Why Not A Habsburg-Led North Italian Confederation?

A thing that has puzzled me is that between 1815-1847 the Habsburgs controlled all the North Italian states, with the exception of Sardinia-Piedmont, yet there was never an attempt to organize it into a confederation with the Austrian Emperor at its head. Sure, Parma would/could secede post the French Empress' death, but it's not the end of the world if it does happen (I think, don't know how influential Marie Louise's duchies were). But that said, why was this never attempted? I mean, Napoleon created a kingdom of Italy without the grand duchy of Tuscany/kingdom of Etruria, yet at no point (that I'm aware of) was this idea ever considered?

Is it possible? Or ASB?
 
It goes against Metternich's policies, which did not really change from the Congress of Vienna to the insurrections of 1848. There are two quotes which are quite revealing
(http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/history/quotations/metternich_quotations.html)

"The word 'Italy' is a geographical expression, a description which is useful shorthand, but has none of the political significance the efforts of the revolutionary ideologues try to put on it, and which is full of dangers for the very existence of the states which make up the peninsula."

[In a letter to Austrian ambassador to France of April 1847 ]

"Italy is only a geographical expression."
[Fr., L'Italie est un nom geographique - in a letter to British Foreign Minister, Lord Palmerston of August 6 1847 ]

Note that in the same 1847 Austria firmly opposed even the limited Customs Union proposed by Pius IX, and ultimately killed the proposal through its proxy in Modena.

If Metternich did not want even a limited Italian Zollverein-equivalent, it stands to reason that he would have considered an actual confederation (like the one proposed by the neo-Guelphs with the pope as president) an even greater danger.
 
It's not like the Hapsburgs who ruled these Duchies particularly wanted to give up control.

I mean, it's definitely not ASB, but resistance will be present.
 
Yeah, but surely Metternich wasn't the be all and end all of politicking in Vienna. I know Archduchess Sophie DEFINITELY didn't like him.

And it wouldn't be giving up control. It's not as though the German rulers stopped being kings just cause Prussia was German Emperor. Yes, AFAIK Prussia controlled foreign policy for Germany, but it's my understanding that the kings were pretty much allowed to do what they wanted in their kingdom.
 
I think that an Italian Confederation could have been established at the Congress of Vienna, but it is not very likely, unless Metternich has way less influence. Later, a Zollverein equivalent for the Italian Habsburg Duchies (and maybe the Papal States too?) would make sense, but the Habsburg were very protectionist and iirc still had internal customs and tariffs (damaging for example Lombardy -Venetia in comparison to Bohemia). It would be incentive for building a railway from Verona to Modena to Florence to Livorno, giving Thyrrenian access to Austrian products. Maybe a naval base could be leased there...
 
Is there a way that the Habsburgs could be made to see the benefits of such a zollverein or is there a way that someone could maybe influence Metternich that maybe that isn't such a bad idea after all? Or would the Habsburgs be unwilling to relax or abolish internal customs/tariffs point?
 
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