The Spring of Nations

NOTE: This scenario contains a fair amount of alien space bats.

This scenario depicts simply a stronger version of the 1848 revolutions, and a couple of factors going its way such as a united Germany becoming a reality. 

In 1848, many nations had simultaneously faced severe problems with rebellion. Among those were the divided Germany, the subjugated Hungary, the humiliated Netherlands, the shrunken Denmark and the crumbling France. The first revolution - that in France - had succeeded before the year was even done, and Louis Bonaparte was elected the French President. Both North and South Germany were affected by the rebellion, with most small German nations overwhelmed by liberal nationalists - again, before the year was done. The King of Prussia had been awarded the Imperial crown of the Germans, which he reluctantly accepted "for the good of the nation". However, since he did not feel as the rightful ruler of Germany, he would for the time being retire to private life and allow the revolutionaries in the new Reichstag do everything for him. The princes of Germany swore allegiance to the new German Empire. Meanwhile in Austria-Hungary, the Poles had revolted in Galicia, and the Hungarians had forced the creation of a new constitutional government for their nation. The new Emperor, Franz Joseph, attempted to reassert full control over Hungary, but just then, the new Germany sent its more-or-less organized armies against him, and the once-mighty Austrian Empire was squashed between two revolutionary peoples.

In Vienna, a new, now permanent constitution was negotiated, turning the German Empire from a close confederation into an actual sovereign state. It was agreed that while the Austrian lands would all join in a personal union under a Habsburg (Franz Joseph's brother Ferdinand Maximillian), they would be separate lands and thus have their own governments. Galicia (including Krakow) and the eastern past of the Grand Duchy of Posen (dubbed Gniezno) were declared "Polish protectorates of Germany". In 1950, half a year after the final Austrian defeat, Germany would acquire the dual duchies of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark following a short conflict. They would become the first non-Free City territories ruled by a republican government in Germany. Hungary (barring the Leithanian German cities) and Croatia both became independent states allied with Germany, France and the now-parliamentary Netherlands in the imposing Revolutionary Alliance.

However, in 1952, the French Empire was proclaimed by its President, now styled Napoleon III. He destroyed the parliamentary elements of his country, distanced it from the Alliance (even though he did fear its might) and left in entirely in the beginning of 1854. A few months after that, he joined the Russo-Turkish War. At the same time, the recognition of Poles by the German Empire prompted a rebellion in Russian Poland, and Germany would as such also join the Russo-Turkish War to support them, however not through its Navy as the others had,  but through its Army. Surrounded on all sides, Russia sued for peace in early 1856. The conditions were harsh; Russia would have to abide by a neutrality of the Black Sea in the south and the loss of most of the Baltics and Congress Poland in the West. SInce France and Britain were too busy infighting to accomplish anything else in the peace talks, Germany managed to win the union of Wallachia, Moldavia, Bukovina and Bessarabia into a free Romania and the transfer of Bosnia to the revolutionary Croat Kingdom. Romania then abruptly left the Revolutionary Alliance as soon as it could, citing Hungary's oppression of its people in Transylvania. The Baltic governorates of Russia were incorporated into Germany, again, as territories under republican rule.

Germany and its Alliance came to dominate Europe for the next three decades. In 1961, Germany and France had collaborated one last time to aid Garibaldi However, Russia had recovered and had even implemented a system of Constitutionalism under the Reformer, Alexander II. Afterwards, the Russians and the French had signed the Minsk Agreement, becoming a force against the Revolutionary Alliance on two fronts. A three-year war which concluded in 1883 ended with the Germans in Paris and St. Petersburg, the Poles in Moscow, Lithuania independent and Alsace-Lorraine German. France is now a Kingdom under the Bourbon-Orleans dynasty, Napoleon having been ousted after the defeat.

Status of the relevant European Nations as of 1890

Empire of Germany

Germany is the military and economic powerhouse of Europe. Having unified and industrialized earlier than OTL and possessing one of the most democratic systems around, it is now challenging Britain for the position of World Power. During the Scramble of Africa, the Germans got large parts of central Africa, or simply "Mittelafrika". The new liberal Emperor Frederick III is the first Emperor since the nation's birth to utilize many of his constitutional powers, promoting progress, education and democracy and striking down many old laws which would undermind the great democracy he'd been entrusted with.

Republic of Hungary

Hungary will never accept a Habsburg again since they have conspired to take its newfound freedom back in 1848. Therefore, Hungary is a parliamentary republic. However, it is not quite as democratic as Germany due to its large Noble presence and fierce Magyarization policies. It is unknown if this nation can survive in the future, but seeing as how already over half of the population consider themseles Hungarian, it does have a chance.

Polish Commonwealth

Poland, the Number Three of the RA, is trustworthy. Most Poles from Greater Poland have by now come to this free nation, and it thrives due to economic cooperation with its great neighbours. However, after Russia's second defeat, they demanded most of the territory that belonged to the former Commonwealth right before the First Partition, thus suddenly more than doubling in size. This has strained the Polish bureaucratic system immensely, prompting them to ask for German help in integrating the region. So now Poland is at a crossroads: Will it promote liberty and justice for all of the new peoples residing in its newfound territory, or will it become a second Hungary? Will the Germans execute their mission in Poland honourably or will the new Slavic giant become an administrative slave to the revolutionary Empire next door?

Kingdom of The Netherlands

By far the least radical Revolutionary country. They are stable, but are eyeing Wallonia more and more, an act their German allies might not be willing to condone since it'd thrust them into the greatest war yet.

Republic of Croatia

The Serbs and Turks in Bosnia face Croatization. Everybody else lives rather good lives.

Kingdom of Romania

Romania has mostly calmed down about Transylvania, but is still unwilling to join with the Revolutionaries because with Russia and the Ottomans weakened tremendously, there are no threats to this nation.

National Republic of Lithuania

Lithuania is a bit unhappy over White Ruthenia going to Poland, but overall they are fine with just being independent. Germany protects them.

Kingdom of France

Weakened by the Three Years' War against Germany, the French nation has resorted to a moderate constitutional form of government. Still a Great and Colonial Power, France is nonetheless dwarved by the Revolutionary Alliance, and it is possible that it'll ask for British help to take them down in the future. There was no such thing as the France Commune, so socialism is not much of a threat to the Kingdom.

Russian Empire

Utterly humiliated by the wars of this century, Russia could possibly resort to some... Experimental methods of warfare and government. For now, it is a constitutional monarchy, and the fact that they still possess valuable assets like the resource-rich Siberia and most of the "breadbasket" Ukraine, as well as a massive population, could grant the Bear a huge advantage in the future total wars.

British Empire

The Brits are extremely displeased with how everything is going on the continent. The Theater of Europe has been utterly ruined, Germany is dominating the Old World and Africa, Russia has lost so much that they are barely on this map, and there's currently no country that could help Britain re-assert its control. Now Britain has become the bitter challenger rather than the dominant protector, and militarist politics have already made their way into Parliament. Will the sun at last set on the British Empire?