I mostly intend for this to be a catch-all thread about the effects of a Napoleonic victory in Western and Central Europe, with Russia mostly left alone.
I propose a PoD in Napoleonic France managing to defeat the British navy in the Adriatic at the Battle of Lissa in 1811, allowing the buildup of troops in the French Dalmatian departments to continue unabated. Napoleon Bonaparte and Tsar Alexander of Russia go a-conquering in the Balkan peninsula, dividing the spoils after the fighting is done. Influence over the peninsula is divided in half -- France gets the west, Russia gets the east.
This big extension of the border between France and Russia ultimately dissuades Napoleon from thinking that invading Russia would be a good idea, and when Alex breaks with the Continental System, Napoleon mostly leaves him alone. Is this feasible? Or did the Continental Blockade make Napoleon's downfall inevitable?
If it can happen, then now let's think about subsequent events in this scenario...
-All of Spain will likely be prostrate, what with the French Army not being stripped away for marching on Russia. What effect does the lack of a restoration of Ferdinand to the Spanish throne have on the Spanish-American Wars of Independence? Do Bolivar, San Martín and Belgrano attain better success? What happens to Mexico?
-Russia, not having been invaded and raided by Napoleon, retains some of its pre-1812 muscle. Could they go on an earlier conquest of the Caucasus and Central Asia, perhaps expanding their borders further south than OTL? Their threatening posture towards India might still cause worry among the British, especially if they've cooperated with Napoleon over splitting the Ottoman Empire, so there's the possibility that an earlier "Great Game" might still happen. Could Japan still be propped up by Britain as a counterweight to Russian ambition in the far east?
-Africa? For how long can Britain keep France and her quislings bottled up in the Mediterranean? With the OE collapsing, would Mehmet Ali of Egypt try for an earlier bid to independence? Would TTL's Egypt lean more towards France or Britain?
-The United States? Who are they likely to ally with ITTL?
I propose a PoD in Napoleonic France managing to defeat the British navy in the Adriatic at the Battle of Lissa in 1811, allowing the buildup of troops in the French Dalmatian departments to continue unabated. Napoleon Bonaparte and Tsar Alexander of Russia go a-conquering in the Balkan peninsula, dividing the spoils after the fighting is done. Influence over the peninsula is divided in half -- France gets the west, Russia gets the east.
This big extension of the border between France and Russia ultimately dissuades Napoleon from thinking that invading Russia would be a good idea, and when Alex breaks with the Continental System, Napoleon mostly leaves him alone. Is this feasible? Or did the Continental Blockade make Napoleon's downfall inevitable?
If it can happen, then now let's think about subsequent events in this scenario...
-All of Spain will likely be prostrate, what with the French Army not being stripped away for marching on Russia. What effect does the lack of a restoration of Ferdinand to the Spanish throne have on the Spanish-American Wars of Independence? Do Bolivar, San Martín and Belgrano attain better success? What happens to Mexico?
-Russia, not having been invaded and raided by Napoleon, retains some of its pre-1812 muscle. Could they go on an earlier conquest of the Caucasus and Central Asia, perhaps expanding their borders further south than OTL? Their threatening posture towards India might still cause worry among the British, especially if they've cooperated with Napoleon over splitting the Ottoman Empire, so there's the possibility that an earlier "Great Game" might still happen. Could Japan still be propped up by Britain as a counterweight to Russian ambition in the far east?
-Africa? For how long can Britain keep France and her quislings bottled up in the Mediterranean? With the OE collapsing, would Mehmet Ali of Egypt try for an earlier bid to independence? Would TTL's Egypt lean more towards France or Britain?
-The United States? Who are they likely to ally with ITTL?