Count Boul steered Austria right into the reefs in the 1850s. You are the Chairman of the Conference of Ministers instead of him. What are your polices? You are stuck with his predecessor's choices:
- Reconquest of Lombardy/pacification of Italy
- Russian intervention in Hungary
- Diplomatic Standoff with Prussia
- And you have the same Emperor to deal with.
How do you deal with the Eastern Crisis? Italian problems? Germany?
I think this should be in SW as it is slightly RP, but I'll answer it here.
So after Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg, dies in office in 5 April 1852, I become Chairman of the Ministers' Conference and Foreign Minister of the Austrian Empire, instead of Karl Ferdinand Graf von Buol.
As for Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, he is only 22 years old at this point and been on the throne for a mere 4 years, and it has only been four years since his uncle Emperor Ferdinand I was forced to abdicate, so he won't feel invincible and is very cautious.
(OOC: I take it, I can't have the assassin attempt on FJ on 18th February 1853 succeed?)
Issues
- Germany
Due to the rivalry between Prussia and Austria, I believe that it would be best that the German Confederation splits up before 1866, with Franz Joseph I of Austria being President of this Confederation, if he can play his cards write he can split the Confederation, peacefully, with Prussia, gaining the Protestant northern states, while Austria can keep the Catholic southern states.
- Eastern Crisis
The Great Easter Crisis, will not happen until 1875 (23 years from now.) Regarding the "Sick man of Europe" (the Ottoman Empire), I would talk with Nicholas I and arrange for our two nations to try and "euthanize" this sick country, offering to give Hungary, independence, if Russia agrees that Austria can gain some of the land in western Balkan.
- Italy
If both of the plans above work, this will give Austria the means to keep their foothold in Catholic northern Italy, by moving the army away from hostile Protestant and Orthodox states, towards Italy where they are able to fend off the Kingdom of Sardinia and Kingdom of Two Sicilies.
He is able to support the papal state and Pope Pius IX
