Founded in 1869 from the wreckage of the Habsburg Empire (after their victory and subsequent collapse in the Austro-Prussian war), the Empire of the Germans is the largest state entirely in Continental Europe, the world's third largest economy, and second most military power. Under the rule of Kaisers Franz Josef, Franz Ferdinand and Charles, it has seen a period of peace, stability and military build-up, however, as far as the 1940's (where this timeline stands) it is held in ill favour by the other Great Powers (the British Empire, France, the USA, etc) as a dangerous threat.