WI The Franco-Spanish Alliance wins the War of the Spanish Succession??

What it says in the title. What if France and Spain had won the War of the Spanish Succession, thus securing the Spanish inheritance for the House of Bourbon? Lets say the Franco-Bavarian Army wins the Battle of Blenheim and manages to take Vienna, so the war ends in 1704/5. What would the far-reaching consequences be? Would Spain be able to rekindle the flame of its Empire, both European and Colonial ?Would Austria, without being overextended trying to hold the Netherlands and the Italian territories, be more successful in their later wars with the Ottoman Empire? What would France, its position as the Greatest of the Great powers secured, do next? How would the rest of Louis XIV's reign look like without a war? Would such a butterfly be enough to change the fates of le Grand Dauphin,le Petit Dauphin, his wife Marie-Adelaide, their oldest son the Duc de Bretagne and Emperor Joseph I?

What would these personages surviving change? Any and all comments are welcome!
 
Would Spain be able to rekindle the flame of its Empire, both European and Colonial ?
Not going to avoid the problems of imperial overstretch.
Would Austria, without being overextended trying to hold the Netherlands and the Italian territories, be more successful in their later wars with the Ottoman Empire?
Trying to hold the Netherlands is a diversion of effort away from the real threat. Italy less because it is essentially on the same front. On the other hand, the extra cash might help the war effort against the Ottomans.
What would France, its position as the Greatest of the Great powers secured, do next? How would the rest of Louis XIV's reign look like without a war?
As I understand it, the objective of the French was to secure their dominance in Europe. Victory gains it so Louis XIV's last two years are going to be quiet.
 

katchen

Banned
As I understand it, France and Spain are merged the same way England and Scotland will soon be merged. And the Spanish Empire will become the Franco-Spanish Empire. Which could make for a very interesting TL indeed. I think that both France and Spain would prosper by this union---and it might even endure. It might lose some colonial territory though, unless France becomes a lot more aggressive about settling the Americas with French people.
 
How much of a problem would it be to avoid overstretch? I'll admit that i have nothing to back this up, but I somehow can't help but feel that such a empire would either during the King's reign or after, end up resembling Charles V's various territories insofar as instead of enjoying a great deal of wealth as a result of the resources of such a empire, more is spent just trying to keep it together as well as defend it as I can't imagine any of the other European powers not trying to do everything to weaken said empire later on.
 
As I understand it, France and Spain are merged the same way England and Scotland will soon be merged. And the Spanish Empire will become the Franco-Spanish Empire. Which could make for a very interesting TL indeed. I think that both France and Spain would prosper by this union---and it might even endure. It might lose some colonial territory though, unless France becomes a lot more aggressive about settling the Americas with French people.

Where did you get that idea??:confused: King Philip V was third in line at the time of the Battle of blenheim, and that's not counting the unborn sons of the Duc de Bourgogne. Plus Louis XIV may have confirmed that Philip V had rights of succession in France, but I doubt a personal Union would take place. France would go to Philip V or his eldest son, with his second son or younger brother Charles de Berri inheriting Spain.
 
How much of a problem would it be to avoid overstretch?
Historically I would say impossible. Technological improvement, enemies regrouping to form larger alliances and internal corruption/rent seeking are just three ways on how an empire goes from rise to decline to fall.
 
IOTL after the war of the Spanish Succession, war of the Polish Succession and the war of the Austrian Succession, the house of Bourbon did end up with most of the inheritance.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
I would assume that such a significant change would butterfly away the Mississippi Bubble of 1719. If that happens, and if the new Bourbon superpower can develop Dutch-style financial institutions in the same way Britain did IOTL, then we're looking at a world dominated by France rather than Britain, with incalculable ramifications for history.
 
I would assume that such a significant change would butterfly away the Mississippi Bubble of 1719. If that happens, and if the new Bourbon superpower can develop Dutch-style financial institutions in the same way Britain did IOTL, then we're looking at a world dominated by France rather than Britain, with incalculable ramifications for history.
Considering Britain had the South Sea Bubble at the same time an adoption of Dutch-style financial institutions by France is going to made no overall difference.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Considering Britain had the South Sea Bubble at the same time an adoption of Dutch-style financial institutions by France is going to made no overall difference.

That's like saying that the adoption of gunpowder weaponry is going to make no difference at all. British financial institutions were what allowed Britain to defeat France throughout the 18th and early 19th Century.
 
That's like saying that the adoption of gunpowder weaponry is going to make no difference at all. British financial institutions were what allowed Britain to defeat France throughout the 18th and early 19th Century.
Only partly correct. France had an army of tax farmers and internal tolls, both of which hampered its economy. Britain did not. In addition, it frequently ran a deficit even in peacetime. Consequently, it had to pay a higher interest rate thus adding to its burden. In a nutshell, the French public finances were in a mess and later contributed to the French Revolution.
 
I guess I have a question before trying to calculate the effects, is the only change the succession rights, or are there other territorial changes or treaty changes etc.?
 
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