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Now, I know this would take a completely different Frederick William IV to happen - his conservative leanings wouldn't allow him to side with revolutionaries and accept their "mud and dirt" crown.

So, let's say there's an earlier point of divergence - say, 1795. A completely different FW IV could have been born. One who was a nationalist romanticist who yearned for a unified, Prussian-led German state, rather than the conservative romantic we all know and love who rejected the concept outright in his teens and twenties, perhaps? Anyway, if he accepted that crown in 1849, rather than dooming the whole movement as he did in OTL, I'm thinking he would have nearly guaranteed the survival of the Frankfurt Parliament.

So, a German-nationalist and somewhat-democratic (but still a bit biased to the Junkers and aristocracy) Prussia starts annexing some of the smaller German nation-states. The liberal west and south joins the fold easily, while a few other sections of the country take a bit more "encouragement". Regardless, by 1858, the Austrians, who had previously been at the head of the German Confederation, go to war with Prussia over the matter. The Prussians defeat the Austrians, who in turn join with Hungary later on in the year, forming Austria-Hungary.

...

Does this sound realistic so far? I was hoping to take this timeline all the way to 1895, but I need to know if the beginning is plausible before I can be confident in writing beyond it. I'm planning on working in elements such as a Prussian/Russian alliance, an independent CSA, Alaska remaining a Russian territory and the early development of dirigible technology. This is my first alternate timeline attempt, by the way. Be gentle.;)

EDIT: Corrected PoD from 1895 to 1795.
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