Aftermath
Austria's rise to power and the creation of the Western European Empire could be attributed to several factors: a string of brilliant Emperors, strong military with skillful generals and the external policy of "marry first, conquer later".
Goals:
Imperial crown -
check, midgame saw Spanish Habsburgs stealing it quite regularly, but later on the complete conquest of HRE insured it would stay in Vienna forever.
More than nominal control of HRE -
check
Conquest of Italy -
check
Expulsion of Protestants -
fail, there are no Protestant states left within the borders of HRE, but there still is a significant number of Protestant provinces.
Obedient Pope -
check, has been so for several centuries. Hard to disobey the Emperor when he controls the city.
Free Hungary -
check, I have to say it was fulfilled. I released Hungary after inheritance and kept it alive for awhile. Austria does control Hungarian lands now, but only because Hungary allowed itself to be annexed by Poland.
Vassals:
Europe: Empire of England, Kingdom of Hellas, Republic of Ragusa, Duchy of Albania, Kingdom of Serbia, Duchy of Ukraine.
America: Columbia, Mexico, Haiti.
Recently annexed vassals: Empire of Spain, Kingdom of Croatia.
Future analysis:
England will be slowly incorporated into the Western European Empire, Portugal will soon follow as it will no allies to rely upon and her capital will be always under siege. Poland will be split between Austria and Muscowy. Sweden will lose Finland to Muscowy, Norway to England (thus, to Austria) and will become Austrian vassal. With luck it might remain such.
Future wars between Western and Eastern European empires are unlikely as both will have to deal with the coming plague of nationalism.
United States will probably break free from Austrian alliance and ally with Protestant Incas and Portugal. However, as Austrian and English empires merge, the Americans will have a hard time fighting the Europeans and their allies: Columbia, Mexico, Haiti. In the midst of this struggle lies the empire of Aztecs. I predict its survival, conquest of Mexico and rise to a second-rate power in the region.
Africa will be slowly conquered by Austria, as English and Portuguese colonies fall under Austrian control. A similar fate awaits India and Indonesia. China and Japan, yet unaccustomed to European way of war will fall easy prey to the Imperial ambitions.
It might go another way, but one things is for sure - this is the Empire that will last longer than those before it. It will crush what remains of the Turks and will liberate Jerusalem. Israel will not exist in this version of history, which could be also said about numerous Arab states that will be conquered around the beginning of the 20th century.
Once the world is divided between Austria and Muscowy, the latter will struggle to preserve its independence politically as well as culturally. But if the rest of the world is swallowed by Austria, this task will be rather impossible.
Screenshots:
Political map of the Empire in Europe
Allies and vassals
Political map of Duchy of Ukraine and Eastern Europe
Political map of North America
Victory score