So for the average AH.com visitor, Lithuania is a name that only rings a bell on three separate occasions:
- something to merge Poland with and forget about
- filler country in 20th century scenarios
- "What if Lithuania adopted X religion/stayed pagan?"
And the last one, although generally repeated without much thought put into it (as far as I've noticed), is actually pretty interesting.
And I'm also pretty interested in what the AH.com community thinks about this question, because each and every one of the choices available for the rulers of Lithuania at the time would have all resulted in wildly different versions of Lithuania, some better, some not so better.
Which choice do you think would have been the best one? Use whatever criteria you want for what "best" means in this situation.
A brief overview of the choices:
Catholicism from Poland (OTL)
Pros:
- Catholicism takes away the Orders' casus belli against Lithuania.
- Catholicism connects Lithuania to the Western world and allows it to adopt it's culture and technology more easily.
- Catholicism differentiates the Lithuanian peasantry from the Orthodox Ruthenian one, preventing mass Ruthenization.
- Baptism from Poland will be swallowed more easily by the Lithuanian population than one from the Knights.
- Allows a Polish-Lithuanian coalition against the Knights.
Cons:
- Will result in Lithuania tying itself to Poland as a junior partner, and all the problems that came with it.
- Will result in Polonization of the Lithuanian upper class.
- Poland doesn't do this out of goodwill, either.
- Tying Lithuania to Poland doesn't provide protection of Lithuania's eastern frontier.
- Everything that happened in OTL to Lithuania will end up happening.
Catholicism from the Knights
Pros:
- An alternative to the Union of Krewo which does not result in either a personal union or assimilation into foreign culture.
- Catholicism takes away the Orders' casus belli against Lithuania.
- Catholicism connects Lithuania to the Western world and allows it to adopt it's culture and technology more easily.
- Catholicism differentiates the Lithuanian peasantry from the Orthodox Ruthenian one, preventing mass Ruthenization.
- Gives a chance to absorb the Teutonic and Livonian Orders, either through economic, diplomatic or military pressure, earlier than OTL.
- Allows a Lithuanian-Teutonic coalition against Poland.
Cons:
- Will definitely not be taken well by the Lithuanian population.
- Will result in a loss of Samogitia.
- Does not provide protection of Lithuania's eastern frontier.
- Poland will most likely become hostile, leading to a two-front situation between Moscow and Poland.
Orthodoxy
Pros:
- Will allow Lithuania to more easily challenge Moscow for supremacy over Russian lands, or perhaps even absorb it through dynastic ties.
- Will lend for greater stability in Lithuania, especially in Ruthenian territory.
- Will allow Lithuania to claim the title of Third Rome if Byzantium falls and Lithuania has achieved supremacy over Russian lands.
- The infrastructure is already there for adopting Orthodoxy - Chancery Ruthenian is used as the language of documents, Orthodox churches are already established in Lithuanian towns like Vilnius and many members of the House of Gediminas are already Orthodox.
- Will be more accepted by the Lithuanian population than Catholicism.
Cons:
- Will not stop Order raids and attacks into Lithuanian territory.
- No Polish-Lithuanian coalition against the Orders.
- Will likely result in Ruthenization of Lithuanian population.
- Will result in less adoption of Western culture and technology, and perhaps a disadvantage in innovation.
Islam
Pros:
- Slightly better relations with the Tatars and Ottomans.
- No assimilation into foreign cultures.
Cons:
- Lots.
Judaism
Pros:
- Jews have already established a presence in Lithuania.
- No assimilation into foreign cultures.
- Perhaps faster urbanization and adoption of Western technology, assuming Lithuania becomes a haven for Jews?
Cons:
- Lots.
Remain pagan
Pros:
- Viewed positively by the Lithuanian population.
- No assimilation into foreign cultures.
- Pretty cool AH scenario.
Cons:
- The Orders remain hostile and continue their raids.
- No adoption of Western culture and innovation, could be destined to become a backwater.
- Poland remains hostile, no chance of a Polish-Lithuanian coalition against the Orders.
- something to merge Poland with and forget about
- filler country in 20th century scenarios
- "What if Lithuania adopted X religion/stayed pagan?"
And the last one, although generally repeated without much thought put into it (as far as I've noticed), is actually pretty interesting.
And I'm also pretty interested in what the AH.com community thinks about this question, because each and every one of the choices available for the rulers of Lithuania at the time would have all resulted in wildly different versions of Lithuania, some better, some not so better.
Which choice do you think would have been the best one? Use whatever criteria you want for what "best" means in this situation.
A brief overview of the choices:
Catholicism from Poland (OTL)
Pros:
- Catholicism takes away the Orders' casus belli against Lithuania.
- Catholicism connects Lithuania to the Western world and allows it to adopt it's culture and technology more easily.
- Catholicism differentiates the Lithuanian peasantry from the Orthodox Ruthenian one, preventing mass Ruthenization.
- Baptism from Poland will be swallowed more easily by the Lithuanian population than one from the Knights.
- Allows a Polish-Lithuanian coalition against the Knights.
Cons:
- Will result in Lithuania tying itself to Poland as a junior partner, and all the problems that came with it.
- Will result in Polonization of the Lithuanian upper class.
- Poland doesn't do this out of goodwill, either.
- Tying Lithuania to Poland doesn't provide protection of Lithuania's eastern frontier.
- Everything that happened in OTL to Lithuania will end up happening.
Catholicism from the Knights
Pros:
- An alternative to the Union of Krewo which does not result in either a personal union or assimilation into foreign culture.
- Catholicism takes away the Orders' casus belli against Lithuania.
- Catholicism connects Lithuania to the Western world and allows it to adopt it's culture and technology more easily.
- Catholicism differentiates the Lithuanian peasantry from the Orthodox Ruthenian one, preventing mass Ruthenization.
- Gives a chance to absorb the Teutonic and Livonian Orders, either through economic, diplomatic or military pressure, earlier than OTL.
- Allows a Lithuanian-Teutonic coalition against Poland.
Cons:
- Will definitely not be taken well by the Lithuanian population.
- Will result in a loss of Samogitia.
- Does not provide protection of Lithuania's eastern frontier.
- Poland will most likely become hostile, leading to a two-front situation between Moscow and Poland.
Orthodoxy
Pros:
- Will allow Lithuania to more easily challenge Moscow for supremacy over Russian lands, or perhaps even absorb it through dynastic ties.
- Will lend for greater stability in Lithuania, especially in Ruthenian territory.
- Will allow Lithuania to claim the title of Third Rome if Byzantium falls and Lithuania has achieved supremacy over Russian lands.
- The infrastructure is already there for adopting Orthodoxy - Chancery Ruthenian is used as the language of documents, Orthodox churches are already established in Lithuanian towns like Vilnius and many members of the House of Gediminas are already Orthodox.
- Will be more accepted by the Lithuanian population than Catholicism.
Cons:
- Will not stop Order raids and attacks into Lithuanian territory.
- No Polish-Lithuanian coalition against the Orders.
- Will likely result in Ruthenization of Lithuanian population.
- Will result in less adoption of Western culture and technology, and perhaps a disadvantage in innovation.
Islam
Pros:
- Slightly better relations with the Tatars and Ottomans.
- No assimilation into foreign cultures.
Cons:
- Lots.
Judaism
Pros:
- Jews have already established a presence in Lithuania.
- No assimilation into foreign cultures.
- Perhaps faster urbanization and adoption of Western technology, assuming Lithuania becomes a haven for Jews?
Cons:
- Lots.
Remain pagan
Pros:
- Viewed positively by the Lithuanian population.
- No assimilation into foreign cultures.
- Pretty cool AH scenario.
Cons:
- The Orders remain hostile and continue their raids.
- No adoption of Western culture and innovation, could be destined to become a backwater.
- Poland remains hostile, no chance of a Polish-Lithuanian coalition against the Orders.
