this is a dangerous thing
because allow me to open the subject that it is criminally underwhelming how in the source material little is explored about Austria's relations to the low countries (Netherlands - Luxembourg - Belgium), Portugal, Liechtenstein, Bohemia (later Czechia) and Slovakia, Slovenia, given the extensive reach of the Habsburg reign when they became the running contenders for the imperial throne of Holy Roman emperor
in fact Austria in the series had so much potential to be fleshed out as a dominating force with a lot of connections if Himaruya had delved a little further into the significant role the duchy had been elevated to given how the Habsburg instrumentalised the duchy into their empirical domain, with Vienna as the capital the bigger they expanded
- The low countries before it became Spanish possessions had been another fief in the HRE. The Habsburgs managed to attain it by way of marriage through Maximilian I to Mary of Burgundy, the Burgundian monarchs having held the fief beforehand. The succession of the inheritance was through his heir, Philip, who married into the Spanish monarchy. When the thrones were unified under Charles V's ascension as emperor, son of Philip, grandson of Maximilian, that's how Spain got to enjoy the chunk of Habsburg domains similarly to Austria also having access to Spain's New Worlds posessions.
- Bohemia was prominent in claiming the Austrian duchy to better their chances at aiming for the throne. Not only was Ottokar already with a nomination, he was on good terms with the Austrian nobility. In turn, Austria would've been pretty good friends with lil Bohemia at the time before being forcefully ripped apart because a certain SOMEONE wanted to fuck Ottokar over. Bohemia was later another domain grouped into Habsburg possessions later into their long reign.
- Can I mention that as opposed to how the series depicted Liechtenstein to be by herself up till Switzerland found her, the kingdom was another fief in HRE. And of course when our favourite greedy schemers became the powerhouse ruling the empire, the little kingdom was another of their property and Liechtenstein and Austria maintained a fair, amicable relationship all the way to world war one. The only reason the territory was conceded included financial instability where they literally had no money left to help Liechtenstein out, so this battered single parent Austria had no other choice to send his (step) daughter away for Switzerland to take her in.
- Portugal. Was. An. Ally. During the war of the Spanish succession. Portugal and the Dutch, whilst their aim was to weaken the Spanish empire and chip away at their new world possessions, it was a mutual agreement between their coalition and the Austrian Habsburg. Not to mention during the joint-empire situation, Austrian monarchs married into Portuegese line to, some semblance of interaction would've made sense to portray these elements of how ridiculously LARGE the circle of network the Habsburg created.
- Don't get me started on Belgium.
- Did you know she spent some period of time in Habsburg Austria household before gaining independence? Part of the concessions following the war of the Spanish succession; prior to this, the Dutch already rebelled and became their own sovereign after detaching from the low countries. It left Belgium and Luxembourg, and they became Austrian-Netherlands when they reaffirmed their hold over this territory in the bunch of treaties that were signed following the war. So to see not a lick of interaction. Even acknowledgement. Not even EITHER of them ever having a moment with each other is so. Speaking of.
- The Belgian king tried to steal imperial treasure from Austria after WWI. Roderich would've given her and the king hell because they tried taking the order of the golden fleece amongst the other things. Have you any idea how hilarious that would be if Himaruya could depict that in the series? Austria would be so composed about it while taking jabs at her like oh remember the little kingdom who thought herself big daring to loot my treasury? Hmm?
- There is. So much. SO many potentially interesting, diverse elements to explore and grow aph Austria with. This is such a unique character considering this wealthy source of historical significance that played a huge part of reigning the longest and shifting the power balance throughout the continent not once, not twice, but three times because it all started with the over-eager Habsburg family that originated from Switzerland.
- Austria would've been the greatest conman to ever exist because that's how Habsburgs entered the bloody battle for the throne; convenient forgery and embellishment to legitimise their claim and marriage connections that solidified their backing. This prospect of grand ambitions single handedly shaped the way Roderich is as a person that he was empire first before reuniting with his personhood to the original roots of his Austrian self.
