defences at Bomarsund, and Allied troops invade Sevastopol and the Crimean peninsula. Although this was expected to take approximately 3 months, it ends up lasting for several more months due to logistic difficulties.
1855: In April, Iashi finally falls to the Austrian forces, while most of Wallachia save for some cities on the coast fall to combined Austro-Ottoman forces later on in the summer. Due to the stretching out of Russian forces, Sevastopol falls in May.
1856: The Treaty of Paris ends the Russian War. In order to provide a buffer state in Eastern Europe between Russia and the Ottomans, Wallachia and Moldavia are joined to create the United Principalities under the rule of Rainer Ferdinand von Habsburg. Russia also pays a good amount of money to the Allied powers and Austria in particular.
However, the Allies learn many hard lessons about modern warfare, including the importance of logistics and sanitations. The Austrian General Staff agrees to start modernising the army as soon as possible.
In the months following the conclusion of the Russian War, Maximilian proceeds to introduce a number of liberal reforms, first and foremost the institution of universal public education across the Empire, with the emancipation of the Jews following.
1857: General peace in Austria reigns. Maximilian finally marries Duchess Helene of Bavaria.
With the war over, Maximilian continues paying off Austria’s debts and reforming Austria’s economy in order to make the aforementioned debt paying easier. In the meantime, he meets Georges-Eugene Haussmann and discusses the possibility of renovating Vienna like he did with Paris. Both agree to wait until at least the 1860s.
Maximilian also declares a Constitutional Monarchy in June, with most of his former power being in the power of an elected Diet. This is seen as being a major landmark in the liberalisation of Austria, and is later commemorated as Democracy Day.
In Wallachia-Moldavia, despite the relatively enlightened and progressive rule of Rainer Ferdinand, many still resent what they perceive as a Habsburg's absolute rule over Romanian land. Several protests (i.e. riots) break out, but as of yet, no major organised rebellion takes place.
1858: Maximilian makes several visits to France to discuss the possibility of a Franco-Austrian alliance with Napoleon III. Napoleon has his doubts, but is nonetheless relatively open to the concept. He also decides to visit Sardinia-Piedmont to meet with Cavour. However, Cavour is much less open to the idea of a Sardinian-Austrian alliance on account of the Austrian domination of Lombardy-Venetia. Despite granting local autonomy that basically made Lombardy-Venetia an independent nation in personal union with Austria and the enacting of liberal reforms, the region is still heavily influenced by Austria, and this does little to stop the high anti-Austrian sentiments in the area anyway.
As tensions between Italy and Austria runs high, Maximilian also oversees the continuing modernisation of the Austrian military, including the purchasing of several steamships, the gradual addition of newer, breechloading rifles, and the construction of several new armaments factories that produce the aforementioned weapons to a higher quality than before.
On a lighter note, the Austrian Diet passes a bill declaring “customary languages” to be of equal status in the Empire, though exactly what counts as a “customary language” is up to debate; at least Hungarian, Italian, and to a lesser extent, Czech are generally agreed to count as them.
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