The 1848 Brigade

=== POD=== In this world there are two crucial point's of departure that create the conditions for an earlier unification of both Germany and Italy. The first is that the Hungarian parliament recalls the Hungarian regiments from Josef Radetzky's army in Northern Italy earlier which allows the Sardinian forces to defeat the weakened Austrian troops at the Battle of Custoza and from there they begin to push the Austrians out of Northern Italy. This coupled, with the outbreak of revolution in Hungary and the Habsburgs heartlands of Austria and Bohemia and the flight of Emperor Ferdinand to Innsbruck, seemingly have the Habsburgs on the ropes. This persuades the Frankfurt parliament to offer the crown to Frederick William in 1848 whereupon he accepts and becomes the first Emperor of Germany.

The German Revolution of 1848 and the Empire of Germany
The Empire of Germany, was essentially created out of the unrest in the Habsburgs domain. While the Austrians would eventually recover (thanks to the intervention of Tsar Nicholas I and the Russians) they were throughout 1848 and early 1849 seemingly on the brink of collapse. While the Empire was now created the new state had several problems to deal with, including a hostile Austro-Russian alliance bloc, the tribulations of creating a functional state out of the thirty-eight states that now made up the empire, as well as the establishment of a central military structure, infrastructure (tax system, transport, civil service etc) and a legal system. Despite his acceptance of the crown, Frederick William was a conservative and eked out a compromise over some of the constitutions articles (the Junkers of Prussia were to be allowed to keep some of their rights and capital punishment would not be abolished aand the German states would keep their autonomy within the Empire, much like the German Confederation.) While the politicians were debating over the constitution the Danish had taken advantage of the chaose and had blockaded several ports and invaded the Kingdom of Hanover and the Grand Duchies of Mecklenburg (Schwerin and Strelitz.) It was here that an agreement to create a united German army and navy (the navy was constructed first and the first head of the admiralty was the emperors brother Prince Adalbert of Prussia.) While the united German army would not be established until 1850, the Prussian forces would act as the "protector" of Germany. Prussian troops would also help put down the republican uprising in the liberal Grand Duchy of Baden. The nation would also have its first national political parties with the radical leftwing Democrat Party (lead by Robert Blum), the moderate Liberal Party (lead by Heinrich von Gagern) and the rightwing Conservative Party (lead by Maximilian Duncker), with the first elections being held in 1850. A united Germany had arisen.

The Italian Revolution of 1848 and the Kingdom of Italy
With the outbreak of revolution in the peninsula, occuring roughly around the same time as in Germany and Austria with the creation of the Roman Republic by Guiseppe Mazzini seen as the biggest threat to the old order in Italy. Charles Albert of Sardinia, decided to exploit this and declared war on the Austrians. While under the capable leadership of Josef Radetzky, it was assumed that the Austrians would crush the Sardinian forces at the Battle of Custoza. However with the recall of the Hungarian regiments from Radetzky's army and the establishemnt of an alliance between Tuscany and Sardinia the Austrians were defeated at the Battle of Custoza (24-25 July 1848 near Verona) and from there the Allied forces were able to exploit the chaos occuring in the Habsburg Empire and by the end of 1849 (especially after the crushing defeat inflicted upon the Austrians at the Battle of Novara) the Austrians had been forced out of northern Italy, with the Treaty of Venice signed on 14 January 1850, marked the end of the Italian War of Independence and the establishement of the Kingdom of Italy (which would incorporate the Papal States in 1849 and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies in 1850) under the rule of the House of Savoy with Charles Albert becoming the King of Italy. Savoy annexed the Duchies of Parma and Modena into the Sardinian territory. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was allowed to continue, as waas the Kingdom of Two Sicilies (only on the conditon of Ferdinand II's abdication in favour of his son and the splitting of the Two Sicilies into two seperate entities ruled in personal union by Francis II King of Sicily and Grand Duke of Naples.) The two revolutionary republics of Rome and Venice were also admitted into the confederacy. Italy was born.

The revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg states and Austria's recovery
The revolutions also completely engulfed the Austrian Empire with the Habsburgs being driven out of Italyand facing insurrection throughout the empire. The Hungarian revolution broke out in 1848 as well, and the Hungarian forces managed to defeat the Austrians in several battles throughout the year. However, they were unable to exploit the empire's apparent weaknesses and despite the uprising having spread to Vienna and Bohemia, these territories were soon recovered. While the Austrians had been pushed out of Hungary and now faced a large army of Hungarian, Slovak, Ruthenian, Serb, German, Jewish and Italian forces, the support of Croatian leader Josip Jelacic was vital as his forces provided the bulk of the Austrian troops facing the Hungarian army (Radetzky's froces were tied down at this point and had no men to spare.) With the abdication of Ferdinand, his brother Franz Josef came to the throne and appealed to the Gendarme of Europe Nicholas I of Russia to send troops. Nicholas agreed and in early 1849 Russian troops crossed the frontier into Transylvania and Wallachia (where they were crushed by the Hungarians at the Battle of Hermannstadt.) Despite this, the Hungarians failed to exploit their advantage and crush the Austrian army. Nicholas pledged to redouble his efforts and did sending in 30,000 Russian troops who along with the Austrian forces now entered Hungary (Austria having secured Austria and Bohemia and with he support of Jelacic had a large force to be able to put into the field.) After all appeals to other European states (the Italians were still fighting the Austrians and the Germans were wary of Nicholas's intentions should they intervene) Kossuth resigned in favour of Gorgey who surrendered at Vilagos to the Russians who handed the army over to the Austrians. The war was over and Austria had survived, though only with the help of the Russians. Franz Josef enacted a period of repression in Hungary, while rewarding Jelacic with further Croatian autonomy. This policy of repression would later backfire on Franz Josef however, as he was assassinated by Hungarian nationalist Janos Libenyi in 1853. As he had no heirs he was succeeded by his more capable and liberal brother Maximilian I, who ended the period of repression and transformed the Empire of Austria into a confederation so as to alleviate the nationalist tensions within the empire.