Prussia-Sigmaringen
12-04-2008, 09:48
I can't seem to sleep for more than about a half hour at a time ... which is annoying as hell. So, as I often do, when I'm insomniac, my mind turns to history, and how things could've turned out. I'm an MA student in history, so yeah, it's on my mind a lot.
So I created this little map.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/Kaiser_Kris/SecondEmpire.gif
The setting is about the year 1875 to 1880. As opposed to the historical failure of Napoleon III, he found himself rather successful here. Prussia was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War, and lost the Rhineland. In additional wheelings and dealings, Napoleon has also found himself the master of Belgium, a small part of the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the Bavarian Palatinate. The small German states have been reorganized into moderately-sized units and exist largely under his protection. To the south, Napoleon has managed to assist the creation of an Italy, which for now is an uneasy ally- the continued existence of the Papal States in truncated form is a major issue for them, however.
Prussia has lost much of its most valuable territory, but has gained some compensation by annexing all of the small states of Northern Germany, giving it, for the first time in its history, a completely cohesive state territory. Also, the defeat and humiliation of Bismarck and his cohorts has led to an extensive liberalization of Prussia- which is now, truly, a constitutional monarchy with equal and universal suffrage. Austria, save for the losses of Italy and the German Confederation, remains intact and in the midsts of reorganization- will it be a German Reich, a German/Magyar Dual Monarchy or a federalized state under a constitutional monarch?
Meanwhile, to the east, Russia has largely recovered from the shocks of the Crimean War and its aftermath and looks to increase its influence to the west, but particularly to the south, where the tottering Ottoman Empire remains fair game- or so Russia believes. And what of Britain? Despite facing a colossus across the Channel- yet again, it retains a heavy maritime advantage and its vast colonial empire. The Second Empire has not yet menaced Britain directly, but that may very well change.
Should it come to war, who will Britain ally with? The Italians are, nominally at least, allies of the French. The Austrians are concerned with their own affairs. Prussia is a natural and congenial friend, and desires vengeance against France- Der Rhein ist ein deutscher Fluß! But is Prussia strong enough for the challenge? Britain's minor allies lack the strength to make an appreciable difference to the balance.
And what of Russia? That eastern colossus that, in many ways, menaces Britain- through India, just as much, if not more than France does. It is scarcely a generation since Britain and France warred together against Russia, and the Russian memory is long.
Perhaps it is unnecessary. Perhaps the Second Empire is not so insatiable as the first. But, with Europe drifting more and more under the control of the revived Bonapartes and with French businessmen, explorers and colonists expanding through North Africa, the Middle East, Indochina and gaining influence in Latin America and the Confederacy in the aftermath of US defeat- a defeat which, after all, was in large part due to Napoleon's diplomatic scheming- perhaps it is time for the British Lion and the Gallic Rooster to go to war again.
So I created this little map.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/Kaiser_Kris/SecondEmpire.gif
The setting is about the year 1875 to 1880. As opposed to the historical failure of Napoleon III, he found himself rather successful here. Prussia was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War, and lost the Rhineland. In additional wheelings and dealings, Napoleon has also found himself the master of Belgium, a small part of the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the Bavarian Palatinate. The small German states have been reorganized into moderately-sized units and exist largely under his protection. To the south, Napoleon has managed to assist the creation of an Italy, which for now is an uneasy ally- the continued existence of the Papal States in truncated form is a major issue for them, however.
Prussia has lost much of its most valuable territory, but has gained some compensation by annexing all of the small states of Northern Germany, giving it, for the first time in its history, a completely cohesive state territory. Also, the defeat and humiliation of Bismarck and his cohorts has led to an extensive liberalization of Prussia- which is now, truly, a constitutional monarchy with equal and universal suffrage. Austria, save for the losses of Italy and the German Confederation, remains intact and in the midsts of reorganization- will it be a German Reich, a German/Magyar Dual Monarchy or a federalized state under a constitutional monarch?
Meanwhile, to the east, Russia has largely recovered from the shocks of the Crimean War and its aftermath and looks to increase its influence to the west, but particularly to the south, where the tottering Ottoman Empire remains fair game- or so Russia believes. And what of Britain? Despite facing a colossus across the Channel- yet again, it retains a heavy maritime advantage and its vast colonial empire. The Second Empire has not yet menaced Britain directly, but that may very well change.
Should it come to war, who will Britain ally with? The Italians are, nominally at least, allies of the French. The Austrians are concerned with their own affairs. Prussia is a natural and congenial friend, and desires vengeance against France- Der Rhein ist ein deutscher Fluß! But is Prussia strong enough for the challenge? Britain's minor allies lack the strength to make an appreciable difference to the balance.
And what of Russia? That eastern colossus that, in many ways, menaces Britain- through India, just as much, if not more than France does. It is scarcely a generation since Britain and France warred together against Russia, and the Russian memory is long.
Perhaps it is unnecessary. Perhaps the Second Empire is not so insatiable as the first. But, with Europe drifting more and more under the control of the revived Bonapartes and with French businessmen, explorers and colonists expanding through North Africa, the Middle East, Indochina and gaining influence in Latin America and the Confederacy in the aftermath of US defeat- a defeat which, after all, was in large part due to Napoleon's diplomatic scheming- perhaps it is time for the British Lion and the Gallic Rooster to go to war again.