What if it were separated into an early campaign and a late campaign, a la Medieval 2? And one could pick to start around 1560-1600'ish for pike and musket and glimmering cuirassiers and knights, or the late campaign which starts around 1700 where it's mostly line infantry musket and cannon.

Then the Victorian Era could still be an expansion pack that would turn the base game into early, middle and late campaigns. That way one could play through from the 17th century into the 19th century if they wanted, or just pick a period.

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I did some more thinking upon their province system. They need to somehow represent balkanization.

Perhaps through tweaking their existing horde system they could represent a rival faction uprising and creating their own capital? (Or dead factions re-emerging) Thus splitting a region into two.
With border push different towns and farms would fall under the direct control of a faction, but via this border push strength, resource buildings could change hands to another faction. I think this is an argument for many smaller regions and capital cities and border control being a separate layer on the map from the resource layer.

This would add another dimension to the game because the diplomatic aspects of having to deal with uprisings from within your territories would need to be controlled. It also creates scenarios for rebellions and civil wars. Do I crush them? Vassalize them? Leave them alone and build an alliance and trade with them?

I think this would give a more organic feel to how empires and their control change geographically over time.