Actually, after the Jagellonians were gone the Vasa and later the Sobieski were working to gain Silesia, in fact the Vasas were quite successful in regaining Opole, if the Vasa survives parts of Silesia would had been returned to Poland if not all of it.
Sobieski working to gain Silesia? Hmm... that got me thinking to something I read a while ago what I thought maight be a good PoD for a great power Poland.
Apparently in 1683 Louis XIV was working towards increasing French influence in the states of the HRE, something he found himself in competition with Austria. To achieve his aims, he looked east towards Poland, as a possible ally against Austria, ruled at the time by Sobieski. He proposed an alliance between the two and was quite strongly pressing for it. Sobieski was hesitant - on the one hand Austria was an ally against Turkey and not so long ago against Sweden, as well as the Habsburg’s being very catholic like him, on the other, Sobieski had ambitions to regain the Duchy of Prussia, which had its vassalage lifted earlier, something Brandenburg and Austria were opposed to. The negotiations went well for the two, but France didn’t know that and over did it. French ambassador Marquise Nicholas-Marie de Vitry began a plot to dethrone Sobieski in case of a failure, but the Polish counter-intelligence found out about it by bribing the ambassadors secretary, leading to the king obtaining copies of the ambassadors reports. Talks broke down, the ambassador had to flee and Poland broke off relations with France, signing an alliance with Austria.
Now, I don’t know if the story is true, it’s something out of an article from a magazine, so it would be nice if someone could confirm it, as it looks like a good PoD. Let’s suppose the alliance somehow comes to life. Maybe the plot isn’t started or isn’t uncovered, leading to Poland demanding Prussia goes back to being a fief of Poland (this demand was supposedly justified by Prussia not abiding by the terms of agreement which gave it independence, as it was required to pay annual tribute until 1700, something it was either late with or didn’t do at all). Frederick William refuses, in which turn Poland invades Prussia (the polish nobles were also supposedly supportive of it, hoping to get some wealth out of it, and the Prussian nobles wanted the same privileges the Poles had). Brandenburg goes against Poland, which in turn leads to France stepping in against Brandenburg (The Hohenzollerns being the aggressors, as Prussia was not part of the HRE). Austria responds with protecting the HRE against France, leading to war on German soil in which time Poland makes short work of Prussia, and then turns against Austria to take Silesia. Sobieski introduces his son as the hereditary Duke of Prussia, giving him a good bid to the Polish throne after his father’s death.
End result is Prussia being completely eliminated, Austria being broken by France and Turkey (Poland doesn’t aid it in 1683, Vienna falls). This eliminates two out of the three partitioners. With Sobieski’s son as Duke of Prussia, his noble house becomes the
de facto hereditary ruling house of Poland, allowing for royal rule to be strengthened, reforming the state. Also, without a Wettin on the throne, the Great Northern War may be butterflied away, further saving Poland.
Possible?
