AHC: Eastern Europe is dominated by Poland

I see and understand your point. And in any other country in Europe at the time, except the papal states, this plan is solid.
But, your problem again is the magnates, they aren't obligated to convert and in the rules of the PLC lets they maitain(or not) the churches and religous personal how they like so a official convertion to luthenarism not mean that the church lose any power as was the case in England and Germany

Yes they can upkeep the Catholic Church in their remains, of course that means they don't get parts of the Church's properties. In general the Kings split them between the nobility and themselves. Which Magnates do you think will do best, the ones which expands their holdings or the ones who doesn't.
 
What have religious tolerance with centralise the state, going Lutheran means removing the Catholic Church and forcing the state to take over its functions, this mean the clergy becomes civil servants, and the state as such extent its power to every hamlet of the country. At the same time it also give the state vast properties which it can use to finance itself.
The state already had shitload of real estate in PLC, but so what when it was giving the treasury a pittance in the Crown and even less in the Grand Duchy.
 
I don't buy the idea that a successful Commonwealth must have absolutism. Absolutism is certainly not a panacea for all of Poland's problems at the time. (In my opinion, an absolutist PLC would not have lasted as long as PLC did in OTL, but whatever). Of course, the OTL political system shouldn't be around, either.

What the Commonwealth needed, however, was centralization. It needed to rip a page from the Statutes of Lithuania and establish a defined set of laws, and reform it's political system to introduce an early form of the division of powers (so basically the British system at the time). .
You know what would be really useful? A freaking stable and - that's important - local dynasty (so they wont be treating Poland as a money bag or staging ground for getting back their hereditiary lands). Give Jagiellons Capet's luck, beginning with old Jogaiła succeeding with Jadwiga on their wedding night. I would say give some fatherly luck Casimir the Great, but grabbing Lithuania from this position could be difficult, and Hungary and Bohemia, while being jucier trophies from dynastic POV would be rather difficult to dominate by Poland and did not offer space for expansion.
 
Imagine that each PLC magnate is a caricature of a libertarian, and then give them power and say in the government and you get more or less how the Sejn work

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Maoistic

Banned
Boleslav the Great dedicates all his campaigns into unifying most of Eastern Europe and creates an empire that way.
 
Create a scenario in which Poland (in any incarnation, not just the PLC) has either political, cultural or military dominance (or all three) over Eastern Europe.
Remove the Sejm and better unite Poland and Lithuania demographically, have Poland take better advantage on Russia and weaken Russia, have Poland retake Parnu from Sweden in 1610s, have Poland not launch campaigns against Ottomans at the time and defeat Sweden, Swedish cavalry falls to Polish cavalry at Wallhof, causing Gustavus to retreat or be captured. During 30 Years War have Poland invade Sweden like Denmark-Norway did. Sweden having like more than half of its army and death of Gustavus including Danish-Polish maybe Russian invasion of Sweden. France probably would still win its phase but Swedish phase would be like the first two, Sigismund taking the throne maybe, depending on the war's course. Polish-Swedish Union could launch effective campaigns against Russia and the Ottomans. Moldavia claims, Black Sea claims, claims on Russia and maybe Denmark-Norway. Poland could become the Great Power of the East, what Russia became IOTL.
 
1) Avoid dynastic unions with Hungary and Bohemia-plenty of costs and little to gain. Vladislaus III's Hungarian adventures ruined Poland's treasure and effects were clearly visible during 13 years war. And this mistake was repeated during second half of 15th century, when Casimir IV fought for Czech and Hungarian crowns for his sons. Better make deal with Matthias Corvinus and divide Bohemia with him. Another problem was the fact, that poland did not try to regain Silesia as long as Jagiellon sit on Czech throne. Perhaps there is solution to this problem-Casimir has just one son (but not Vladislaus rex bene). If Casimir left just one, capable son Lithuania united under one ruler with Poland would do better against Moscow during late 15th century (especially if this monarch don't piss of Mikhail Glinski-I'm speaking to you Sigismund).

That is my point, avoid the Angevin acquisition of Poland - have Wladyslaw III marry Elizabeth of Luxembourg and their issue rule Poland which would have a policy similar to the Piast, Vasa or Wettin since they are legitemate descendants of Casimir III.
 
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A union with Bohemia seems like it might be useful. If nothing else it would instantly give Silesia back, and I think Poland could at least keep Bohemia and Hungarian Moravia (OTL Slovakia).

Poland's problems, like those of the Byzantines in the early middle ages, are a combination of internal weakness and an overabundance of enemies with very poor borders. the HRE needs to be dealt with somehow- gaining either or both of Bohemia or Brandenburg gives them an electorate and a better border and bigger royal demesne, all of which will help immensely for centralizing power and ensuring that the HRE doesn't step out of line. A Hungarian union, added to this, gives yet more land, but would really only be worth it in the context of a post Ottoman Europe (if Poland were to gain any land from Hungary I think it would be a reverse Partition scenario, peeling off Silesia, Bohemia, Slovakia, Transylvania etc from a faltering Habsburg Empire).
 
Remove the Sejm and better unite Poland and Lithuania demographically, have Poland take better advantage on Russia and weaken Russia, have Poland retake Parnu from Sweden in 1610s, have Poland not launch campaigns against Ottomans at the time and defeat Sweden, Swedish cavalry falls to Polish cavalry at Wallhof, causing Gustavus to retreat or be captured. During 30 Years War have Poland invade Sweden like Denmark-Norway did. Sweden having like more than half of its army and death of Gustavus including Danish-Polish maybe Russian invasion of Sweden. France probably would still win its phase but Swedish phase would be like the first two, Sigismund taking the throne maybe, depending on the war's course. Polish-Swedish Union could launch effective campaigns against Russia and the Ottomans. Moldavia claims, Black Sea claims, claims on Russia and maybe Denmark-Norway. Poland could become the Great Power of the East, what Russia became IOTL.
That;s impossible, unless you give Vasas a pile of gold to buy troops to destroy nobility in a civil war. I would say that getting rid of Vasas and avoiding northern wars in entirety while concentrating on meddling in Russian civil wars and putting a friendly tsar on the throne would be a better business
 
I can think of some scenario:
1. A coup d'Etat. The king basically kills every member of the Sejm or imprisons them. This must happen before the 18th century. Because Russia, Austria and Prussia will not see theor interests threatened. Preferably in the 16th/17th century. It makes things easier.

2. Do NOT help the Austrians in Vienna. The Ottomans are not the same power of the 16th century and hardly a threat to the PLC if they were victorious. If Austria is disabled the Polish have one less threat to worry about. Against only Russia, the commonwealth can still hold it self. They might even get the Hetmanate as an ally/vassal.
 
I can think of some scenario:
1. A coup d'Etat. The king basically kills every member of the Sejm or imprisons them. This must happen before the 18th century. Because Russia, Austria and Prussia will not see theor interests threatened. Preferably in the 16th/17th century. It makes things easier.

2. Do NOT help the Austrians in Vienna. The Ottomans are not the same power of the 16th century and hardly a threat to the PLC if they were victorious. If Austria is disabled the Polish have one less threat to worry about. Against only Russia, the commonwealth can still hold it self. They might even get the Hetmanate as an ally/vassal.

1. This would mean civil war and effectively end of PLC.
2. One threat lesser but hardly is enough. You should ratherly remove Russia.
 
1. This would mean civil war and effectively end of PLC.
2. One threat lesser but hardly is enough. You should ratherly remove Russia.

Well I thought get every noble in the Sejm and bomb it until they surrender. Not like go to every noble in every corner in the commonwealth and sentence them to death. Not the best idea but...

If Peter was caught during the Prut campaign it delays Russia's reformation. Enough time to gain strenght.
 
Well I thought get every noble in the Sejm and bomb it until they surrender. Not like go to every noble in every corner in the commonwealth and sentence them to death. Not the best idea but...

If Peter was caught during the Prut campaign it delays Russia's reformation. Enough time to gain strenght.
The nobility composed 10% of the Commonwealth's population at the time, killing them all is not an option.

Supporting the lesser nobility against the magnates would work, but then you're just getting into civil war territory.
 
Surviving dynasty (prefferably Jagiellons, but Vasas also could work, and if Swedish and Polish branch separated peacefully-say John Vasa has second son with Catherine Jagiellon who is male version of OTL Anna Vasa) also would help, a lot of problems PLC faced was caused by kings trying to secure throne for heirs of their choice. Prefferably Jagiellons (although this is tricky solution, Sigismund Augustus would not push for union so hard if he has a son, propably Union of Lublin would be delayed until next generation and bit different-more centralisation but no Ukraine stays in GDL?), but Vasas also could work, especially if Swedish and Polish branches separated peacefully-say John Vasa has second son with Catherine Jagiellon who is male version of OTL Anna Vasa, then PLC allied with Sweden could crush Russia completly and retake everything up to 1494 Lithuanian border, and later turn against Habsburgs to take Silesia.
 
Maybe If Anna Jagellion and Stephen Báthory have a kid, male or female is irrelevant in fact the only relevance is that is Ana´s kid, you could see a gradual disintegration of the Magnates power, as most of the power of the magnates after this period resided in that the PLC was a Elective Monarchic, and the power of the Sejn was in part derived of this fact, if the Sejn lose the capacity to elect his monach, they will gradually losing power and you get a more centralized PLC.

The other option is a blight in the grain production,or any other development that this trade less attractive, most of the restrictive land, and social norms in PLC was linked with the obscene profit of the Baltic Grain Trade, not dissimilar that the american South and the Cotton, that put at the Magnates(slave owners) leagues above over the common Szlachta and Free men(free whites) and was the principal instigator to the Second Serfdom(slaves) in Eastern Europe, and the little to none investment in infrastructure apart of the minimal necessary to transport the grain to the exporting ports(so your serfs(slaves) don´t escape).

If you know the Causes of why the South states were sub-development in the relations of the northern States, is more or less the same situation between PLC and Western Europe
 
Anna Jagiellon was 53 when she married Stephen. No chances for kids. Better if Sigismund Vasa has protestant brother with whom, despite religious differences he has good relations (male version of Anna Vasa). Then PLC and Sweden crush Russia together. Russia is too big to be eaten and digestet by PLC, all that could be done is to keep Russia in state of permanent Time of Troubles.
 
Anna Jagiellon was 53 when she married Stephen. No chances for kids. Better if Sigismund Vasa has protestant brother with whom, despite religious differences he has good relations (male version of Anna Vasa). Then PLC and Sweden crush Russia together. Russia is too big to be eaten and digestet by PLC, all that could be done is to keep Russia in state of permanent Time of Troubles.

That is why i say that the only relevance is that was Ana´s kid, even a illegitimate one, is better continue the Jagiellons line of rule in the PLC than the shit-show that was the Vasa line rule in the PLC

Plus the economic aspect that i just commented
 
That is why i say that the only relevance is that was Ana´s kid, even a illegitimate one, is better continue the Jagiellons line of rule in the PLC than the shit-show that was the Vasa line rule in the PLC

Plus the economic aspect that i just commented
Better avoid the incident that lead to Bona's miscarriage, Olbracht survives and perhaps she has more children
 
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