WI: Wilhelm I dies in Napoleonic Wars?

Wilhelm I of Germany, first Emperor of the German Empire, was not originally supposed to be Emperor. So he was enlisted in the Army and fought the French during the War of the Sixth Coalition. However, what if he died? How would that change history? Who would rule in his stead?
 
According to Wikipedia, he had 3 younger brothers, the next oldest being Karl. I'm pretty sure Bismarck could make a baked potato the German Emperor, so probably not much changes until Wilhelm II doesn't alienate everyone and start World War One.
 
According to Wikipedia, he had 3 younger brothers, the next oldest being Karl. I'm pretty sure Bismarck could make a baked potato the German Emperor, so probably not much changes until Wilhelm II doesn't alienate everyone and start World War One.
Agree with Big Destiny, Prince Ferdinand of Prussia died in childhood, so history would most likely see, his brother, Prince Charles of Prussia, born only four years after Wilhelm in 1801, being nominated instead.
 
Wilhelm's younger brother Carl (1801-1883) becomes reagent and King later on... unless of course something changes regarding Friedrich Wilhelm IV health.

As to how Carl would reign, well from what I know he was conservative, more so than Wilhelm. Wilhelm had become a bit more liberal after 1849 and appointed a somewhat "liberal" prime minister with Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Carl would probably go for someone more conservative.

Carl was also very close to his sister Charlotte who was married to Nicolas I of Russia. I would expect Prussia to be more pro-Russia than OTL. Now, how this would impact the crimean war (when Carl as crown prince might have quite some pull) or the Italian war of 1859 I don't know.
 
Austria was pulled into the partitions of Poland because they didn't want to be left out. If Prussia joins Russia against the Ottoman Empire, Austria probably has to as well.
 
Austria was pulled into the partitions of Poland because they didn't want to be left out. If Prussia joins Russia against the Ottoman Empire, Austria probably has to as well.

Sorry, but no Sorry!
That is just plain wrong!

The Partition of Poland was started by Austria.

From the Wikipedia-article from the first polish partition:
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been reduced from the status of a major European power to that of a Russian protectorate (or vassal or satellite state), with the Russian tsar effectively choosing Polish-Lithuanian monarchs during the free elections and deciding the outcome of much of Poland's internal politics, for example during the Repnin Sejm, named after the Russian ambassador who unofficially presided over the proceedings.[2][3]

The First Partition occurred after the balance of power in Europe shifted, with Russian victories against the Ottomans in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) strengthening Russia and endangering Habsburg interests in that region (particularly in Moldavia and Wallachia). At that point Habsburg Austria started considering waging war against Russia.[4][5]

France, friendly towards both Russia and Austria, suggested a series of territorial adjustments, in which Austria would be compensated by parts of Prussian Silesia, and Prussia in turn would regain Prussian Ermland (Warmia) and parts of a Polish fief, the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia—already under Baltic German hegemony. King Frederick II of Prussia had no intention of giving up Silesia gained recently in the Silesian Wars; he was, however, also interested in finding a peaceful solution—his alliance with Russia would draw him into a potential war with Austria, and the Seven Years' War had left Prussia's treasury and army weakened. He was also interested in protecting the weakening Ottoman Empire, which could be advantageously utilized in the event of a Prussian war either with Russia or Austria. Frederick's brother, Prince Henry, spent the winter of 1770–71 as a representative of the Prussian court at Saint Petersburg. As Austria had annexed 13 towns in the Hungarian Szepes region in 1769 (violating the Treaty of Lubowla), Catherine II of Russia and her advisor General Ivan Chernyshyov suggested to Henry that Prussia claim some Polish land, such as Ermland. [...] Austrian statesman Wenzel Anton Graf Kaunitz counter-proposed that Prussia take lands from Poland in return for relinquishing Silesia to Austria, but this plan was rejected by Frederick.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Partition_of_Poland
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/merkels-operation-walk%C3%BCre.361008/page-103#post-15386967
 
Sorry, but no Sorry!
That is just plain wrong!

The Partition of Poland was started by Austria.

From the Wikipedia-article from the first polish partition:
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been reduced from the status of a major European power to that of a Russian protectorate (or vassal or satellite state), with the Russian tsar effectively choosing Polish-Lithuanian monarchs during the free elections and deciding the outcome of much of Poland's internal politics, for example during the Repnin Sejm, named after the Russian ambassador who unofficially presided over the proceedings.[2][3]

The First Partition occurred after the balance of power in Europe shifted, with Russian victories against the Ottomans in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) strengthening Russia and endangering Habsburg interests in that region (particularly in Moldavia and Wallachia). At that point Habsburg Austria started considering waging war against Russia.[4][5]

France, friendly towards both Russia and Austria, suggested a series of territorial adjustments, in which Austria would be compensated by parts of Prussian Silesia, and Prussia in turn would regain Prussian Ermland (Warmia) and parts of a Polish fief, the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia—already under Baltic German hegemony. King Frederick II of Prussia had no intention of giving up Silesia gained recently in the Silesian Wars; he was, however, also interested in finding a peaceful solution—his alliance with Russia would draw him into a potential war with Austria, and the Seven Years' War had left Prussia's treasury and army weakened. He was also interested in protecting the weakening Ottoman Empire, which could be advantageously utilized in the event of a Prussian war either with Russia or Austria. Frederick's brother, Prince Henry, spent the winter of 1770–71 as a representative of the Prussian court at Saint Petersburg. As Austria had annexed 13 towns in the Hungarian Szepes region in 1769 (violating the Treaty of Lubowla), Catherine II of Russia and her advisor General Ivan Chernyshyov suggested to Henry that Prussia claim some Polish land, such as Ermland. [...] Austrian statesman Wenzel Anton Graf Kaunitz counter-proposed that Prussia take lands from Poland in return for relinquishing Silesia to Austria, but this plan was rejected by Frederick.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Partition_of_Poland
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/merkels-operation-walk%C3%BCre.361008/page-103#post-15386967
Well, now that's fascinating. I believed the old story that Maria Teresa 'wept, but still took'. 100 years on, the Empire is gone but it's propaganda survives.

I think Austria will still join Prussia and Russia in carving up the Ottoman Empire. They can't help Britain and France without fighting Prussia, and neutrality will do little good if Russia seizes the Balkans.
 
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