If JG IV is an Elector or a father of future Elector, Augustus can still be in the running - as a second son he can quite easily convert without changing the country's religion.
He may even end up married to Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska, OTL Electress of Bavaria, to boost his chances for election.
Another idea, which would make the world "Like Panthers and Lions but not quite the same" would be that Carlos II dies of the same food poisoning/appendicitis in February 1689 as his first wife, putting Maria I Antonia on the throne of Spain in the same year.
This way (among other consequences) Maria Anna of Palatinate-Neuburg is free to marry elsewhere, and this "elsewhere" is Dresden as the wife of Johann George IV to cement his position in Imperial Alliance.
This way (among other consequences) Maria Anna of Palatinate-Neuburg is free to marry elsewhere, and this "elsewhere" is Dresden as the wife of Johann George IV to cement his position in Imperial Alliance.
She was very pretty and with a strong character, right? She can work very well as Electress
I also have quite a few ideas regarding Russia TTL, but some of them need further elaboration/thinking over. Killing Eudoxia Lopukhina in difficult 1693 childbirth was done. Another thing I'm pondering is killing off Peter I himself in 1696 during Azov campaign victory celebration gone wrong (there is a LOT of stupid things a drunken man can do, and even on tame Yauza river sailing while drunk may result in... consequences (tested, luckily we have safe vests in XXI century, but Peter did not have such a luxury), with a regency for young Alexei.
@alexmilman can elaborate on consequences of this sub-PoD/butterfly.
@alexmilman can elaborate on consequences of this sub-PoD/butterfly.
Chapter 2: Anne
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 2: Anne
June, 1688
June, 1688
Anne walked through the gardens of St James and wondered if perhaps once the whole situation with her father had calmed down she might return to the Cockpit and Whitehall. It was much better for George’s health as well, having reduced the chances of asthma effecting as badly. Their last love making had left her husband close to death due to the exertions. The doctor said the air was the reason. She had told Sarah this and her friend had told her to demand to return to Whitehall.
Thinking on that she turned to her friend and said. “I think the King knows about the correspondence.” She had been exchanging letters with her sister Mary in the Hague through Sarah and the Marquess of Dorset’s wife, trying to plan for the eventuality of removing their father.
“Why did he say something?” Sarah asked.
“No, but he has been talking a lot about Mary recently. And he only does that when he is upset or annoyed. Remember how he acted when the whole thing with the races turned out?” Anne said.
“Ah, yes.” Sarah replied and they continued walking, before Sarah responded. “I’m not sure he knows. John hasn’t said anything, and you know John he’d say something to me first.”
Anne thought on that and saw the truth in her friend’s words. John never did anything before going to Sarah, that was one of the things she most liked about her friend. The complete control she had over her husband. Her step mother, Mary did not exercise such control over her father. As such the man’s eyes had wandered numerous times, including with John’s own sister. Anne shook her head then. “Regardless, now that a son has been born to my father we will need to act quickly. He will do all he can to confirm a Catholic succession.” The thought of a Catholic inheriting the throne disturbed her.
“Surely not?” Sarah asked. “Your father, the King is many things. But I do not think he is foolish. He knows that having a Catholic successor would be the end of him and his dynasty.”
Anne put a hand on her stomach, aware that the child growing inside of her was the future. “You do not see him. He drove away the Earl of Oxford, Oxford, the man who bled for my uncle, because of his fanaticism. I blame the French.”
Sarah thought on that, but before she could speak, a messenger came hurrying over. “Your Highness, please, you must come quickly. The King.”
Anne looked at Sarah, and then the messenger. “What has happened?”
“Please Your Highness, come quickly.” The messenger set off then hurrying back to the palace. Seeing that she had no choice, Anne followed the messenger, and hurried after him, Sarah accompanying her. They moved through the entrance and the various corridors before they came to the King’s apartments. There they found John.
“What has happened?” Anne demanded.
John looked ashen faced. “We were out riding, the King and I. His horse startled and the King fell over. His horse landed on top of him.”
The words came but Anne did not understand them. “Is he dead?” She demanded.
“I…” John stuttered.
“Is he dead?” Sarah asked this time with more force.
Anne pushed passed John into the apartments, she moved to his bed chamber and found the Doctor there. “Well?” She demanded. “Is he alive or dead?”
The Doctor bowed and then replied. “When he fell he hit a vessel in his neck causing a lot of blood to pour out. Then his horse landed on him crushing his ribs from impact. He did not survive long.” There was a long pause. “The King is dead.”
Anne thought on this for a long moment then. If her father was dead, that meant her half-brother was now the King. Her half-brother who bore her father’s name but had not yet been baptised in Rome. Her mind begin to churn out possible ideas here. She could declare the boy a changeling and everyone would believe her, now her father was dead. But that would give the throne to her sister Mary and to William, but then she would be their heir, but being heir and then Queen would damage her health, she knew that. She looked at her father’s lifeless form, and thought to herself, I could save the dynasty, I could ensure uncle Charles’ legacy lives on. Declare her half-brother King, raise him and rule in his name, and she would be hailed by all.
“Your Highness…” Sarah said then touching her arm. Anne turned around and looked at her. “What do you want to do, Your Highness?”
“Secure the King and his mother, and alert the court.” Anne said instantly her mind made up. “We must secure the succession.” As orders were barked out for that to happen, Anne turned back to look at her father and whispered. “England has been saved by your madness, Papa.”
Hmm. I have never thought of Anne as a player. She was an alcoholic ("Brandy Nan"), which is understandable given the burden of grief from her sixteen miscarriages and stillbirths. But this is 1688; perhaps she hasn't been so battered down yet.
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Well, unlike you, I can’t claim any experience of sailing on Yayza in a state of intoxication or any other state
-)) but, if we are talking about appropriate place of drowning Not Yet Great Peter, the ponds of Izmailovo look quite good for the task. First, he started his sailing experiments on these ponds and second, at least Serebriano-Wynogradny pond (on which he did sail his boat) is wide and deep (2 - 3 meters) enough to accommodate him if, for the benefit of his contemporaries and the future generations, his old boat turned upside down in a right place and preferably kicked him on the head to make sure that the task is done properly (most of the buildings on the photo above are built after year 2000 but at Peter’s time there was a wooden palace and couple churches, survived one is not seen).Here is his boat. As everyone can see, with some skill and a little bit of luck, it can go overkeel potentially saving Russia few millions people and preventing a lot of troubles in a short and long term future.
Now, if mission is successfully accomplished, what do we have? While it is tempting to say that all problems are gone, this is too optimistic. Alexei is still a child so there has to be a regency (Ivan V is already dead) and this is when and where the fun starts. Who is going to be a regent or a member of a collective regency?
Eudoxia’s male relatives are nobodies with no weight within the “system”.
Peter’s uncle, Lev Naryshkin, is seemingly a good figurehead due to a complete absence of brains and any noticeable talent but he is too ambitious and prone to the intrigues for his own good. Rather easy to dispose of if he gets too noisy.
Prince Feodor Romodanovsky, “Prince Caesar”, 2nd most important figure in Russia at that time. Head of the Preobrazensky Prikaz (contemporary KGB), aappointed by Peter to be head of a government in his absense and generalissimo of the “Poteshny” troops (future Guards). Seriously unpleasant person. Unlike Naryshkin, real top aristocrat.
Feodor Golovin, aristocrat and Peter’s favorite: 1st Russian count (or rather the 1st Russian who got this title from the HRE), 1st Russian fieldmarshal (who never led troops into the battle), 2nd Russian admiral-general (who never commanded a fleet), 1st cavalier of the order of St. Andrew but it is all in OTL future. By the time of POD person who negotiated Nerchinsk Treaty, member of the Great Embassy and 1st boyarin who shaved his beard. Hardly a serious pretender on the 1st role in the state but a potential useful “vice premier”.
Prince Boris Golitsin - very important figure on the early stages of Peter’s reign, especially when it came to overthrowing Sophia. Due to the intrigues of Lev Naryshkin lost a lot of influence while Natalia was still alive but played important role during Azov campaign of 1695 and was a member of a government ruling in Peter’s absence. Head of Prikaz of Kazansky Palace, aka, vice-Roy of the South-Eastern European Russia (Kazan, Astrakhan, Bashkiria). Seemingly, worked well with Romodanovsky but did not have reasons to like Naryshkin. Top aristocrat. Too fond of drinking and having a good time to seriously pretend on the #1 slot. However, well educated and intelligent.
Alexei Shein - commander of all Russian army, generalissimus (after taking Azov). During the 1st Azov campaign commanded Preobrazensky and Semenovsky regiments so probably had certain support there. Top aristocrat (last member of the family).
Boris Sheremetev. Already a prominent military figure: during the 1st Azov campaign successfully commanded an independent army capturing a number of the Ottoman fortresses. However, hardly a pretender to the 1st role (just seems out of character). Untypically decent person. In OTL highly respected in the army but this is post POD. Top Russian aristocrat. Has genuine interest to the Western culture. Asked Peter’s permission to travel abroad and became the 1st Russian cavalier of the Maltese Order.
“Extras”:
Franz Lefort - General and 1st Admiral-General of the non-existing Russian fleet. Peter’s closest friend. Sincerely hated by many but neither a fool nor a nincompoop (made a reasonably good military career on his own). May or may not be considered an useful asset by the future regency.
Patric Gordon - general, considered to be the top expert in the Western style warfare. Results of his activities in the area of modernizing the Russian army proved to be rather depressing (1st Narva). Always sided with the winning party. Commander of the Butyrsky Regiment.
A very long shot: Prince Vasily Golitsin - PM of Sophia’s government, hated by Peter. One of the best educated Russians of that period and the only true statesman (of non-cannibalistic persuasion). Presently in exile - was saved from a worse fate by his cousin, Boris Golitsin. If the regency can be persuaded to recall him and to use his talents, country would most probably benefit. While his main area of activities was foreign affair, he was espousing rather radical ideas like abolishing serfdom and developing industrial enterprises by non-violent methods.
So most probably we have a collective regency led by Romodanovsky. Probably it is reasonable to assume that this government would not get engaged in the risky adventures on the Western border so there is no GNW (but probably just one more Northern War in which Sweden is defeating Denmark and Saxony). Westernization is going on, none of the figures above was against it, but it is probably continuing in a slower pace avoiding Peter’s extremes. No access to the Baltic coast for a while but port of Archangelsk is functioning. Army is probably keeps developing along the Peter’s (or rather Gordon’s) lines which is not very good because the worst possible model is being chosen but if the dangerous conflicts are avoided, it can be OK for a while.
Economic development is a big question mark because it does not look like any of the top level figures had a clue or excessively cared about such a trifle. But it is probably safe to assume that they would not introduce reforms Peter-style and allow things to develop in a more natural way. Of course, Russia would remain supplier of the raw materials to the West (which was the case, anyway) but perhaps a greater emphasis upon the trade with the East would allow to boost Russian manufacturing. The same goes for a lesser availability of the Western imports due to the absence of the Baltic ports (trade keeps going through Swedish-held Narva).
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VVD0D95
Banned
Planning had begun yes. The question now remains if it is relevant at all given James II is dead
The tenantship model was great on paper, but had its own problems. Anyway, the OTL extremes of serfdom are unlikely to happy.
I'd add the Apraxin brothers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Apraksin and Pyotr Apraxin https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Апраксин,_Пётр_Матвеевич) to your who's who list. At least Fyodor is already a governor of Archangelsk with a few shipbuilding initiatives on his own.
I live next door to the river, and have an experience of kebab party gone whong. Though safely drowning 2 m tall man is possible down the river, not in the upstreams where I live.Well, unlike you, I can’t claim any experience of sailing on Yayza in a state of intoxication or any other state
That's offtop, but there was some May day fun with a boat going overkeel at the territory of Moscow Botanical Garden, where the river picks up the pace AND stops to be creek-shallow thing.
On topic, long-term Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottomans will be thought of as the major geopolitical rivals, and in the future Russian goverment may just buy Ingria from Sweden - especially if it is excausted by yet another war, and buying it was what happened anyways under the peace treaty that ended GNW - TTL this can be done with a lot less bloodshed.