What if the allies partitioned France and its empire in 1814?
Short answerBritain is expected to seek colonial and naval gains while neighbors take parts of France, but the proposed settlement risks later French revanche.
NotesAn 1814 partition would disrupt the European balance of power and give France a stronger reason to seek revenge after recovering. Possible territorial gains include parts of France for the Netherlands, Switzerland, northern Italian states, Spain and Prussia, while a reduced Bourbon kingdom survives. Britain would be interested in the remaining French empire, Corsica and shipbuilding areas, with a separate Brittany also proposed. A Brittany governed on a model resembling Jersey could enjoy local autonomy under the British crown. The settlement would break the allies' promises of a full Bourbon restoration, and its main danger would emerge as France recovered over the following decades.