AHC: The Kingdom of Poland

Your challenge is to keep the Kingdom of Poland powerful and independent. Short stages of occupation are acceptable, as long as Poland and it's allies win the over all war, and Poland faces no real loss of status, land, or military capability in the long term.

There are no real POD limits. Have fun, and keep Poland strong.
 
Doesn't the Rzeczpospolita count as a powerful Polish Empire?

Yes, but that was after years of occupation but Austria, Russia, and Prussia/Germany. I'm looking for Poland to never be under all out occupation and to remain independent and powerful for most, if not all its history.
 
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No Personal Union with Lithuania, to stop much of the religious bickering between the Polish and Lithuanian factions

OR

Break up the Mongol invasion before invading Poland, which lead to underpopulated areas and subsequent substantial german migration into Silisia and Prussia (creating a pseudo-fifth collumn)

Those are the two best PoDs going from my knowledge
 
Yes, but that was after years of occupation but Austria, Russia, and Prussia/Germany. I'm looking for Poland to never be under all out occupation and to remain independent and powerful for most, if not all its history.

What? Russia didn't exist at a time, and Prussia was a Polish vassal.

Possible PoDs:

12th century - No feudal fragmentation by Boleslaw III Wrymouth - this can keep early medieval Poland united, most likely keeping Silesia and Pomerania. Standing better chances against Mongols, and butterflying away Teutonic Order (and thus, German Prussia).

13th century - victory or survival of Henry the Pious at battle of Legnica. This would likely result in reunited Poland, led by Silesian Piasts, that would be stronger than OTL pre-Lithuanian Union Poland. Possible involvement within HRE.

15th century - ongoing Jagiellonian personal union with Hungary, possibly Bohemia. Poland+Lithuania+Hungary+Bohemia would be quite strong 'blob'.

16th century - centralisation of power by Jagiellonians, and no Rzeczpospolita. Without parasitic effect of inflating noble priviledges, P-L would remain strong, dispelling partitions.

17th century - centralisation of power by Wasas, more successful meddling in Russia during Times of Trouble. Crippling Russia wouldn't solve the problems of growing political backwardness due to 'noble anarchy', but without Russia there would be no partitions.

18th century - very tricky, a bit too late for Poland to remain strong player.
 
13th century - victory or survival of Henry the Pious at battle of Legnica. This would likely result in reunited Poland, led by Silesian Piasts, that would be stronger than OTL pre-Lithuanian Union Poland. Possible involvement within HRE.

What about the Silesian Piasts focusing only on Silesia and just let the Mazovian Piasts rule and wait till the Mongols ravage, in this TL we will have Conrad the Pious, it is Conrad of Mazovia that gets killed and a population of Poland flees to Silesia then a Silesian Wladyslaw the Elbowhigh equivalent unites most of Poland.
 
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What about the Silesian Piasts focusing only on Silesia and just let the Mazovian Piasts rule and wait till the Mongols ravage, in this TL we will have Conrad the Pious, it is Conrad of Mazovia that gets killed and a population of Poland flees to Silesia then a Silesian Wladyslaw the Elbowhigh equivalent unites most of Poland.

Yeah, that's what I assumed - Silesian Piasts eventually besting their Masovian kin in the struggle for Polish crown. Mongols targeting Masovia instead of Silesia would very likely help with that.
 
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