WI: An Austrian Belgium after 1815?

So, before the French revolution, the area that would become Belgium and Luxemburg was an autonomous Hapsburg domain: the Austrian Netherlands. After the French revolution, the region was divided between Prussia and the Netherlands. So, I am curious what would happen if the Austrian Netherlands were restored after the French Revolution?

Much like Hungary, I can see Belgium resisting attempts to centralize the Hapsburg realms, but would the Hapsburgs really try to centralize Belgium with the rest of their domains? Would there be any large effects of having such a highly developed region as part of the Austrian Empire?

What do people think?

fasquardon
 
The Belgians will eventually rebel in 1830 or preferably in 1846/1848. France will intervene and Belgium will be split between the Netherlands and France.

Belgium is too isolated for a centralized Austria.
 
The Belgians will eventually rebel in 1830 or preferably in 1846/1848. France will intervene and Belgium will be split between the Netherlands and France.

Belgium is too isolated for a centralized Austria.

This assumes that Austria tries to centralize them into the main Hapsburg domains. Historically, only Joseph II would ever even attempt to do that (and his ideas were about as popular as the plague with his successors).

fasquardon
 
So, before the French revolution, the area that would become Belgium and Luxemburg was an autonomous Hapsburg domain: the Austrian Netherlands. After the French revolution, the region was divided between Prussia and the Netherlands. So, I am curious what would happen if the Austrian Netherlands were restored after the French Revolution?

Much like Hungary, I can see Belgium resisting attempts to centralize the Hapsburg realms, but would the Hapsburgs really try to centralize Belgium with the rest of their domains? Would there be any large effects of having such a highly developed region as part of the Austrian Empire?

What do people think?

fasquardon
The distances involved makes handing the place to a collateral branch (preferably on good terms with the Hanoverian/British) the smarter move... but the hard part is presuming the smarted move is the most likely.
 
Personally I would have thought a collateral branch, or continuing the pre-war tradition of having the Austrian Netherlands entrusted to a relative of the Emperor who governed as palatine (viceroy).

One of the areas I am particularly curious about is what effects the continuing relationship between the low countries and Austria would do to the economies of both?

fasquardon
 
This assumes that Austria tries to centralize them into the main Hapsburg domains. Historically, only Joseph II would ever even attempt to do that (and his ideas were about as popular as the plague with his successors).

They probably would try to centralise them into the German Confederation. i doubt the Walloons would like that. Actualy I think the Flemish wouldn't like that either.

Mind you, I think it wouldn't happen, since Austria didn't care for the Southern Netherlands and there were enough people who would want them. Prussia wanted Luxemburg (and probably some more areas around it), while both the Netherlands and France wanted all of it. I could even see some German noble getting Belgium as some sort of repartation for losing their lands (maybe the rulers of Saxony got it, because Prussia got all of Saxony, just thinking out loud here).
 
I think it would make the most sense to have Belgium inherited by a cadet branch, like the Archduke Charles of Teschen (the last Governor of the Austrian Netherlands) then to try and return it to Vienna's control. However, remember that Belgium went to the Netherlands for a reason: to seal the French in. Britain wanted to create border powers who would keep France contained, like the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sardinia-Piedmont and partially Prussia. The Belgians would have to prove that they are able to stand up to France if necessary, so I can't really see the Congress deciding to create an independent state or to return it to Austria (who never even WANTED it and tried to trade the region for Bavaria many times during the 18th century).
 
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