Austrian Empire

[Archangel Michael]

WI Austria had gained a colonial empire in Africa and Asia, and how would they do it?

 

[Grey Wolf]

WI Austria had gained a colonial empire in Africa and Asia, and how would they do it?

Wel, 'To Soar Like Icarus' and its associated timeline (Kings) has Austria in the Congo

My rationale is that with the loss of Hungary and a settlement within Italy, and if Russia and the Ottoman or ex-Ottoman lands in the Balkans come to a solution, then Austria will and can look outwards

A note on China - Austria retained a naval force out there but never sought a colony, whereas Italy, on a par with Austria in many ways attempted to gain
a colony but failed (Ningpo)

Regarding practicalities, if Belgium can set up the Congo, then Austria can do anything it wants to do

You just have to get them to want tit, and to not undermine their other interests in doing so

An example might be Mexico - OTL Franz Josef was as against it as he could be without completely abandoning a family member. So, without Franz Josef, perhaps with his father in power or perhaps he dies and Maximilian becomes emperor ?

Grey Wolf

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

WI Austria had gained a colonial empire in Africa and Asia, and how would they do it?

Austria had a respectable and competitive merchant marine, and their currency was the most commonly used in the Sudan. I would imagine they would likely end up on the Red Sea route - perhaps beginning with a coaling station in Eritrea or Somalia. Perhaps if they had been there instead of the Italians, the British would not have moved to destroy the Mahdists (Italian insecurity was a major reason for the British move), and as the Mahdist state continued to sink, the Austrians move in and establish a colonial presence in the Eastern Sudan, and extend their influence over Abyssinia as well.