AHC: Polish Panslavism

Challenge: Get Poland to be the head of the Panslavic movement. PoDs no earlier than the establishment of the Kingdom of Poland.
 
Russia remains fragmented into a variety of principalities (because of Mongols, repeated poor leadership amongst princes, etc.), Poland-Lithuania still forms and evolves in a way that the state is far more centralised than historically (also doable), by the 19th century, Slavic intellectuals consider Poland-Lithuania the natural leader of the Slavic peoples throughout Europe, and politicians in Poland-Lithuania believe it and act accordingly foreign-policy wise.

Really, you have as late as the Time of Troubles to do this POD.
 
That's enough to keep PLC strong into XIX century. Russia was considered backward for all the XIX century, even despite being major power (mostly due to distance between western Europe and Russia). Not that PLC wasn't "exotic", but it had strong ties with west. Even partitioned Poland was considered to be an example by Czech nationalists (although they were also very pro-panslavistic too).

Anyway- tolerant (because PLC was NOT multicultural, it was strongly pro-Polish) PLC is much better candidate for Slavic leader than centralized Russia (many Panslavists lost their conviction after visiting Russia).
 
The question is how and when, you would need Poland to do much better, the Rus states to somehow never unifiy, all while keeping the romantic nationalist character of Panslavism still coming as OTL.

Only other alternative is Poland doing well in the Time of Troubles, but even with a proposed union there are some serious issues. Are you going to see bad blood between the Lithuania and Russia sections over what would be Belarus consider all the wars Muscovy and Lithuania had fought over it. Would such a union of large states even be possible, consider a theoretical would up the city of Astrakhan. Religion might be a powder keg since there's the very real possibility of an Orthodox Christian Majority, not to mention Muslims and Pagans in far eastern parts.
 
Poland-Lithuania keeps its grip on the Muscovite crown in the 17th century. That might help it in that regard.
 
Challenge: Get Poland to be the head of the Panslavic movement. PoDs no earlier than the establishment of the Kingdom of Poland.

That's quite easy. Just make a good nice Polishwank.
And try to avoid this Poland-Lithuania thing as the Lithuanians are not Slavs.

If Poland is big and victorious at some point some Polish elites might try to play this 'Panslavic card'. I mean 'Poland is Big Brother and all the other Slavs are little brothers', this kind of idea.
Like Russia did IOTL.

But with Russia this Panslavic idea worked (well, to some extent at least) with Orthodox Slavs (mostly the Ukrainians and Belorussians). Actually it was religious (Orthodox) unity first and foremost and only after that Panslavic unity.
I mean for the Russians it was so nice that someone is not only Orthodox Christian but speaking some Slavic language as well - that doubles the pleasure to unite/conquer.
And the liberated/conquered Slavs somehow shared these emotions.

I guess that would not work this way for Poland.
 
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Russia is the elephant in the room here. If the Poles want to be a true Slavic Superpower, they need the huge East Slavic population. Thing is, the eventual annexation of Russia would make Orthodox East Slavs a large majority in the PLC and this will surely affect the balance of power within the PLC.
 
The question is how and when, you would need Poland to do much better, the Rus states to somehow never unifiy, all while keeping the romantic nationalist character of Panslavism still coming as OTL.

Only other alternative is Poland doing well in the Time of Troubles, but even with a proposed union there are some serious issues. Are you going to see bad blood between the Lithuania and Russia sections over what would be Belarus consider all the wars Muscovy and Lithuania had fought over it. Would such a union of large states even be possible, consider a theoretical would up the city of Astrakhan. Religion might be a powder keg since there's the very real possibility of an Orthodox Christian Majority, not to mention Muslims and Pagans in far eastern parts.

Wait, wait, wait. It's NOT how PLC worked at all... Majority of ruling class was Polish speaking. Initially PLC had three official languages- Polish, Lithuanian and Ruthenian. Last one was abolished in XVI century (or XVII?), because it wasn't used! Lithuanian language stayed official (but wasn't used at this point) until 3rd May Constitution abolished it as official language. Hell! Chmielnicky was Polish speaking (and his initial demands were about bringing murderers of his family to justice, not carving own state). It's not like one could go from Poland to Lithuania and find himself in entirely different world (although it would be correct for easternmost Ukraine- it was depopulated and lawless). Religion was also not an issue in PLC. Don't get me wrong- Catholicism was only "good" religion and other religions were chastised. But there was no religious unrest until XVIII century (Saxon kings) and even then it was about Lutherans, not Orthodox (there was also very big group of "Uniates-" Orthodox who considered Pope to be highest authority. And by "big", I mean significant portion people living in eastern provinces of PLC).

Making PLC into three part state isn't a good solution- it's not Europa Universalis. Nobles of PLC were abandoning their own languages, because they wanted to. No one forced them to do so.

My idea of the POD- Great Northern War, battle of Narva. Swedes destroy Russia (as they could), but get serious beating in the process (winter is severe in Russia this time of a year- ask Napoleon. Preferably Charles XII dies in the process ;) ) and Augustus II wrests Livonia from them. It's ideal- Peter the Great loses control over Russia, probably sparking civil war (almost for sure), PLC isn't wrecked due to war (it was very important factor in coming years. 1/4 up to 1/3 of PLC population got killed or misplaced! It seriously pushed PLC back in terms of agricultural revolution) and Augustus II can strengthen his power. Now, only real threat (Russia is done for at least a generation, plus they have to modernize) is Prussia, and on its own it won't become a danger.
 
Chmielnicky was Polish speaking (and his initial demands were about bringing murderers of his family to justice, not carving own state). It's not like one could go from Poland to Lithuania and find himself in entirely different world (although it would be correct for easternmost Ukraine- it was depopulated and lawless). Religion was also not an issue in PLC. Don't get me wrong- Catholicism was only "good" religion and other religions were chastised. But there was no religious unrest until XVIII century (Saxon kings) and even then it was about Lutherans, not Orthodox (there was also very big group of "Uniates-" Orthodox who considered Pope to be highest authority. And by "big", I mean significant portion people living in eastern provinces of PLC).

Well, Polish-speaking, Pope-of-Rome worshiping (Catholic or 'Uniate') is how 'ideal/perfect' Ukraine/Belorussia must look like...
... from the Polish point of view.

It doesn't look like all the Ukrainians/Belorussians shared this Polish enthusiasm.
That's why the majority of the population supported Bohdan_Khmelnytsky in his uprising against the Polish.
 
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