I would rather see Spain in that role if you go historic. Later France and Austria also had alliances eg in the 7 years War.
I would rather have Spain against England and France and vise versa.
Also Muscovy and Ottoman should hate each other (just for future wars there) and ofc Austria and Ottomans.
(For good Borders make Ottoman not ally Aqua Qunonulu and let him become a rival by event or so?)
What do you think?
To quote a great lady, 'No! No! No!'
French had an allaince with de trastamara with them winning the civil war pushing down on England who had supported the previous dynasty.
France supporting the opponents of Isabella who would then win the next civil war caused their alienation.
Ideally historic rivals could be more set to when they did develop, so end of castilian civil war could give a historic rival if France backs the wrong side, England's war of the Roses already had events where you lose opinion with those that sent aid to the losing side.
Ottomans rivaling AQ could tie into event chains with Eastern Anatolia rebelling, as well as Ottomans pushing their preferred Prince on AQ throne
The most correct way to describe the rivalry would be French-Habsburg, but the game mechanics don't allow that. Milan, Low Countries etc. were indeed Spanish at first, but it was the Emperor who was competing for control with France along French/HRE borders. Spain was either directly under Emperor's control and later in decline, playing only supportive role for Austrian Habsburgs (e.g. during 30y war). Spain was not the real threat and the Pyrenees border didn't really become contested until the Reunion Wars, when Rousillon was claimed by France
The rise of new dynasty could change your historic rival/friends, including allowances for rebel events E. G., so Burgundy can support a Yorkist uprising which if successful gives a historic friend
Once Spanish flops to Hapsburg they can get a rivalry with France
That would be the best apart from ottoman Austria/Russia/poland there was not really a historic rivaly (maybe England/France) especially after the league Wars I mean Prussia was for example allied to France and later to GB you took what you could get. So that would help. I often dont like how the ai alliances are always set in stone. I mean In Italy if watch it France has 2 allies and those go ham for example but never Form anything because he will ally rivals or so so then after the inital conquest nothing happens. But that is another problem ^^
The diplomatic revolution can be seen in game mechanics of GB refusing an Austrian Call to Arms, and then army strength too low for Austria to re-ally them
This also bothered me as well, I can see why historical rivals may need to be implemented but it always seemed like an unfinished mechanic. France-Austria fine, but why not France-England, or Muscovy/Russia-Ottoman or Spain-England etc. Either there should be way more historical rivals or none at all.
France England does exist? Although France GB doesn't iirc
Russia ottoman gets irritated over claims
Spanish England religion already does that, along with competing colonisers