Board Thread:Timeline Discussions/@comment-4656717-20130106102552/@comment-32656-20130110115438

Really, getting rid of Bismarck isn't a good solution. There's any number of events prior to that that get the result.

I think I've been over this before with someone - but I'll repeat it for you. Prussia was allied or at least on good terms with most of Northern Germany, despite the choices of those states in the Austro-Prussian War. Some sort of North German Confederation was going to happen at some point, irregardless.

Southern Germany really only went with otl events because of victory disease. Even during the empire, they weren't all that happy with it, once that wore off. All it would take to keep them out of it would have been a less substantial Prussian win over France.

It's very possible to have Bavaria - and the rest of southern Germany - stay independent. Either avoid the VD, or some sort of earlier PoD.

Karl would have gone over a little better - you're right about the regency - but the result really wouldn't be different. The Morganatic bit would be a major hit. Doesn't avoid the Greeks not really wanting a monarchy, either - it was actually a demand of the great powers that they have one.