The end of an Era, 1845: V
The dust was settling over Europe, in most of the countries Absolutism was over, Constitutions were enacted in several Nations. Old Empires fell, and new Nations were born, but there was still one thing to settle in Germany.
With the collapse of the Austrian Empire and the Frankfurt Assembly, the dream of the Prussian King Wilhelm I became true. The "Preussen Reich" used the chaos of the revolution to solidify their rule over Northern Germany, from Saxony to Schleswig, from the east bank of the Rhine to East Prussia, Wilhelm used that to call for conference in Erfurt on the 18th of March of 1846 between the several princes under the control of Prussia, the Chancellor Frederick von Bismarck presided the historical session. The Conference created a Federation of German States centered on Prussia and Berlin, with a Parliament with Representatives of the states elected by the Prussian suffrage, the King of Prussia would be the President of the Federation and his son Heinrich as successor, the North German States agreed and left the German Confederation, first step for German Unification was taken.
((Flag of the Northern German Federation))
When the news reached Vienna, Franz almost fell from his chair, but he was expecting such a move from Prussia. The loss of the Slavic Territories brought an new mentality to Vienna, the only way for the Austrian Empire to regain prominence was to follow the Prussian way. Franz backstabbed the Liberals after the army returned from Italy and Hungary, rolling back from Constitutionalism and crushing the Liberals, appointing the harsh and efficient Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg as Minister-President of the Empire. He quickly restored the order and stabilized the rest of the Empire, he also shared the pragmatism of Franz: The only way to the Austrian Empire to rise back as a Great power, was using Pan-Germanism.
((Minister-President Felix von Schwarzenberg, called as the Austrian Bismarck))
With the North German States leaving the Confederation, the Conference of Munich was called by the Austrian Empire a month after the Erfurt Conference. The Austrian Empire was the dominant state of the meeting, but as opposed to Prussia they had a rival, the Kingdom of Bavaria refused to enter into an Austrian-Dominated Union as they would become der facto puppets, but Felix used the Austrian Military, Industrial, and Political superiority to outmaneuver the Bavarian delegation and get the support from Baden and Wurttenberg, resulting in a reluctant approval from the Bavarian Kingdom and the Creation of the Southern German Federation.
((Flag of the South German Federation))
With the collapse of the Austrian Empire and the Frankfurt Assembly, the dream of the Prussian King Wilhelm I became true. The "Preussen Reich" used the chaos of the revolution to solidify their rule over Northern Germany, from Saxony to Schleswig, from the east bank of the Rhine to East Prussia, Wilhelm used that to call for conference in Erfurt on the 18th of March of 1846 between the several princes under the control of Prussia, the Chancellor Frederick von Bismarck presided the historical session. The Conference created a Federation of German States centered on Prussia and Berlin, with a Parliament with Representatives of the states elected by the Prussian suffrage, the King of Prussia would be the President of the Federation and his son Heinrich as successor, the North German States agreed and left the German Confederation, first step for German Unification was taken.
((Flag of the Northern German Federation))
((Minister-President Felix von Schwarzenberg, called as the Austrian Bismarck))
((Flag of the South German Federation))