AHC: Polish Colonies in America

With a POD after 1520, how cN Poland acquire colonies on the American mainland?

1. Poland-Lithuania unites with Russia
2. Poland-Lithuania-Russia expands its influence across Siberia and reaches the Pacific Ocean
3. Outposts are established in Alaska. They are put under the jurisdiction of the Polish part of the commonwealth.
 
Well, Polish immigrant communities in the US and Canada are often refered to as 'colonies', so I suppose Chicago and Stevens Point already fulfill your AHC ;)
 
Maybe a power with a sizable Atlantic Navy, such as Britain or Spain, needs colonists for some land, as none of their own people want to move there. (Britain may need people for Northern Canada, and Spain may need them for Chile for example.) They look to eastern Europe for colonists, and the poorer groups of the Commonwealth are more than happy to go to the New World. They may not be under the Commonwealth's power, but they are Poles and Lithuanians in the Americas. Enough of their own traditions and languages could survive if they stay dominant in their respective areas that, come independence time, they break away from the other former colonies and form their own countries. Being in the shit regions to begin with they can't be their own country, so they then swear fealty to the Commonwealth as that is the homeland. They would probably be annexed by Britain or Spain pretty quick as there is really no way the Commonwealth could go toe-to-toe with either of those guys, but you have Commonwealth America for a while.
 
Poland's main issue is its geographic location, with its only coast being in the Eastern Baltic. This means Polish shipping to America is going to have to sail past the narrow sound between Helsingør in Denmark and Helsingborg in Sweden, making it vulnerable to Swedish attacks, and keep in mind during the period of colonisation Sweden and Poland were often at war. In addition to this, the Danish collected tolls on all ships passing through the sound at Helsingør.

This is coupled with the fact that the Dutch controlled the Baltic trade, and they would more than likely oppose a stronger Polish merchant fleet. Another problem is that the coastal waters of the Baltic are shallower than those of the Atlantic, meaning that the ships would often be unsuited for transatlantic crossings. However, this would be the least of Poland's problems.

Most importantly, colonial expansion required peace, something that Poland lacked throughout this period. Distracted by wars with neighbours, little funds could go towards building a proper navy. France and England for instance were only really able to establish large colonies during periods of peace.

Finally, the largest Polish port was the Free City of Danzig, opposed to the presence of a large fleet. In addition, the Polish nobles were against spending money on a navy as they saw the army as a more important priority.
 
Formation of a private enterprise Polish Americas Company which establishes trading settlements on the coast and expands inland. The settlements so profitable enough that the Polish Government forms a navy to keep them supplied.

The Polish Government gradually takes over some company affairs.

The earlier it happens the better the chance of success.
 
Perhaps not as tall as it might seem. Wladyslaw IV started with the construction of a naval base at Wladyslawovo and purchased ships from the Danes or the Dutch. The sejm, however, seeing this as a possibility for the monarch to increase his power, didn't like the idea too much. The main reason that Wlad had tried to do this was with the aim of establishing a Commonwealth Navy and colonies. Whether it would work is an entirely different matter, but the theory is there to be put into practice.
 
What about creating some sort of personal union between Poland and Denmark?? Denmark provides the ports from which to colonize, Poland provides the manpower with which to settle them? I have no clue what the relative populations of Poland vs Denmark were in the appropriate time periods, but I can see some sort of arrangement working out....
 
What about creating some sort of personal union between Poland and Denmark?? Denmark provides the ports from which to colonize, Poland provides the manpower with which to settle them? I have no clue what the relative populations of Poland vs Denmark were in the appropriate time periods, but I can see some sort of arrangement working out....

I remember the mother of Louis I of Hungary, Elisabeth of Poland is only two years older than Eric Christoffersen of Denmark, they could marry I think.
 
Maybe a power with a sizable Atlantic Navy, such as Britain or Spain, needs colonists for some land, as none of their own people want to move there. (Britain may need people for Northern Canada, and Spain may need them for Chile for example.) They look to eastern Europe for colonists, and the poorer groups of the Commonwealth are more than happy to go to the New World. They may not be under the Commonwealth's power, but they are Poles and Lithuanians in the Americas. Enough of their own traditions and languages could survive if they stay dominant in their respective areas that, come independence time, they break away from the other former colonies and form their own countries. Being in the shit regions to begin with they can't be their own country, so they then swear fealty to the Commonwealth as that is the homeland. They would probably be annexed by Britain or Spain pretty quick as there is really no way the Commonwealth could go toe-to-toe with either of those guys, but you have Commonwealth America for a while.

The problem I see with this is that if it's the poorer sections of Poland Lithuania, it may well end up much more Yiddish and Ukranian than Polish.
 

yourworstnightmare

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Poland really had no interest in colonization, not being too far from the Atlantic. Also, Poland had other problems
a) serfdom, these peasants are not going to migrate to any colonies
b) enemies everywhere. All attention need to be on Europe. No time for meddling in colonial affairs.

A possibility could perhaps be for Courland to establish a colony on the American mainland instead of Tobago (why, though, Tobago made sense for getting into the sugar trade). However through Courland Poland can into America, by having a vassal with a colony.
 
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