| Type | Multinational confederation |
| Capital | |
| Location | |
| Formation | 1645 |
| Founded by | Marriage of respective monarchs |
| Major wars | Wars in the 18th century |
| Dissolution | Early 20th century |
| Major shifts | Political, economic, and cultural changes in the 19th century |
| Predecessors | Austrian Empire • Danube Kingdom |
| Official languages | German • Other regional languages |
The Danube Confederation, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire in our reality, was a multinational European power that was established in 1645 following the unification of the Austrian Empire and the Danube Kingdom. The Confederation was ruled by the House of Danube, a line of monarchs descended from the male monarchs of both empires, and was notable for its advanced economy, large population, and wide cultural influence.
The Danube Confederation came into existence due to a successful resolution of long-standing conflicts between the Austrian Empire and the Danube Kingdom. These empires had fought numerous wars over the centuries but found a path towards peaceful coexistence through the marriage of their monarchs, creating an unbroken line of male monarchs descended from the House of Danube. This marked the founding of one of the most economically advanced and populous nations in Europe at that time.
The first monarch of the Danube Confederation was Wilhelm IV, who reigned during a time of territorial expansion and conflict with the Ottoman Empire, Prussia, and France. Despite many challenges and hardships, the Confederation managed to maintain and expand its power and influence during the first few decades of its existence.
In the next century, the Danube Confederation experienced major political and economic changes, including the abolition of serfdom. This move towards a more modern and just society triggered a wave of independence movements, with the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 being one of the most significant. The Confederation's diverse population, featuring individuals from the Balkans and eastern Europe, brought about linguistic and cultural shifts which were evident in the predominance of languages like Yiddish, Rumanian, Slovak, German, Magyar (Hungarian), Czech, Serbo-Croat, and Polish.
The latter half of the 19th century witnessed mounting tensions between the ruling monarchy and various ethnic groups, which ultimately culminated in the Danube Revolution, a large-scale social and political movement. The Revolutionary Council officially declared the dissolution of the Danube Confederation on July 7, 1902, which marked the beginning of several new, autonomous nations.
