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Post by MinnesotaNationalist on Dec 10, 2016 18:36:55 GMT
An alternate world where Queen Victoria is instead born male (called Victor).
Assuming everything else stays the same, the big question here is what happens to Hanover, now that the union won't break, especially what happens in the German Unification wars
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Post by steve59 on Dec 19, 2016 16:11:13 GMT
It would probably depend on relations between the king and the British parliament. The Hanoverian connection wasn't the most popular with elements in Britain and there would be unwillingness to get dragged into a continental war over it. However if Prussia was seen as the agressor or King Victor was very popular then you might see British intervention to defend Hanover. Correspondingly, if Hanover doesn't support Austria and the other German nations when war comes with Prussia, or if it looks like Britain will support Hanover in any war, there's a good possibility that Prussia won't push the issue at this point. [Or that Italy facing a potential war with Great Britain and given their vulnerability to naval pressure might not support Prussia in the conflict. Which could mean that Austria can switch reserves from the southern front to boost their forces in Bohemia after initial defeats and continues the conflict].
Basically you could see:
a) Prussia is defeated by a powerful Austro-British coalition. In which case Prussia is very likely stripped of a lot of its terrories and Germany continues, for a while at least, to be a loose coalition lead by the Hapsburgs.
b) Prussia fights and still wins, before Britain moblishes its full strength, or possibly Britain is unwilling to fight for Hanover's independence. This leads to a war similar to OTL but you might see poor relations between king Victor and Parliament or possibly a political agreement in which Hanover states as a separate state, although dominated by Prussia rather than annexed under conditions of reduced connections with Britain.
c) Prussia fights and wins against the other Germans states and established the North German Confederation but with an independent but vulnerable Hanover.
d) Prussia doesn't fight Austria in 1866, which delays the clash between the two at least for a few years. This could have some dramatic effects in delaying German unification and its economic development. Plus if this occurs after Napoleon III dies you might not see France manouvered into a separate war with Prussia/Germany. In which case France may stay imperial and keep Alsace-Lorraine and Prussia's empire may exclude the south German states as well as possibly Hanover, amongst other points.
As I say the big unknown is the character of King Victor and how he rules both Britain and Hanover. If he's not as autocratic as Ernest, who became king in 1837 then Hanover could well keep its constitution and stay fairly liberal, which might make it a tougher prospect for Prussia to conquer. With Britain again there are many questions. Obviously there will be no Prince Consort so what will Victor's character and values be and who would he marry, with possible politicial and diplomatic results. If he marries a Prussian princess for instance then you might see Hanover if not Britain on the Prussia side in a conflict with Austria. Or he could end up repressive and hence causing considerable social tension inside Britain, possibly resulting in unrest against the monarchy and even civil war.
Steve
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