Tsarina (Empress) Elizabeth of Russia lives longer

WolfBear

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What if Tsarina (Empress) Elizabeth of Russia would have lived at least a little bit longer--say, an extra 1-2 years, specifically long enough in order to avoid this? :


What effects would a total Russian victory over Prussia, as opposed to a negotiated peace, in the Seven Years' War, have on the future?
 
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What if Tsarina (Empress) Elizabeth of Russia would have lived at least a little bit longer--say, an extra 1-2 years, specifically long enough in order to avoid this? :


What effects would a total Russian victory over Prussia, as opposed to a negotiated peace, in the Seven Years' War, have on the future?

No Partition of Poland - it happened only thanks to prussian meddling.We would remain tsars vassal state till Revolution - if that happen.
In OTL,revolution was saved by polish uprising in 1793.Could they made bigger uprising,or it would not be uprising at all?
And,would Revolution occure at all?

If France have better peace,then maybe they would not support USA.We would have no USA,then.

So many possibilities....

But,one thing would be sure - without strong prussia we would have no united germany,or germany united by Habsburgs.No WW1 and WW2 then.
 
No Partition of Poland - it happened only thanks to prussian meddling.We would remain tsars vassal state till Revolution - if that happen.
In OTL,revolution was saved by polish uprising in 1793.Could they made bigger uprising,or it would not be uprising at all?
And,would Revolution occure at all?

If France have better peace,then maybe they would not support USA.We would have no USA,then.

So many possibilities....

But,one thing would be sure - without strong prussia we would have no united germany,or germany united by Habsburgs.No WW1 and WW2 then.

Might Tsarist Russia decline to annex Poland outright in this TL, instead aiming for a personal union of Russia and Poland in the long(er)-run?

And what effects would there be in regards to a Polish East Prussia? AFAIK, Russia wanted to give East Prussia to Poland so that Poland would give it Courland. These plans were cancelled after Elizabeth's death.
 
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Might Tsarist Russia decline to annex Poland outright in this TL, instead aiming for a personal union of Russia and Poland in the long(er)-run?

And what effects would there be in regards to a Polish East Prussia? AFAIK, Russia wanted to give East Prussia to Poland so that Poland would give it Courland. These plans were cancelled after Elizabeth's death.

It was very good idea.And yes,Poland could end as part of personal union.
 
Would East Prussia become Polonized?
Elites certainly,peasants - in 18th century they are was "locals" and do not feel belonging to any nation.And most was sefrs anyway.But,except Gdańsk in OTL all cities when townspeople was initially germans become polish in 18th century.
The same goes for gentry.
 
What if Tsarina (Empress) Elizabeth of Russia would have lived at least a little bit longer--say, an extra 1-2 years, specifically long enough in order to avoid this? :


What effects would a total Russian victory over Prussia, as opposed to a negotiated peace, in the Seven Years' War, have on the future?

A lot might depend on the British reaction as well? Does London make concessions on its colonial gains to get some moderation for Prussia or does it leave Berlin hanging? I doubt it would affect the proposed changes with regards to E Prussia and Cortland or Austria probably getting Silesia back. Those would be huge blows for Prussia both militarily and economically and the loss of E Prussia would also significantly weaken the junkers as a political force while military losses might also reduce their power. Especially if Frederick fought to the end and died in a final battle you could end up with significant social and leadership changes in the state. You might also see some gains for Saxony in compensation for it being pretty much occupied and looted by Prussia for much of the war.

Its going to make a major change to the balance of power in Europe and probably put serious pressure on the Franco-Austrian dynastic alliance given that the two are now again the primarily rivals of each other. Possibly even preventing the marriage of Marie Antoinette to Louis XVI. Prussia will be too weak really to intervene if co-emperor Joseph tries his ideas of adding much of Bavaria to the Hapsburg lands but France might feel required to oppose it, especially as Bavaria has been a traditional French ally.

I suspect that the American revolution is likely still to happen and France and Spain - along with the Netherlands if British 'diplomacy' is as appalling as it was OTL - will support the rebels. If so likely a similar result in terms of an independent US although the partition of British N America could be somewhat different depending on the circumstances. If they do its likely to exhaust the French treasury enough that you get the OTL mess leading to the revolution. How that goes is another wild card. You could end up with the ancient regime being restored quickly in which case aristocratic Europe will be dominant for a while longer but the situation is likely to explode sooner or later.

If no or a greatly reduced French revolution the future of Spain and its empire is going to be up in the air as well. Spanish power is very likely to collapse in the Americas in a generation or two unless there are drastic changes in the way the empire is governed but it could be later and longer without the Napoleonic occupation and resultant devastation.

So many things in Europe and around the world could change drastically. Basically can go so many ways that just about anything can happen.
 
-- Austria gets Silesia back.

-- Sweden gets Western Pomerania.

-- Russia gets East Prussia, and offers it to Poland in exchange for Courland.

-- Saxony expands at the expense of Prussia.

-- Prussia is reduced to Brandenburg and Eastern Pomerania. These are not at all wealthy or productive lands, so Prussia is now not even a third-rate power.

-- The POD is far too late to turn the tide of the colonial war. Britain still beats France.

-- Britain does lose Hanover, however. Basically: Britain wins the colonial war, but Austria and France win the European war. Even if France might be interested in exchanging all or part of Hanover to get all or part of its American colonial empire back (which is doubtful in itself), Austria won't want that.

-- Britain will get back the colonies it got back in OTL, but will demand all of French North America and will keep the French trading posts in India, in exchange for having lost Hanover. Of course, France had secretly ceded half of French Louisiana (West of the Mississippi) to Spain already, in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Britain will force Spain to agree to the cession, as a condition for returning Havana and Manilla. Britain will also keep Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Senegal. France will not be granted fishing rights off Newfoundland, nor ownership of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Britain retains its fortifications in British Honduras, too.

-- Most probably, France gets compensated by receiving about half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Britain has zero interest in giving up anything at all to help out Prussia. In OTL, by the time Elizabeth died, Britain had already written Prussia off completely.

-- Austria is left with one (1) Hanover that it doesn't really want, because it's full of icky Protestants. I'm pretty sure they're going to exchange chunks of Hanover with petty German rulers who own land adjacent to what's left of the Austrian Netherlands, thus effecting a nice land-swap and giving Austria a decently Catholic territory.

-- ...Which they subsequently exchange for Bavaria, because they wanted that way more. France won't object, because Austria will have cleared this in a secret agreement when they handed over half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Polish partitions are avoided, Poland enters into personal union with Russia instead.

-- With the French threat removed, the stage is set for discontent in British North America. The colonial populace will soon grow unhappy, feeling that British taxation (and limitation of settlement) is no longer justified, without the military danger to justify them having to pay for the cost of British protection. American Revolution will go through, roughly as in OTL.
 
-- Austria gets Silesia back.

-- Sweden gets Western Pomerania.

-- Russia gets East Prussia, and offers it to Poland in exchange for Courland.

-- Saxony expands at the expense of Prussia.

-- Prussia is reduced to Brandenburg and Eastern Pomerania. These are not at all wealthy or productive lands, so Prussia is now not even a third-rate power.

-- The POD is far too late to turn the tide of the colonial war. Britain still beats France.

-- Britain does lose Hanover, however. Basically: Britain wins the colonial war, but Austria and France win the European war. Even if France might be interested in exchanging all or part of Hanover to get all or part of its American colonial empire back (which is doubtful in itself), Austria won't want that.

-- Britain will get back the colonies it got back in OTL, but will demand all of French North America and will keep the French trading posts in India, in exchange for having lost Hanover. Of course, France had secretly ceded half of French Louisiana (West of the Mississippi) to Spain already, in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Britain will force Spain to agree to the cession, as a condition for returning Havana and Manilla. Britain will also keep Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Senegal. France will not be granted fishing rights off Newfoundland, nor ownership of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Britain retains its fortifications in British Honduras, too.

-- Most probably, France gets compensated by receiving about half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Britain has zero interest in giving up anything at all to help out Prussia. In OTL, by the time Elizabeth died, Britain had already written Prussia off completely.

-- Austria is left with one (1) Hanover that it doesn't really want, because it's full of icky Protestants. I'm pretty sure they're going to exchange chunks of Hanover with petty German rulers who own land adjacent to what's left of the Austrian Netherlands, thus effecting a nice land-swap and giving Austria a decently Catholic territory.

-- ...Which they subsequently exchange for Bavaria, because they wanted that way more. France won't object, because Austria will have cleared this in a secret agreement when they handed over half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Polish partitions are avoided, Poland enters into personal union with Russia instead.

-- With the French threat removed, the stage is set for discontent in British North America. The colonial populace will soon grow unhappy, feeling that British taxation (and limitation of settlement) is no longer justified, without the military danger to justify them having to pay for the cost of British protection. American Revolution will go through, roughly as in OTL.

So, the Wittelsbachs get disloged from Bavaria and Bavaria permanently becomes a part of Austria?

And if France gets the southern, Walloon-speaking half of the Austrian Netherlands, does it have any effect on France getting both Lorraine and Corsica in the near-future?
 
-- Austria gets Silesia back.

-- Sweden gets Western Pomerania.

-- Russia gets East Prussia, and offers it to Poland in exchange for Courland.

-- Saxony expands at the expense of Prussia.

-- Prussia is reduced to Brandenburg and Eastern Pomerania. These are not at all wealthy or productive lands, so Prussia is now not even a third-rate power.

-- The POD is far too late to turn the tide of the colonial war. Britain still beats France.

-- Britain does lose Hanover, however. Basically: Britain wins the colonial war, but Austria and France win the European war. Even if France might be interested in exchanging all or part of Hanover to get all or part of its American colonial empire back (which is doubtful in itself), Austria won't want that.

-- Britain will get back the colonies it got back in OTL, but will demand all of French North America and will keep the French trading posts in India, in exchange for having lost Hanover. Of course, France had secretly ceded half of French Louisiana (West of the Mississippi) to Spain already, in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Britain will force Spain to agree to the cession, as a condition for returning Havana and Manilla. Britain will also keep Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Senegal. France will not be granted fishing rights off Newfoundland, nor ownership of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Britain retains its fortifications in British Honduras, too.

-- Most probably, France gets compensated by receiving about half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Britain has zero interest in giving up anything at all to help out Prussia. In OTL, by the time Elizabeth died, Britain had already written Prussia off completely.

-- Austria is left with one (1) Hanover that it doesn't really want, because it's full of icky Protestants. I'm pretty sure they're going to exchange chunks of Hanover with petty German rulers who own land adjacent to what's left of the Austrian Netherlands, thus effecting a nice land-swap and giving Austria a decently Catholic territory.

-- ...Which they subsequently exchange for Bavaria, because they wanted that way more. France won't object, because Austria will have cleared this in a secret agreement when they handed over half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Polish partitions are avoided, Poland enters into personal union with Russia instead.

-- With the French threat removed, the stage is set for discontent in British North America. The colonial populace will soon grow unhappy, feeling that British taxation (and limitation of settlement) is no longer justified, without the military danger to justify them having to pay for the cost of British protection. American Revolution will go through, roughly as in OTL.

Very probable.
When american revolution start,France would help,like in OTL.Then,England would pay for revolution in France as in OTL.Then,in 1792 instead of prussian army which in OTL widraw becouse Danton buyed their commander,russian and polish army would come.End of revolution.

Much better world.
 
Very probable.
When american revolution start,France would help,like in OTL.Then,England would pay for revolution in France as in OTL.Then,in 1792 instead of prussian army which in OTL widraw becouse Danton buyed their commander,russian and polish army would come.End of revolution.

Much better world.

If this wouldn't have actually been accompanied by a lot of ethnic cleansing, there would have actually been something satisfying about Germany losing most of its Prussian territories after the end of WWII in real life. Out of Frederick the Great's territories at the time of his death, present-day Germany only controls Brandenburg and a few small western former Prussian territories. Silesia, Pomerania, the Prussian Polish lands, and East Prussia have all been lost. Serves Frederick the Great right for instigating the Partitions of Poland!

You should be smart enough to figure out where the Oder-Neisse Line is on this map ;):

prussia17631786.gif
 
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f this wouldn't have actually been accompanied by a lot of ethnic cleansing, there would have actually been something satisfying about Germany losing most of its Prussian territories after the end of WWII in real life. Out of Frederick the Great's territories at the time of his death, present-day Germany only controls Brandenburg and a few small western former Prussian territories. Silesia, Pomerania, the Prussian Polish lands, and East Prussia have all been lost. Serves Frederick the Great right for instigating the Partitions of Poland!

You should be smart enough to figure out where the Oder-Neisse Line is on this map ;):
Germany for centuries more or less successfully pushed eastward at the expense of Poland and finally Poland regained everything in less than a decade. A truly ironic timeline.
Another thing is that I consider Prussia to be overrated and it is very much so, and only their incredible luck saved them from defeat and annihilation.
What if there was no Miracle, let me put it this way. Certainly the succession after Elizabeth would have been different because Peter in my opinion could have shot himself in the head with despair that his beloved Prussia lost. And that leaves Catherine II in a not so good position. Or someone from the court might have decided that it is worth getting rid of Peter before he can make trouble in Russia.
 
-- Austria gets Silesia back.

-- Sweden gets Western Pomerania.

-- Russia gets East Prussia, and offers it to Poland in exchange for Courland.

-- Saxony expands at the expense of Prussia.

-- Prussia is reduced to Brandenburg and Eastern Pomerania. These are not at all wealthy or productive lands, so Prussia is now not even a third-rate power.

-- The POD is far too late to turn the tide of the colonial war. Britain still beats France.

-- Britain does lose Hanover, however. Basically: Britain wins the colonial war, but Austria and France win the European war. Even if France might be interested in exchanging all or part of Hanover to get all or part of its American colonial empire back (which is doubtful in itself), Austria won't want that.

-- Britain will get back the colonies it got back in OTL, but will demand all of French North America and will keep the French trading posts in India, in exchange for having lost Hanover. Of course, France had secretly ceded half of French Louisiana (West of the Mississippi) to Spain already, in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Britain will force Spain to agree to the cession, as a condition for returning Havana and Manilla. Britain will also keep Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Senegal. France will not be granted fishing rights off Newfoundland, nor ownership of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Britain retains its fortifications in British Honduras, too.

-- Most probably, France gets compensated by receiving about half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Britain has zero interest in giving up anything at all to help out Prussia. In OTL, by the time Elizabeth died, Britain had already written Prussia off completely.

-- Austria is left with one (1) Hanover that it doesn't really want, because it's full of icky Protestants. I'm pretty sure they're going to exchange chunks of Hanover with petty German rulers who own land adjacent to what's left of the Austrian Netherlands, thus effecting a nice land-swap and giving Austria a decently Catholic territory.

-- ...Which they subsequently exchange for Bavaria, because they wanted that way more. France won't object, because Austria will have cleared this in a secret agreement when they handed over half of the Austrian Netherlands.

-- Polish partitions are avoided, Poland enters into personal union with Russia instead.

-- With the French threat removed, the stage is set for discontent in British North America. The colonial populace will soon grow unhappy, feeling that British taxation (and limitation of settlement) is no longer justified, without the military danger to justify them having to pay for the cost of British protection. American Revolution will go through, roughly as in OTL.

Skallagrim

Some interesting ideas but a few things I'm uncertain of.
a) I can't see Austria getting Hanover IF it was occupied as it had no forces operating in western Germany. The threat to this area was by France and its likely that France would want some compensation if it took Hanover, didn't get back a lot of colonial territories and then had to give it to Austria. [If France tried to keep it that would be a matter of serious concern for all the German states, including Austria, along with other states like the Netherlands and Britain when it overcomes its period of 'splendid isolationism']. Plus while France occupied Hanover in 1757 Britain aided by neighbouring German allies liberated it the following year and it stayed outside French hands.

b) I have read that one reason why Britain returned Guadeloupe & Martinique was because they were producing so much sugar and other Caribbean products that the older existing British colonies in the region, which had a fair amount of influence in Parliament lobbied for them to be returned so they the planters would no longer face competition from them. Possibly also why Britain was also willing to give up Cuba. There are going to be similar issues here as well.

c) If Britain did gain all of Louisiana, i.e. including the bit that Spain took OTL then I wonder if that would stay British, at least for a period after any successful American revolution. [Its a long way from the colonists, who are largely on the east coast and with French and Indian elements prominent plus Britain having control of the sea its likely to be more likely to be loyal to Britain and provide a refuge for loyalists rather than ending up in the rebel camp. Which could mean a larger 1812 type conflict at a later stage. Doubly so if the area between the Great Lakes and the Ohio also stayed in the British camp as its a link between Canada and Louisiana.

d) Related to this what happens to Florida. It wasn't conquered by Britain but transferred to us at the peace in compensation for returning Cuba and Manila. Does it stay Spanish in 1763? If so its probably going to be an American target as OTL if/when the colonies become independent.

e) I think Sweden already had Western Pomerania from the 30YWs, see Western_Pomerania-Swedish_(1630/1815) on this. Did you mean eastern Pomerania?

f) I think Prussia would still be 2nd rate, although the loss of the junkers would mean a drastic change of its military system. Which could change things down the line.

g) If Russia makes its de-factor 'protector' status over Poland formal then its going to get its cake and eat it but would expect some opposition to this both inside Poland and also some of the German states.

As such what might happen is that Hanover stays British but Britain does get all of Louisiana in return for French and Spanish Caribbean colonies being returned roughly as OTL. Possibly some changes in minor details but would be very useful if Britain does manage to deny French access to the Grand Banks fisheries. However they were very profitable for both sides and seen as a source of trained sailors so Paris would resist this.

Steve
 
f) I think Prussia would still be 2nd rate, although the loss of the junkers would mean a drastic change of its military system. Which could change things down the line.

g) If Russia makes its de-factor 'protector' status over Poland formal then its going to get its cake and eat it but would expect some opposition to this both inside Poland and also some of the German states.

Any idea on how exactly the Junkers will interact with the Polish government and later Russian Tsar?

Also, would Poles really object to a personal union with Russia all that much? One positive of this would be additional Polish Lebensraum further to the east, in Russia proper.
 
Also, would Poles really object to a personal union with Russia all that much? One positive of this would be additional Polish Lebensraum further to the east, in Russia proper.
Yes, for many reasons but mostly for principle. The second thing is rather a result of the Russian overseer which is impossible to combine with the Polish style of government and as a result you would have a large group of people in Russia who would strive to pacify Poland as much as possible because Polishness in such a system will very quickly regain its position before Peter I. (See that the Prussian and at the same time German style of government did not work out, which strongly weakened the already weak position of the Germans during Elizabeth. (Look at the fact that the Prussian and at the same time German style of government did not work out which will strongly weaken the already weak position of the Germans during Elizabeth).
The Commonwealth will benefit from it more than Russia despite the fact that Russia is theoretically the dominant party. It will get a huge Russian army to support it and the outbreak of revolution in France may finally convince it to allow Poland to modernize its army. The outbreak of the Revolution in France may finally convince Poland to allow the modernization of its army, as well as the improvement of the central government, because in Warsaw of that period, as a result of the Revolution in France, it was boiling over. And it was close that the revolution could also break out in Poland.

But here I have to point out another small fact. Namely, the defeat of Prussia and their enlightenment power can strongly undermine the existing class relations with the disappearance of Junkers. It may, but does not have to make that in Berlin also will break out a revolution and the Republic of Prussia will join the French Republic as an ally.

And one more fact why it was almost impossible to keep the Commowealth in a personal union.. Namely, the lack of a pro-Russian party. You see, there was nobody pro-Russian in the Rzeczpospolita, everybody was ready to call on the Russians if anything happened, but nobody was going to be pro-Russian.
Even the famous Targowica, which is a symbol of disgrace and national treason, (not rightly to the end, the real traitors were those from the confederation of Grodno, many of the Targowicz were sincere patriots and thought that in this way they save the Republic from the wrath of Russia, but as it later turned out they came out on it badly. But Targowica was accepted because it sounds good as a symbol of betrayal, why? Because Targowica in English will be called Market City, Markettown. It fits better with the symbol of treason right?)

Of course I don't believe that there will be a Persolnal Union between Poland and Russia because we have to deal with a woman on the throne and there is no tradition of women rulers in Poland. Peter III may be considered by both sides as impossible to put on the throne because of his love for Prussia. Catherine II is the same as Elizabeth.

Another thing is also the aversion of Poles to a dissenter on the throne. You see well, the aversion to a dissenter in a tolerant Poland. How so? Simple, prostestants and orthodox Christians with time were considered dangerous for the existence of the Republic because by their faith they felt more connected with their fellow believers from other countries than with their compatriots.
The Deluge did not help in this especially when many Protestants surrendered and went into service to the Swedes. But the final blow to religious tolerance in Poland was the Tumult of Toruń of 1724, in which the Protestant and German population of the city broke into the Jesuit college, destroying and burning it.
This finally turned the tide of bitterness for many, and the guilty 20 were dealt with severely. And at the same time for the nobility who in OTL was ready to give the throne to anyone but under one condition, he must be a Catholic. And the Russians would not put up with a Catholic tsar. So they would have chosen someone else to be King instead of Catherine II's lover. Literally it was the worst choice of all because it pissed off everyone in Poland, but well Kaśka wanted to show that she could, so she did, it's just a pity that in general Russia had to put up with us because of it and her previous allies became a threat to Russia over time.
As for Lebensraum, sorry but it won't happen, if it does Russians will tear off some piece, maybe the one from the first partition from the Commonwealth. They were already talking about moving the borders to the west before the partitions.

Although there is a certain possibility that Peter's son, Pavel may be accepted by Poles but not necessarily by Russians. In the end, it may come to a peculiar curiosity if the Personal Union took place and Russians after some time want to get rid of him. Pawel would escape from Russia to Poland with the help of the rebuilt army of the Rzeczpospolita to try to regain the Russian throne. Which was more possible than in the case of Napoleon, because in order to conquer Russia you had to have the territory of Belarus under your control before the war. This makes it easier to march on the center of the Russian state.
OTL Paweł is quite well remembered in Poland, and he has a rare trait among Russian Tzars in the form of favoritism toward Poles. What de facto makes Pawel the only good tsar in Polish history. The only other one is only half of Alexander I, his own son.

It is quite funny that his second son Konstanty was a true Polonophile and polonized significantly.
 
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Any idea on how exactly the Junkers will interact with the Polish government and later Russian Tsar?

Also, would Poles really object to a personal union with Russia all that much? One positive of this would be additional Polish Lebensraum further to the east, in Russia proper.

1.Average junker - i still could beat peasants,but i am free man now! i could even elect King!
2.Poland was in personal union with Saxony before and polish gentry was happy,tsars was germans,so why not?
 
In this case, which side is Spain fighting? Because at this time, Britain not only occupied Cuba, but the Philippines as well. This time around, I could see the British not only sending aid to Diego Silang’s rebels in the north, but also to Francisco Dagohoy’s rebels in Bohol. That might tie down a lot of Spanish forces in the Philippines long enough for the Spanish government to consider ceding the entirety of the Spanish East Indies to Britain.
 
In this case, which side is Spain fighting? Because at this time, Britain not only occupied Cuba, but the Philippines as well. This time around, I could see the British not only sending aid to Diego Silang’s rebels in the north, but also to Francisco Dagohoy’s rebels in Bohol. That might tie down a lot of Spanish forces in the Philippines long enough for the Spanish government to consider ceding the entirety of the Spanish East Indies to Britain.

I don't think the 7YW is going to be extended enough that something like that would happen. Also I can't see anything that is likely to see Britain keeping Manila as its simply too far away and too isolated in a larger Spanish colony. Its going to be traded back in return for something else or simply getting Spain to make peace as OTL.

As I understand it the primary important of the Philippines for Spain, as well as prestige, was it was the western terminus of the trans-Pacific route that formed a focus for trade with China, selling good from New Spain [aka Mexico] in exchange? I don't think that is as relevant to Britain at the time as its focus is elsewhere and it doesn't have the same other links in the Spanish trade network.
 
I don't think the 7YW is going to be extended enough that something like that would happen. Also I can't see anything that is likely to see Britain keeping Manila as its simply too far away and too isolated in a larger Spanish colony. Its going to be traded back in return for something else or simply getting Spain to make peace as OTL.

As I understand it the primary important of the Philippines for Spain, as well as prestige, was it was the western terminus of the trans-Pacific route that formed a focus for trade with China, selling good from New Spain [aka Mexico] in exchange? I don't think that is as relevant to Britain at the time as its focus is elsewhere and it doesn't have the same other links in the Spanish trade network.
True, and Britain hasn't at this point sighted the land that became Australia. The Manila Galleon trade was basically the route from China to Mexico, with the Philippines being at the center of this maritime traffic. That's why our geographical position is valuable to most major powers in the world.
 
In this case, which side is Spain fighting? Because at this time, Britain not only occupied Cuba, but the Philippines as well. This time around, I could see the British not only sending aid to Diego Silang’s rebels in the north, but also to Francisco Dagohoy’s rebels in Bohol. That might tie down a lot of Spanish forces in the Philippines long enough for the Spanish government to consider ceding the entirety of the Spanish East Indies to Britain.

Would a British Philippines have looked like a lower-average-IQ version of Hong Kong?
 

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