There is a dubious but believable historical rumor that Alexander II of Russia planned to offer Alaska to the House of Liechtenstein before it was instead sold to the Americans. What if, in some other timeline, Alexander II and the House of Liechtenstein agree to the exchange of Alaska?
As one can imagine, seeing as Liechtenstein is landlocked, it's most realistic to assume that Austria would become the de facto sovereign of the territory. How are Pacific politics altered by this? Is the arctic suddenly a bold new Alpine frontier? Does it wind up being inconsequentially resold to the British or the Americans, or perhaps the burgeoning Japanese? Is it tossed about in the world wars? Can we make Alaska matter?
Or British (Canadian) and American settlers would have moved there anyways (if gold is found as OTL that's almost guaranteed, on the other hand that would require people being there to find the gold... but as gold was first found in Yukon on the British/ Canadian side of the border, and then the rush expanded to Alaska, I think these things might happen as OTL). So Alaska under the House of Liechtenstein would first have problems finding settlers (Alaska under the US had similar issues early on, and the Russian colonu went bankrupt because no one wanted to live there, and many just returned back to Russia), and then when the gold rush happens, it would be swarmed by Americans and Canadians looking for gold.Liechtenstein might have invited the Japanese or the the Chinese to come and settle in Alaska.
The point is The House of Liechtenstein would lack both capacity and interest to do anything with Alaska
The Principality of Liechtenstein was unofficially basically a Austrian vassal. It was not an official relationship though, but it was how they could exist as "independent". The House of Liechtenstein and the Principality of Liechtenstein are not the exact same thing though. The Principality was the actual small microstate, the House of Liechtenstein was the ruling dynasty. The House of Liechtenstein getting Alaska DOES NOT mean the Principality gets it. It will just be a territory that happens to have the same ruler. Though I could see Austria having interests for sure, but the problem that always comes up regarding an Austrian colonial empire would come up again. Austria had very little capacity to manage an overseas empire, and not having an Atlantic coast was one of the main problems, the other being the nature of the Austrian and later Austro- Hungarian Empire as a multinational empire that had to spend much of it's effort keeping itself together.Liechtenstein in those days was somehow connected to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
And Austria-Hungary would surely have managed to rule and administrate an area like Alaska.
the other being the nature of the Austrian and later Austro- Hungarian Empire as a multinational empire that had to spend much of it's effort keeping itself together.
We wouldn't have seen John Wayne make a "North to Liechtenstein" movie.
We almost didn't buy Alaska.
Most of those will be Americans and Canadians coming because of gold. And before gold Alaska would have issues getting anyone there, probably worse than OTL. Of course then it would be hard pressure to sell Alaska to either the US or Britain because they'd be in a better position to develop and defend the place.I see it another way.
The Austro- Hungarian Empire was multi-national enough to stomach another nationality: Alaska!
At the time, yes, it was a failed Russian colony, the Russians were actively trying to get rid of. Many critisized the US purchase as a waste of money.We almost didn't buy Alaska. Everyone was saying it was useless, too cold.
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More imagination than I care to employ for a make-believe scenario.Maybe you need some imagination to write in this thread.
I still think it interesting to think of all the consequences.For one Liechtenstein wouldn't have to send its criminals to serve their time in Austria.
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