A queens inherience to her son (first try).

Valdemar II

Banned
Sophia, the heartless Queen.

My first attempt of a timeline I welcome feedback.

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Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow Queen of Denmark-Norway was a able adminstrator, but she was close to end up a failure in politic, her attempt to fight her son Christian IV of Denmark regency counsel and split up his ducal possesions among all her sons, not just the oldest one, resulted in her ending up banished to Nykjöbing Falster castle on Falster. It may have been a exile but she was still a Queen, she would rule Laaland-Falster as her own private fiefdom until her death of old age. Her exile was also sweeten by her reconciliation with her eldest son in 1596, where he promised to take care of his sibling, and put her former supporter Hans Blomme back in grace. This visit would also change Denmark in a rather subtle way, while Christian was visiting he was on a hunt, when he returned to the castle Sophia overheard one of her sons hunting companions say how the nature reminded him of his native Holland and how only the peasants was different. Sofia became quite inspired of the comparison between her poor domain and rich Holland, she had little compassion for the peasants of her domain which she saw as lazy and dishonest, while she remembered the industrious and wealthy Dutch peasants of Amager*. So she thought what if she could import Dutch peasant to improve farming and drain much of wetland which both Falster and Laaland was full of. Inspiration had stuck.

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After her son had left her to continue home, she spoke with her advicers about it, and while most of them was somewhat sceptical of the idea, they still thought it a interesting idea. Sophie was a woman with a love of knowledge, so she studied how Christian II had gotten the Dutch settlers to Amager. From these her and her advicers decided, what they could give the Dutch of priviliges:
A tax exception until the 1. januar 1700, ownership of the land they settled on, beside that other privilge was secured for them, including the permanent monopol on sealhunt South of the isles.
The King was contacted and he ended up giving a royal guarantee for the priviliges, while he wasn’t positive of it, he had just reconsile with Sophie and had little interest in alienate her over such a minor matter.

Sophie contracted a Dutch middeman, whom would attempt to contract Dutch farmers to emigrate to Denmark. It was hard at first because they needed to convert to Lutheranism, but in the end a 107 people moved to Sophies domain in the first wave, they was given land north and west of Böta Nor, where they arrived maj 1599. Beside that Dutch expertise was also hired to drain some of wetland primary Böta Nor. Over the next decade 576 Dutch settlers emigrated to her domains.
With her Danish serfs** corvée, paid farmhands and Dutch expertise she began to drain Böta Nor a process which ended in 1615, which gave her several thousand new Tønder land***, much of which was bought by the Dutch settlers to their second and third sons, through several serf villages was placed in the south end of the former wetlands, these new serf was mostly former Danish farmhands on the Dutch farms, which resulted in the Dutch cultivated plants and methods being used.

What method and plants did the Dutch bring with them, if we look at the two primary plants, it was Spanish clover and potatoes. Spanish clover was a interesting plant it introduced nitrats into the soil (undomestic clover also does that, but it grow slower), shorting the fallow periode and it was excellent cattle fodder, which resulted in a growth of cheese and meat production, beside that because of clovers needs of pollination, it also increased the production of honey, and the greater commoness of bees, resulted in a greater pollination of fruit trees, the result was a greater and more diverse food production. The potato at first was the redhead stepson, while it was grown and thrieved in the soil of the isles, people only ate them in dire need, so it was mostly used as animal food and by the poor farmhands which grew it in their small kitchen gardens.

The results of these new methods was a lowering of child mortality among all groups of society, but especially the poorest the farmhands, leading to a population boom. The increase in population resulted in many leaving the isles to other parts of Denmark, but also a increase Nykjöbing Falsters population, in 1624 the town hit 1000 inhabbitants, but also that the draining technics become to good use other places on the two isles. Sophia also saw a increase in her income but it was only by 1620 that the increase began to become obvious. Sophie already a rich woman also oversaw some of Denmarks richest peasant, and the large landowners (herremænd) began to take notice, much of the technics was taken up by her neighbours and lesser vassal sometime by farmhands getting a farms or jobs in anothers domain and taking the technics with them, a interesting example of this was Julius Nielsen, which left his home as 13 year old in 1614, and through his own intelligence ended up as steward of a manor on southen Fuen, whom helped this manor prosper by import the new methods. By 1620 the use of both clover and potatoes had spread been spread to much southen Zealand and enclaves on southen Fuen. Sophie with her large wealth had also begun to dable both in trade and money-lending (no difference from OTL except she has more money), which increased her power and enourmous wealth to unheard dimension. She would die the richest woman in Europe.

But a war was on the way which would change the European balance of power forever, and diminish Denmark position for generations.

*Immigrants of the early 16th Century.

**Danish serfs (fæstebonde) was only renter of the land, and is as such free, but some of the rent was paid in corvee, while farmhands (husmænd) was just landless fæstebønder (plural).

***Danish agricultural units, it’s more or less equal with 0,0055 Km2.
 
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Keep it up, Might we see a Danish Colonial Empire. A Danish India would be sweet but that might be a stretch even with a larger population
 

Valdemar II

Banned
I'm really confused and intrigued.

Thanks and just ask if you have any questions. :)

Keep it up, Might we see a Danish Colonial Empire. A Danish India would be sweet but that might be a stretch even with a larger population

Yes we will see a Danish colonial empire, but it won't be much bigger than OTL. This timeline is mostly about the effect of demograpic changes, so the neither Europe or the world will end up in mostly Danish colours. :)
 
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Valdemar II

Banned
The Drunken Lion.

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Christian IV of Denmark and Norway was a glutton, a drunk and a womanizer, but while he lived life to the fullest, he was also a intelligent man, which cared deeply for his subjects and childen (all 26 of them), with eyes for the detail, hardworking and even quite pious in his own way.

Christian ended up King in a early age at only age 11 he inherieted the crown from his father in 1588, while he would only be crowned in 1596, it did mean that his childhood ended early. While his late reign was full of disappointment and struggle, he’s remembered as a great King. He started his reign by showing his independence from the regency by reconsile with his mother. For most of his early reign he focused on making Denmark strong by following strong mercantile politics and ensure the Danish dominance of the North Atlantic and codominance of the Baltic. It was this attempt to dominate the Baltic and North Atlantic trade, which would end up badly for Denmark. Sweden attempt to gain access to the North Atlantic started the first of Christians wars (The Kalmar War 1611–1613) with Sweden, while this ended in a clear Danish victory, the agressive Danish naval warfare alienated Netherlands and the Hanse, and resulted in a Dutch-Swedish alliance, while Christian did succed in breaking the Dutch-Swedish alliance, but the war also showed Denmark inability to conquer Sweden.

After the Swedish defeat Christian continued his mercantile policies, through they tended to fail, one of the succes was the creation of a small native textile industry in Copenhagen and the acquisition of Tranquebar by the new Danish East Indian Company. But at the same time the royal coffins was full, Christian could rule more or less free of the Council of the State. Through with the start of the 30 Year War much of this fortune was borrowed to Protestant princes in their war against the Emperor, and in the acquisition of Bishopric of Schwerin to his third son Ulric, and the Bichopric of Verden, Bremen and Osnabröck (the last is a difference from OTL) to his second son Frederick. Beside that he forced his overlordship down over Hamburg to control the Elb trade. The future was looking good for Christian.

But something had to go wrong and against promisses of money and support Netherland and England convinces Christian to go to war against the Emperor, to say it mildly it ended up a disaster, Denmark didn’t receive received the promissed support from Netherland and England and to make everything worse his first son and regent Christian “the chosen Prince” died in a fall from his horse (in OTL he lived to 1647) shortly after his father left Denmark. Christian got the news of the death of his son while in marching through Bremen, and had to call his second son Frederick Bishop of Bremen, Osnabrück and Verden to him, and send him home to Denmark to rule (despite his young age), until his fathers return, full of grief, but also more careful because of a lack of clear succesion* he continued his campaign. The first meeting with the enemy at Lutter am Barenberg ended in disaster and a victory for Tilly and the King had to retreat (because Christian is more careful, his loses is smaller** and Tillys greater). By the autumn 1627 Christian and his army is forced to retreat to Denmark and Wallenstein occupied Christians and his sons German possesions and Jutland.

Christian return to Copenhagen humiliated and full of grief, but also with deep bitterness toward England and to lesser extent Netherland, something which would colour his relationship toward those states for the rest of his life. But one good thing did came out his return, Frederick had done a excellent job as regent. Full of pride in his son he force the nobility to recognise him as heir. With that over Christian could start making peace with Emperor. For once Christian showed masterly diplomacy by playing on the Emperors fear of a Danish-Swedish alliance, and end up with a status quo peace, and only for himself not for his sons the Bishops Frederick of Bremen-Osnabrück-Verden and Ulric of Schwerin, which continued to be part of the war, but while Frederick stayed in Denmark waiting for a chance to free his domain, Ulric entered Swedish service to get his fief back (with his fathers support).

But even with this succes the humiliation for Christian became worse with Gustav Adolfs succes, much of his bitterness turned toward England, Netherland and the German princes which had betrayed him, but he also blamed the Council of the State for the lack of support for his campaign and for the rest of his reign he worked to reduce their power. But in the end his biggest problem, his lack of money, ended up going away by itself with his mothers Sophias death in 1631. Sophia was Christian biggest kreditor he owed her 1,5 million daler (50 % more than OTL***) which with her death fell away, beside that Christian was the primary heir to her enormous fortune. But for Christian his mothers death was a weird mix relief, grief and loss, while she may have been his biggest kreditor she was also his supporter, and while he was never her favorite there’s no doubt that they loved each other, with the death of his oldest son, his mother, the mix feelings of her death, his divorce from his wife and her affair, Christian was in a deep dark mood. It was when he decide to visit his mothers former domain Laaland-Falster.

*Christian was the chosen Prince, because he was already crowned as heir.

**Only 4000 is killed and almost none is captured.

***In TTL almost all of Christians debt is to his mother.
 
Hmm, I like it, but Osnabrück is stretching it a bit. There was quite some opposition in Northern Germany to Christians plans so I don't see it here.

A less bloody Lutter? I think you need to change something in the man himself. (see later) Did you butterfly the fall at Hameln? If so a more resolute King in charge of the army may have been more aggressive and taken battle before Tilly was fully ready. That would help even if Christian is defeated at the end of the day.

Chosen Prince dies early; interesting. So Christian won't as disappointed as OTL with the admin in his absence!
Then the real benefician of these changes will be Frederick 3. Autocracy well financed.

But will Christian realize in time that he needs a national army if he is to combat Sweden AND preserve his riches? Bad thing is the man might have been a fatalist, at least Heiberg argue this, thus may not want to change too much as God already have his scheme and man, even a King should not interfere. I thing you need something to liven up the King - why not butterfly away miss Munk and perhaps replace her with her mother who apparently was quite another character. One that could possibly have put Christian back on the rails.
That might also ease out some of the friction within the royal family and perhaps square up Corfitz Ulfeldt if he isn't butterflied too!

Ulrich marrying Christina??? Are you butterflying away our wars with Sweden? The heritage of our greatest King ever? Doing away with all jokes and bad manners? No greatest moment ever of "dying in my nest"? What are you up to anyways??????++++ :D:D:D

Keep it going I shall be watching you!:)
 

Valdemar II

Banned
Hmm, I like it, but Osnabrück is stretching it a bit. There was quite some opposition in Northern Germany to Christians plans so I don't see it here.

Yes maybe, but I liked the idea of Frederick getting Osnabrück :p, but I can see what you mean, but it seem that Frederic was rather close to getting it, and this way they avoid ending up under catholic rule.

A less bloody Lutter? I think you need to change something in the man himself. (see later) Did you butterfly the fall at Hameln? If so a more resolute King in charge of the army may have been more aggressive and taken battle before Tilly was fully ready. That would help even if Christian is defeated at the end of the day.

Yes the fall of Hameln didn't happen, but he's a lot more careful, because a unwillingness to risk himself without a clear heir, he don't want Frederick having to give in to Rigsrådet. SO he's more careful and conservative, and retreat early and more orderly from the battle.

Chosen Prince dies early; interesting. So Christian won't as disappointed as OTL with the admin in his absence!
Then the real benefician of these changes will be Frederick 3. Autocracy well financed.

Yes exactly, and without Christian the youngers mistake and a succesful Frederick, Christian IV may be a little less bitter, and more likely to look at his own mistake at the end of the day.

But will Christian realize in time that he needs a national army if he is to combat Sweden AND preserve his riches? Bad thing is the man might have been a fatalist, at least Heiberg argue this, thus may not want to change too much as God already have his scheme and man, even a King should not interfere. I thing you need something to liven up the King - why not butterfly away miss Munk and perhaps replace her with her mother who apparently was quite another character. One that could possibly have put Christian back on the rails.

Interesting, but yes Denmark will gain a national army earlier, Ulric will survive and return to tell about how the Swedish army work, which will inspire Christian to create a landmilits in the late 1630s. at first it will be only made up of 12000 men, 5000 raised on Zealand, 5000 in the domains in Scania and 2000 on Fuen, Jutland will not raise soldiers yet, thanks to the destruction in the years under imperial "rule". Miss Munk will stay, but her faithlessness will hit the King less hard, because something in next chapter.

But in short while Denmark and Sweden will fight a war in the 1640, it will be without Netherlands, and while Denmark lose it will only lose Gotland and Ösel, through Frederick has to abdicate in Bremen, Osnabrück and Verden which will go to Ulric instead.

That might also ease out some of the friction within the royal family and perhaps square up Corfitz Ulfeldt if he isn't butterflied too!

I haven't decide what to do with Ulfeldt, but I'm looking at early absolutism.

Keep it going I shall be watching you!:)

Thanks.
 
I know but Christina was quite intellegent and would be an interesting administrator. This means Ulrik can focus on the Army and Navy, while she deals with issues at Home. She was the one that drove Sweden to get Colonies and get involved in Slave Trade so might she force Colonies upon her husbands Kingdom. Lastly History reports that she was a Lesbian, which would make having an heir interesting :p
 

Valdemar II

Banned
I know but Christina was quite intellegent and would be an interesting administrator. This means Ulrik can focus on the Army and Navy, while she deals with issues at Home. She was the one that drove Sweden to get Colonies and get involved in Slave Trade so might she force Colonies upon her husbands Kingdom. Lastly History reports that she was a Lesbian, which would make having an heir interesting :p

Well she will end up showing her skill as adminstrator.
 

Valdemar II

Banned
The Rising Sun

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In the spring 1632 Christian IV of Denmark came Laaland-Falster, the last time he had visited it was in 1596 31 years earlier. Christian was shocked, the poor “wasteland” he remembered from his youth was changed beyound recognition, Nykjöbing was twice as big, wealthy and well ordered farm filled the countryside. In the evening when the local peasant came to celebrate him Christian shock continued, richly clad peasants came forward, some of them Dutch some of them Danish, but even some serf came surprisingly rich clad, for the first time in years Christian didn’t end the evening drunk.

The next morning he asked for his mothers accountsbooks, and for the next days he studied these. He saw that Sophie had over the last 15 years had a bigger and bigger surplus, even through the rest of royal land in those years had suffered at the fall in grain prices, with the loss of the German markeds. Christian decided to travel the country side, what he found was rich peasants, but also a great numbers of farmhands. By looking in the church books, he could see that the province had had a significant population growth in the last decade.

The visit to his mothers former domain made think. Maybe the solution to a strong kingdom wasn’t just territorial expantion, and creation of a strong mercantile state, but a build up of a strong and rich rural population, to build a strong taxbase, something he had little focus on. If he could spread the reforms of the Laaland-Falster. The solution was that Frederick was send to Nykjöbing Falster as a adminstrator, many of the local royal stewards was send to other royal domains (mostly Zealand and Scania). Beside that to repopulate Jutland and the royal possesions in Sleswig many farmhands was given farms there. While the number is unclear, it’s believed that 3000 people moved almost 1/8 of Laaland-Falsters population*. For Frederick this was a periode where his adminstrative skill was honed, trying to gain as much income from the royal land on Laaland-Falster. The result of this was that Denmark would see a boom in agricultural production over the next twenty years.

Christian had come to the conclusion that his focus on foreign war, was that had weaken Denmark, and if Denmark should avoid being overturned by the Swedes, he need to build a strong, rich, centralised state. He had to increase the income of his domains first to strengthen him against the nobility, which weakened the state with their personal interest. To make Denmark strong the King needed to absolute rule. But he also needed a army which could compare with the Swedish, his battle in Germany had shown the weakness of depending to much on mercenaries. With this focus Christian began to build up a national army to be the spine in future wars. But for that he needed money.

His spread of the Dutch farming methods to the other royal domains, only gave slow benefits (ironic the real effect would first be feldt after the next war with Sweden), while some increase in income was seen in quite a few years it was clear that it wasn’t fast enough. So Christian sought out alternative source of income. 1635 he got a right to 4 years of Elb dues, in the same year Frederick and Ulric regained their Bishopric, Fredericks was integrated into the Danish economy and was used to put pressure on Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck to pay a protection tax to Christian, which the royal city of Glückstadt a competetor to Hamburg didn’t have to pay, increasing the trade through Glückstadt and increasing the royal income from it. For Frederick a marriage had been arranged with Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony daughter of the Saxon Elector, he had married her in 1634, but at first left her in safety in Denmark, while he regained his German possesions, but by 1636 he thought it safe enough to that she could join him in Germany. With some pleassure they could present Christian with his first legal grandson in 1638, which was named Christian in his honour. For Christian which was quite a relief, his heir had shown his skill in both adminstration and war, and now he had produced his own heir, it looked like his bloodline was secure.
In 1635 Ulric a veteran of the war in Swedish service visited his Father.Christian was quite interested in the Swedish military, and Ulric could tell in detail about, beside that Ulric had been engaged to Christina Gustav Adolphs daughter the second to the throne**, quite a coup for the Oldenburg family.

Christian was quite dishearten by hearing about the Swedish armys size and strenght, and understood that he needed to increase Danish manpower even more. The peasant milits was increased to 18000 men***, beside that Christian create the land milits****, which the peasant milits would later be integrated into. The peasant milits would include 17000 men, 5000 raised in Zealand, Scania and Jutland and 2000 on Fuen (Jutland contribution would be limited to 3000 until 1650*****), beside that Norway and the duchies should each raise 10000 men (the Duchies contribution would be limited to 5000 until 1650*****). The new proffesionel army which also was created ended up 7000 infantry and 750 cavalry. In 1641 that gave Denmark a potential army of 45750 men, but the Norvegian army was limited to engagement at Norvegian border. Beside that the King was free to hire mercenaries.

Of course the coming war could easily have been avoided, if Christian hadn’t continued a anti-Swedish politic, while he careful avoiding limiting Dutch trading, his restriction on Swedish trade was quite a provocation, based on the fact that he was sure that the Swedes would avoid a second war and a attempt to please the Emperor so the Elb dues could become permanent. In the end they would give a unintended backlash, which would place Denmark in secondary position in North Europe for a century.

*Laaland-Falster have around 25000 people with around 10000 being farmhands, 1000 Dutch self owners, 1000 Danish self owners, 3000 live in the towns and most of the rest is serfs. In OTL the area is unlikely to have had over 15000 people at the time, the increase is mostly a result of a low child mortality, thanks to the greater food production.

**Gustav Adolph stillborn son in 1623 survive in TTL.

***Peasants milits was raise on the Kings land.

****Land milits is raised among the nobles serf.

*****to give them time to rebuild, from the imperial invasion.
 
So Christina is on the market! And no assassination of Ulrich. Very nice indeed.
Guess we are going to see Ulrich in command of the army in the war with Sweden - "it takes a thief to catch a thief!"

Is this altered Christian going to behead any naval commander failing his duty? So as to avoid the Swedish evade being blockaded in Kiel Bay - 1644!
That would probably decide the war in Christians favour.
 
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