George I. received the electoral title because he had assured the emperor that his house would always vote for the Habsburg candidate. And, I assume, as a potential distraction for the increasingly powerful Brandenburg-Prussia.
The main problem for Hanover would be its position a) between core...
The best, if not only, way would be to work with the money. The Entente could declare that Prussia and just Prussia was responsible for WWI and should have to pay all the reparations. Furthermore, as early victims of Prussia, the former states of Hanover, Hesse-Cassel and Nassau (perhaps even...
Agreed. It all depends how Schröder's policies are viewed in the SPD. There might be the strong desire for a new start after an obvious defeat.
What would happen politically to those SPD politicians who served OTL in Merkel's cabinet?
Müntefering: retirement, probably
Steinmeier: I don't see...
Two things to consider:
a) by 2010, Schröder will probably have doubled down on that weird "Idlers must be motivated, with sternness" of the Agenda 2010. And given that he was also keen on governing with the support of Bild and vox populi, he will probably talk shit about the Greeks.
b) expect a...
I am reasonably sure that this would actually lead to a DoW by Alexander on Prussia, and that is a war they cannot win. Not even together with Austria. And inviting in French armies to help stop the Russians directly after the wars of liberation is politically impossible.
The "no Treaty of Frankfurt" was directed at the idea that there might be no Franco-Prussian War at all.
I fully agree how a more conciliatory peace after a far shorter war might look like.
IMO the imperial title for North Germany is not only not a given, I think it is even rather unlikely...
I don't know of any French proposals to take over the silver trade. Establishing trade with China, well, that was very interesting, but the French would have not the most attractive stuff the Chinese will want. Control over trade routes is not as cool if you do not have what the guys on the...
Without the Treaty of Frankfurt, there is no French reparation money to invest in German infrastructure. If OTOH, France invests directly in South Germany, the differences might be fascinating.
Internally, Bavaria would be in the same situation as Prussia in the North (ie bigger in population...
Brainstorming:
+ different Spanish Revolution and no Hohenzollern candidature
OR
+ the Empress pushes her husband towards military pressure on Italy, in order to keep Rome in papal hands.
OR
+ Bismarck falls ill for most of 1870 until the actrual crisis has blown over
The biggest importance of the Philippines were their relative position to China. The flow of Peruvian Silver via Acapulco and Manila to Canton and the flow of Chinese goods via Manila. Acapulco and Veracruz towards Spain was huge, a real globalized trade. France can conquer the Philippines, but...
Well, it is often said that had Elizabeth I been succeeded by one or two equally competent and popular monarchs, then absolutism would have been very difficult to remove from England. Doing what Peter I. did for Muscovy/Russia.
To answer the original question:
I can see Bavaria (iincluding the Palatinate), Württemberg and Baden staying outside the North German Federation for a long time, but being politically and economically closely associated.
To maintain this even two decades after 1867, we have to avoid the...