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Description
Nation: Germanic Reich of the Confederation of Bavaria

Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy

Leader: Koenig (King) Otto I

Motto: De facto: Heil Bayern! (Hail Bavaria!) Traditional: Virtus et Honos (Courage and Honor)

Religion: Majority Catholic, Minority Protestant

This is the flag of the Bavarian Reich. An empire that was forged from the late 19th century through to the 1920's. This is a case of alternate history. In the 1840s, Prussia suffers great financial traumas that result in the 1848 revolutions being successful. However, Bavaria was spared that same fate. As a result of the revolution, Prussia's influence over the Germanic region is severely reduced, allowing for Austria to pursue its Grossdeutschland policy, with its sole obstacle out of the equation... or so they thought.

Fearing that they were next to fall into revolution, the Southern Germanic nations united together to create the South German Confederation. Bavaria is reigned as the dominant state of the Confederation. They soon expand into Northern Germany, with Saxony and Thuringia being the notable states to join the Confederation. Austria continuously tries to convince the Confederation to unite with it, but the Confederation refuses on grounds of wishing to pursue its own identity, as a Germanic nation, whilst keeping close relations with Austria. Bavaria was able to stabilise both itself and its Confederation with its vast agriculture, and its ability to utilise vast railways to trade with neighbouring nations.

Things were normal for this nation until the late 1860s, when another economic crisis occurred, as a result of poor harvests across Europe. One of the worst hit nations was Austria, one of Bavaria's major allies, and the leadership was overthrown by a new Emperor, who had a considerably expansionist mentality to running Austria. This could pose a strong risk to Bavaria's sovereignty, and a fear that it would be absorbed under the Austrian Grossdeutschland policy. By now, Bavarians were seen as the most dominant force in "Germany", and realised that they needed to prove their resilience by uniting Germany into one. The main issue however, was convincing the isolated Prussians to join them, along with the Germanic nations sympathetic to Prussia.

Fortunately, that attempt for unity came in the form of a Danish invasion of Schleswig-Holstein in 1869, which caused Prussia to hold onto it with loosening grip. It soon became clear that they could not afford to fight this war alone, as economic stagnation in their country was still rife from continuous bad harvests and biting financial cuts. To most Prussians, it came as a relief when Bavaria and the Confederation offered help to the Prussians to help repel the Danish invasion. However, a resurgent Bismarck was sceptical. He wished that Prussia could show its dominance on its own. However, it soon became clear that Prussia would need help, and Bismarck reluctantly allowed for Bavarian troops to reinforce the struggling Prussians. They were successful, and pushed the Danish out of the region with ease. Most shocking was the next decision by both Prussia and Bavaria: They would go on to invade Denmark and incorporate it into Prussia's territory.

Bavaria WOULD support such an event, but at a compromise. This was the chance to create Germany, dominated by Bavaria. Bavaria stipulated that they would only support an invasion and eventual annexation of Denmark if Prussia could have a referendum on whether it should be incorporated into the South German Confederation. This shocked the most Conservative Prussians, to the point where they nearly walked out of the Reichstag. However, Kaiser Wilhelm III of Prussia stopped this. He had recently been charmed by the King of Bavaria, and like him, secretly desired for a united Germany. The chance to create a Second Reich. He saw the Bavarian-led confederation as a stepping stone to the revival of the old Holy Roman Empire, and desired for Germany to have such dominance over Europe once again. Whilst he regretted that Prussia wouldn't dominate, he was hopeful that it could still become a highly important figure of the Germanic nation. And so, the Kaiser used his authority to grant the referendum. In a shock result, the majority populace of Prussia voted in favour of it being annexed into the Confederation.

Bavaria carried out its end of the bargain, and supplied Prussia with the weaponry, soldiers and supplies necessary for them to launch a successful invasion of Denmark. Despite some noble fighting, the Danish troops were no match for the reinvigorated Prussians and Bavarians. Denmark fell by the end of 1870. In Munich, the occasion was celebrated by a declaration of the new Germanic Reich of the Bavarian Confederation. All of Germany had been united under Bavarian rule. Munich would be its capital. Additionally, Bavaria had gained a huge boom in industrial growth as a result of incorporating Prussia into it. The iron-rich territories of the Rhineland were now the capital of German industry. Trade was much more common, and new elections were declared. Shockingly, the Liberals and Nationalists gained strong ground over the Conservatives, and were now the majority in the National Reichstag in Munich.

However, whilst Bavaria had firmly established itself as a European nation, through uniting a people and overcoming a rival nation, they were now facing a new enemy. Denmark had failed to gain the territory it contested for in Germany. Now, it was Austria's turn to step up to the plate. They still wished for a Grossdeutschland dominated by Austria, and saw Prussia's incorporation as reason enough for the Austrians to interfere. A reeling Bavaria was to face a militaristic, expansionist Austria. Still laying claim to Schleswig-Holstein, Austria interpreted Bavaria's annexation of it as an act of war. They immediately mobilised troops.

This was to be a war which would make or break Bavaria.

Description
Nation: Germanic Reich of the Confederation of Bavaria

Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy

Leader: Koenig (King) Otto I

Motto: De facto: Heil Bayern! (Hail Bavaria!) Traditional: Virtus et Honos (Courage and Honor)

Religion: Majority Catholic, Minority Protestant

This is the flag of the Bavarian Reich. An empire that was forged from the late 19th century through to the 1920's. This is a case of alternate history. In the 1840s, Prussia suffers great financial traumas that result in the 1848 revolutions being successful. However, Bavaria was spared that same fate. As a result of the revolution, Prussia's influence over the Germanic region is severely reduced, allowing for Austria to pursue its Grossdeutschland policy, with its sole obstacle out of the equation... or so they thought.

Fearing that they were next to fall into revolution, the Southern Germanic nations united together to create the South German Confederation. Bavaria is reigned as the dominant state of the Confederation. They soon expand into Northern Germany, with Saxony and Thuringia being the notable states to join the Confederation. Austria continuously tries to convince the Confederation to unite with it, but the Confederation refuses on grounds of wishing to pursue its own identity, as a Germanic nation, whilst keeping close relations with Austria. Bavaria was able to stabilise both itself and its Confederation with its vast agriculture, and its ability to utilise vast railways to trade with neighbouring nations.

Things were normal for this nation until the late 1860s, when another economic crisis occurred, as a result of poor harvests across Europe. One of the worst hit nations was Austria, one of Bavaria's major allies, and the leadership was overthrown by a new Emperor, who had a considerably expansionist mentality to running Austria. This could pose a strong risk to Bavaria's sovereignty, and a fear that it would be absorbed under the Austrian Grossdeutschland policy. By now, Bavarians were seen as the most dominant force in "Germany", and realised that they needed to prove their resilience by uniting Germany into one. The main issue however, was convincing the isolated Prussians to join them, along with the Germanic nations sympathetic to Prussia.

Fortunately, that attempt for unity came in the form of a Danish invasion of Schleswig-Holstein in 1869, which caused Prussia to hold onto it with loosening grip. It soon became clear that they could not afford to fight this war alone, as economic stagnation in their country was still rife from continuous bad harvests and biting financial cuts. To most Prussians, it came as a relief when Bavaria and the Confederation offered help to the Prussians to help repel the Danish invasion. However, a resurgent Bismarck was sceptical. He wished that Prussia could show its dominance on its own. However, it soon became clear that Prussia would need help, and Bismarck reluctantly allowed for Bavarian troops to reinforce the struggling Prussians. They were successful, and pushed the Danish out of the region with ease. Most shocking was the next decision by both Prussia and Bavaria: They would go on to invade Denmark and incorporate it into Prussia's territory.

Bavaria WOULD support such an event, but at a compromise. This was the chance to create Germany, dominated by Bavaria. Bavaria stipulated that they would only support an invasion and eventual annexation of Denmark if Prussia could have a referendum on whether it should be incorporated into the South German Confederation. This shocked the most Conservative Prussians, to the point where they nearly walked out of the Reichstag. However, Kaiser Wilhelm III of Prussia stopped this. He had recently been charmed by the King of Bavaria, and like him, secretly desired for a united Germany. The chance to create a Second Reich. He saw the Bavarian-led confederation as a stepping stone to the revival of the old Holy Roman Empire, and desired for Germany to have such dominance over Europe once again. Whilst he regretted that Prussia wouldn't dominate, he was hopeful that it could still become a highly important figure of the Germanic nation. And so, the Kaiser used his authority to grant the referendum. In a shock result, the majority populace of Prussia voted in favour of it being annexed into the Confederation.

Bavaria carried out its end of the bargain, and supplied Prussia with the weaponry, soldiers and supplies necessary for them to launch a successful invasion of Denmark. Despite some noble fighting, the Danish troops were no match for the reinvigorated Prussians and Bavarians. Denmark fell by the end of 1870. In Munich, the occasion was celebrated by a declaration of the new Germanic Reich of the Bavarian Confederation. All of Germany had been united under Bavarian rule. Munich would be its capital. Additionally, Bavaria had gained a huge boom in industrial growth as a result of incorporating Prussia into it. The iron-rich territories of the Rhineland were now the capital of German industry. Trade was much more common, and new elections were declared. Shockingly, the Liberals and Nationalists gained strong ground over the Conservatives, and were now the majority in the National Reichstag in Munich.

However, whilst Bavaria had firmly established itself as a European nation, through uniting a people and overcoming a rival nation, they were now facing a new enemy. Denmark had failed to gain the territory it contested for in Germany. Now, it was Austria's turn to step up to the plate. They still wished for a Grossdeutschland dominated by Austria, and saw Prussia's incorporation as reason enough for the Austrians to interfere. A reeling Bavaria was to face a militaristic, expansionist Austria. Still laying claim to Schleswig-Holstein, Austria interpreted Bavaria's annexation of it as an act of war. They immediately mobilised troops.

This was to be a war which would make or break Bavaria.