James Stuart, King of Poland?

WI in 1696 following the failed assassination of William III, instead of denying Louis XIV's offer to have him crowned the King of Poland, James Stuart decides to take him up on the offer. Furthermore James is elected king of Poland and beats his contender Fredrick Augustus to the nation and is crowned King James I of Poland.

What happens?
 
Very unlikely...
If James had accepted the throne of Poland this would be seen in the eyes of his loyal subjects as an act of abandoning them instead of trying to regain the throne of England...
In the other hand of course he could use Polish funds to raise an army against England... or fund a catholic rebellion in english soil...
 
Snort. Fredrick Augustus during election had a French-sponsored countercandidate. And he won. I don't see why it would be any different with another countercandidate.
In the other hand of course he could use Polish funds to raise an army against England... or fund a catholic rebellion in english soil...
Bwahahahahaha. Yes, a king of Poland could realllly raise a lot of funds:rolleyes:. Besides if James won the election and tried to pull anything like raising an army against England he'd be booted out of Poland. End of story.
 

HurganPL

Banned
James Stuart as king of Poland gets ignored by everyone and has to serve nobles with one horse and a hut. He eventually gets insane due to this.
 
A TL

Séamus an Chaca
A TL by Fearless Leader

Part I: A Fateful Decision
Saint-Germaine-en-Laye, France 1696

James Stuart, formerly James II of England was incensed Bloody French...he thought. Ungrateful little buggers! They botch the assassination and then THEY expect ME to bend over backwards for THEM? Louis’ attempt to assassinate the new King of England William III had failed and with it the hopes of James and his supporters across the British Isles. Seeing that James was rightly depressed Louis had been quick to offer a solution. He’d give James another kingdom, put him as the French candidate for the Kingdom of Poland.

Lately, Louis had been insistent that James take the position even though James rejected it due to the fact that it would effectively remove him as a contender for the throne he really wanted, that of England and Scotland. Some of James’ advisors claimed that Louis wanted something in return for his support of James however James easily dismissed those thoughts. The fact that he was basically “a revolt in a bottle” for Louis was more than enough compensation for the French king’s aid.

Still James’ recent problems had left him sleep deprived. Downing another swallow of wine, James glanced around the pantry for a suitable cheese before once again departing for his chambers. Humph...he thought One of the richest mansions in Paris and not a wheel of cheese in sight! Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he caught something, a shape too odd to be natural.

Closer inspection revealed that indeed it was cheese and furthermore the perfect cheese to complement James’ choice of wines. The only drawback being that indeed it was old and slightly dirty. In another life James would have written off the cheese as something unfit for consumption, however this was no time for judgement without a further moment’s thought James dusted off the cheese and placed a piece in his mouth savouring the odd but pleasant taste all the way to his chambers.

***
The Next Day

James awoke with a start, it had been a truly amazing dream, what had begun as just another sleepless night had been transformed by a visitation from Lady Madonna herself. In a lengthy and intricate vision Mary the Mother of Jesus had explained to James the need for him to abandon England. It was time for “The True Stuart” to follow the command of the one who gave him his Divine Right and leave his homeland for the “Promised Land” that God had given him.

In the blink of an eye it all became clear. Louis’ invitation to become a candidate for the Polish throne was no mere mortal coincidence, no it was divine providence! Turning to see that he had overslept James ran off to tell his wife Mary of his revelation and then later to inform Louis of his new decision...

(From James Stuart, The Latter Years a Study of TL: 20 000 by Henry Efferts)

From what we can observe Timeline 20 000 seems to begin to deviate from ours in the year 1696. It appears as if instead of refusing King Louis XIV’s offer to become the French candidate for Polish throne, James accepts it, partially due to what he claims was a vision of Mary the Mother of Jesus telling him to accept the offer.

So, motivated by religious zeal James set about preparing to assume his God-given position as the King of Poland. The election was close in this timeline just as it was in our timeline due to the plethora of candidates for the throne. Just as in our timeline the French candidate won the majority of the votes so did James Stuart. In our timeline however the French Candidate was beaten to Poland by Augustus II of Saxony however this timeline saw James and his family beat the Herculean Saxon and expel him from the country.

Crowned James I of Poland or Jakub I, James Stuart set about solidifying his reign in his new home and making alliances. One of his most prominent alliances would be with the family of the previous monarch John Sobieski pledging his son James Francis Stuart to be married to one of his granddaughters Maria Casmira Sobieski. James would also continue the war of the Holy League leading the forces of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth personally. This would prove to have a great affect on things to come as James would endear himself to the troops as would his young son James Francis Stuart.

Following the war of the Holy League, James would continue his policy of internal reforms. It would be during this time that James would reject the offer of joining the Anti-Swedish Alliance and remain neutral in what would become the Great Northern War. James’ reforms would also prove quite popular as he began to streamline the bulky government of the Polish Commonwealth.

James would continue working hard until his death in 1703 from a cerebral haemorrhage identical to his cause of death in our timeline. James’ death would see yet another scramble for the throne of Poland. Almost 20 candidates popped out of the woodwork to vie for the throne. However it would be an extensive campaign backed by France and Austria and several Polish noble families that would see James’ son James Francis Stuart elected to the throne of Poland with his mother Mary of Modena to act as regent until he reached majority.

The Stuart dynasty had re-established itself in Poland just as it reached it’s dying days in England. The effects of the former would have effects that would shake the entire course of history. For the English Catholics as well as his supporters throughout the British Isles James would become famed as Séamus an Chaca or “James the Shit” for his betrayal of their cause. Yet many in Poland would regard James as one of their greatest monarchs as his policies and that of his descendants would result in Poland remaining a substantial power in Eastern Europe....

...

(From The Reign James Francis Stuart, Jakub II of Poland...)

The ascension of James Francis Stuart or Jakub II of Poland, though heavily influenced by his father was mainly a result of his own popularity with the Polish nobles and that of his mother Mary of Modena. This in addition to major financial backing from several European powers would result in his narrow victory and the continuation of his father’s policies to a point.

James’ early reign would in reality be that of Mary of Modena who acted as Regent for James until he reached majority. In the end it would be her decision to ally with Charles XII of Sweden against the Commonwealth’s traditional foe of Russia and enter the Great Northern War. Having forced Denmark out of the war only a year prior, Charles was now free to face Russia alone now with the aid of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The combined Swedish-Commonwealth forces would prove to be too much for the ill-equipped Russian Hordes and would deliver defeat after defeat to Peter I’s armies resulting in the Treaty of Riga that saw Russia cede significant lands to both Sweden and Poland ending the Great Northern War in 1707. Ironically, though it had been Mary of Modena who initiated Commonwealth involvement in the Great Northern War it would be James II who would take credit for the short victorious war having reached majority in 1707.

Revitalized and rejuvenated by their victory in the Great Northern War, the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth began to consolidate it’s new lands and continue a course of internal reform. With the support of Charles XII (who had married James’ sister Louise Stuart following the conclusion of the war) James began to streamline the government of the Polish Lithuanian commonwealth and restore some power to the Monarchy....

...

(From Peter I: The later years...)

Following the defeat of the Russo-Danish Alliance in The Great Northern war and the loss of the Karelian Peninsula to Sweden and several provinces to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Peter was a broken man. His great gambit had failed and Russia had been yet again denied a port on the Baltic. Yet there was something in Peter that refused to give in some hint of greatness that allowed him to press on. Continuing his policy of internal reform, Peter turned his eyes south to the Ottoman Empire and his avenue of expansion there.

1716 saw Peter declare war on the Ottoman Empire beginning yet another Russo-Turkish war joining the Habsburgs in their war against the Ottomans. This time the Russians would sport an army far superior to that which had fought in the Great Northern War 9 years earlier. A much better supported Russian Army was able to drive the Ottomans from the Crimea and free Moldavia from Ottoman rule and establish it as a Russian vassal.

Victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1716-1718 would see Russia established as a fairly major power and would see the beginnings of an Russo-Austrian rivalry in the Balkans. The combined loss of land to both the Russians and Austria was not able to be offset by the re-conquest of Morea and various gains in Persia. Following this war the Ottoman Empire would continue to decline eventually becoming the Sick man of Europe.

Peter’s health would begin to deteriorate following the Russo-Turkish War resulting in his death in 1720. He would be succeeded by his son Alexei who would be crowned Emperor Alexei I of Russia.

...

(From "An Examination of TL 20,000" by Henry Efferts)
As we close out our look at the time surrounding the point of divergence of TL 20,000 it seems to have altered drastically in only a few short years. James Stuart and his progeny’s influence resulted in Poland joining The Great Northern War on Sweden’s side and the preservation of both the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden as major powers thereby preventing Russia from ascending to dominance. Meanwhile Peter turned his ambitions south resulting in a more successful Russo-Turkish War.

Meanwhile in the British Isles, supporters of James and his progeny (Jacobites) as they were called laid low. Several insignificant uprisings were launched but failed to gain momentum. The Stuart dynasty in Britain died with a whimper with George I of Hanover succeeding James’ daughter Anne. Yet despite little resistance to the new monarchy their remained significant support for the Stuarts, support that would culminate later on in a massive uprising in favour of one of James’ descendants.

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Comments? Criticism? Anything?
 
Following the defeat of the Russo-Danish Alliance in The Great Northern war and the loss of the Karelian Peninsula to Sweden and several provinces to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Peter was a broken man.

There's no Karelian Peninsula. There's a Karelian Isthmus, but the Swedes already controlled it.

This time the Russians would sport an army far superior to that which had fought in the Great Northern War 9 years earlier. A much better supported Russian Army was able to drive the Ottomans from the Crimea and free Moldavia from Ottoman rule and establish it as a Russian vassal.

Considering the previous defeat and Peter's very limited OTL success against Turkey, this is ASB.
 
Well being King of a Big Catholic country (bearing the title of an Apostolic King is a big plus too)
Could transform his personal claim to a religious cause (restoring catholicism in England)
Gaining support from catholic countries and having a huge support by the Pope (hie son being a Cardinal at the time) could have caused a big trouble in the reign of William III and Mary II...
 
Interesting idea, esp as I'm in a 18th C pbm game where this actually happened, which has resulted in a much more european focused Stuart monarchy and an Americas Republic by 1720 (kingWilliam fled to the American colonies, which accepted him as their king. he died in the game in 1719 and then the colonies declared themselves free of England and defeated a Stuart invasion).
 

Thande

Donor
Interesting idea, esp as I'm in a 18th C pbm game where this actually happened, which has resulted in a much more european focused Stuart monarchy and an Americas Republic by 1720 (kingWilliam fled to the American colonies, which accepted him as their king. he died in the game in 1719 and then the colonies declared themselves free of England and defeated a Stuart invasion).
Why would William go to the American colonies? Has something happened to the Netherlands?
 
James’ reforms would also prove quite popular as he began to streamline the bulky government of the Polish Commonwealth.

Ok, with this you're just removing the biggest problem for every Polish king in the 17th & 18th century - the fact that they were unable to really reform the government, due to the opposition of the nobility. Even a militarily successful king like Sobieski was not able to achieve that. With this, it's simply not a probable TL any more.
 
Thanks alot for all the comments everyone!

Tomy Jones and Jammy: Thanks! I will, Part II will be forthcoming shortly.

VCS: My mistake, but IIRC the Karelian Isthmus or at least part of it was still controled by Russia during this time. In TTL the Swedes gain this area from the Great Northern War.

As for the Russian victory against the Ottomans keep in mind that a)Peter I has been aggressively reforming the military in light of the Great Northern War and b) It takes place at the same time as the Hapsburg-Ottoman War which was a resounding success for the Hapsburgs.

Jason: Interesting ideas, but I think I'll be taking this TL in a different direction...

Wannis: James I's reforms are actually quite minor and in no way really infringe on the nobility's power. James II's (OTL's James Francis Stuart) reforms however, backed up by the Swedes (Charles XII has married his sister Louise) are more effective and spark off some minor wars with the nobility.

I'm still working on Part II but thanks everyone for your replies and input!
 
VCS: My mistake, but IIRC the Karelian Isthmus or at least part of it was still controled by Russia during this time. In TTL the Swedes gain this area from the Great Northern War.

If the Russians had controlled the Karelian Isthmus they would have already had their Baltic access. They never had the isthmus before the OTL war. You may be thinking of Ingria, the area south of the isthmus where St Petersburg was built in OTL, which was occasionally Russian but not at this time.

Why do you think they call it an isthmus? It connects Lake Ladoga to the Baltic. The Great Northern War was about Peter's attempt to gain a Baltic coastline. If he controlled the isthmus he would have already had it. It was only after the OTL 1741-1743 war that the Russians got the area (Peter got Ingria, Estonia and Swedish Livonia at Nystad in 1721).

As for the Russian victory against the Ottomans keep in mind that a)Peter I has been aggressively reforming the military in light of the Great Northern War and b) It takes place at the same time as the Hapsburg-Ottoman War which was a resounding success for the Hapsburgs.

And a great failure for their Venetian allies, which is how I expect the war would go for Russia. Look at the OTL Russo-Turkish wars from around this time. The next one would be a failure, the last was an even greater one, and the one before it was a very limited success.

The Ottomans won't be the ones doing most of the fighting against Russia, in fact, the Crimean Tatars will, and it took Russia until 1783 to annex the khanate in OTL. As for Moldavia, as often as the Russians raided it it wasn't until the 1806-1812 war that they had a chance to keep it (which they blew, I believe it was either Napoleon's invasion or the fear of it that got them to make peace on terms less favorable than they could've got). Not to mention that they probably lost territory to Poland-Lithuania in the Ukraine after the last war, and that's gonna make their logistics in the area pretty damn difficult.

It's unrealistic for Russia to be this successful this fast, especially after the recent failure.
 
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VCS: First off, I'd like to say thanks for your imput. It's comments like yours that truly make a TL (or at least one of mine) any good.

Heck, I learn a hell of a lot from bouncing ideas off you guys.

Secondly, I finally did end up looking at an atlas to see the area I (In my mind) had had Russia cede to Sweden following the Great Northern War. Karelia and the Kola Peninsula get transfered to Sweden (although little actually changes for the inhabitants). Depriving Russia of an effective coast. Considering how close the war was in OTL and that not only is Charles XII free to focus on Russia following forcing Denmark out of the war but the fact that he has the Commonwealth on his side aswell. I don't think it's entirely out of the question.

As for your remarks about the Russo-Turkish wars I still remain in the opinion that Peter the Great could have pulled such a victory off. Yes, perhaps freeing Moldovia is a bit too much for the Russians however this war takes place 9 years after the conclusion of the Great Northern War, plenty of time to reform the army and commanders. Also keep in mind that in the same period Russia went from a backwater to a major power in Europe. In TTL the Russian focus is not on Europe but on Asia. I think if Peter applied the same ammount of focus on the Crimea he could have quite probably taken it from under the noses of the Ottomans.

The fact that Austria and Venice are also fighting the Turk make it even more likely that under such circumstances Peter the Great could pull it off.

However that is merely my opinion, I would be curious to hear your opinion on Peter's subsequent course of action following this TL's Great Northern War. In fact opinions on this TL are more than welcome feel free to respond.
 
Karelia and the Kola Peninsula get transfered to Sweden (although little actually changes for the inhabitants). Depriving Russia of an effective coast. Considering how close the war was in OTL and that not only is Charles XII free to focus on Russia following forcing Denmark out of the war but the fact that he has the Commonwealth on his side aswell. I don't think it's entirely out of the question.

See the map at the end of the post. If you're refering to White Karelia and Olonets Karelia this would be OK (the other Karelias and Ingria were already Swedish). I think Charles could hope for more. Novgorod, Arkhangelsk, Pskov, Gdov, if he's that successful I'd expect him to keep at least one of these cities.

And let's not forget James' gains from this war. The Poles probably obtained some sort of influence among the Cossacks of the Sich and the Hetmanate and got back Kiev, maybe even Smolensk and Chernigov. BTW, what were Sweden's gains from the Danes? Does Denmark still even exist?

The only bright aspect at this time is that the British and the Dutch would not want Sweden to control their trade with Northern Europe, so Russia and Denmark have a chance to keep Arkhangelsk and their independence, respectively.

Yes, perhaps freeing Moldovia is a bit too much for the Russians however this war takes place 9 years after the conclusion of the Great Northern War, plenty of time to reform the army and commanders.

It's not just a matter of military reforms, the country also has to recover from the devastation of the last war.

Also keep in mind that in the same period Russia went from a backwater to a major power in Europe.

By defeating Sweden.

In TTL the Russian focus is not on Europe but on Asia.

Crimea's not in Asia.

I think if Peter applied the same ammount of focus on the Crimea he could have quite probably taken it from under the noses of the Ottomans.

The fact that Austria and Venice are also fighting the Turk make it even more likely that under such circumstances Peter the Great could pull it off.

You're forgetting that Crimea was a separate state under Ottoman suzerainty. The khanate would not be the one fighting either Austria or Venice (and don't forget how the Venetians got out of that war). I think that if Russia wins the best they can hope to gain is the Kuban, some territory between the Azov Sea and the Dnieper (though not the Crimean Peninsula or the fortresses at the river's estuary) and some Turkish outposts on the eastern coast of the Black Sea.

However that is merely my opinion, I would be curious to hear your opinion on Peter's subsequent course of action following this TL's Great Northern War. In fact opinions on this TL are more than welcome feel free to respond.

After getting my ass kicked the way he did, my 1st step would be making sure I don't get overthrown. Then I'd establish closer ties to Britain, Austria and the Netherlands (and France, but don't rely too much on them because they're close friends to 3 of my potential enemies). Then I'd do my best to modernize Russia. Then I'd try to get back some influence among the Polish Cossacks.

Then, if I haven't died of stress/old age yet, I'd go to war. I could pick Persia, an easy target at this time, or I could take advantage of the disagreements between my 3 pro-French rivals and go to war with one of them with help from one or 2 of the others. The likelihood of France aiding my enemies would be decreased. See below (~ signifies a rivalry):

Sweden ~ Poland-Lithuania ~ Turkey

In my opinion the latter 2 would make the best enemies because I can make the most powerful alliances against them. In the case of Poland-Lithuania I could even get the British to help me, though this, unfortunately, might result in France taking the Poles' side.

Many_Karelias.png
 
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I think you are vastly underestimating Ottoman military capability in this period and overestimating what Russia could achieve after being devastated in a war.

You are taking a much weaker Russia and sidestepping a sustained assault on the Ottomans that took nearly a century longer to succeed.

In OTL a stronger Russia was decisively defeated by the Ottomans in 1710-11, and the Ottomans defeated Austria and Russia combined in 1735-30. Even if somehow Peter could do better in your TL, ending up with all that territory is really very unrealistic. In this period Russian power is just not established that far South and you're talking about lands that are very near the centers of the still quite considerable Ottoman power.

I'm not sure why so many TL's assume that being crushingly defeated and losing a lot of territory suddenly makes you stronger. A defeat can make you stronger in the long run as it can be a wake-up call to the need for reform, but Peter was already a convinced reformer and it's not plausible that he would make more progress than he did in OTL - especially with reduced resources and probably a lot more internal threats to him due to his loss.

A military is not something you reform in a few years - it takes decades to materially improve a backward military, because it's not just the weapons or the officers, or the training that needs reforming, it's the vast infrastructure required to support these changes. That means establishing schools, which is a slow process, building factories, overhauling the entire administrative structure to increase revenues and government control in order to increase conscription, etc. etc.

Also, I'm not clear why Peter would choose to go from being defeated by Sweden to taking on an even more powerful enemy, especially one that is potentially in alliance with Sweden for Round Two, not to mention Poland. If Peter devoted all that effort south, why wouldn't these gang-pile him and remove the Russian threat once and for all? And don't you think the Hapsburgs would be fairly alarmed at the sudden expansion of Russian power into their sphere?

In any case, this is an unusual and interesting idea for a TL...

VCS: First off, I'd like to say thanks for your imput. It's comments like yours that truly make a TL (or at least one of mine) any good.

Heck, I learn a hell of a lot from bouncing ideas off you guys.

Secondly, I finally did end up looking at an atlas to see the area I (In my mind) had had Russia cede to Sweden following the Great Northern War. Karelia and the Kola Peninsula get transfered to Sweden (although little actually changes for the inhabitants). Depriving Russia of an effective coast. Considering how close the war was in OTL and that not only is Charles XII free to focus on Russia following forcing Denmark out of the war but the fact that he has the Commonwealth on his side aswell. I don't think it's entirely out of the question.

As for your remarks about the Russo-Turkish wars I still remain in the opinion that Peter the Great could have pulled such a victory off. Yes, perhaps freeing Moldovia is a bit too much for the Russians however this war takes place 9 years after the conclusion of the Great Northern War, plenty of time to reform the army and commanders. Also keep in mind that in the same period Russia went from a backwater to a major power in Europe. In TTL the Russian focus is not on Europe but on Asia. I think if Peter applied the same ammount of focus on the Crimea he could have quite probably taken it from under the noses of the Ottomans.

The fact that Austria and Venice are also fighting the Turk make it even more likely that under such circumstances Peter the Great could pull it off.

However that is merely my opinion, I would be curious to hear your opinion on Peter's subsequent course of action following this TL's Great Northern War. In fact opinions on this TL are more than welcome feel free to respond.
 
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Séamus an Chaca
A TL by Fearless Leader

Part I: A Fateful Decision

Saint-Germaine-en-Laye, France 1696

James Stuart, formerly James II of England was incensed Bloody French...he thought. Ungrateful little buggers! They botch the assassination and then THEY expect ME to bend over backwards for THEM? Louis’ attempt to assassinate the new King of England William III had failed and with it the hopes of James and his supporters across the British Isles. Seeing that James was rightly depressed Louis had been quick to offer a solution. He’d give James another kingdom, put him as the French candidate for the Kingdom of Poland.

Lately, Louis had been insistent that James take the position even though James rejected it due to the fact that it would effectively remove him as a contender for the throne he really wanted, that of England and Scotland. Some of James’ advisors claimed that Louis wanted something in return for his support of James however James easily dismissed those thoughts. The fact that he was basically “a revolt in a bottle” for Louis was more than enough compensation for the French king’s aid.

Still James’ recent problems had left him sleep deprived. Downing another swallow of wine, James glanced around the pantry for a suitable cheese before once again departing for his chambers. Humph...he thought One of the richest mansions in Paris and not a wheel of cheese in sight! Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he caught something, a shape too odd to be natural.

Closer inspection revealed that indeed it was cheese and furthermore the perfect cheese to complement James’ choice of wines. The only drawback being that indeed it was old and slightly dirty. In another life James would have written off the cheese as something unfit for consumption, however this was no time for judgement without a further moment’s thought James dusted off the cheese and placed a piece in his mouth savouring the odd but pleasant taste all the way to his chambers.

***
The Next Day

James awoke with a start, it had been a truly amazing dream, what had begun as just another sleepless night had been transformed by a visitation from Lady Madonna herself. In a lengthy and intricate vision Mary the Mother of Jesus had explained to James the need for him to abandon England. It was time for “The True Stuart” to follow the command of the one who gave him his Divine Right and leave his homeland for the “Promised Land” that God had given him.

In the blink of an eye it all became clear. Louis’ invitation to become a candidate for the Polish throne was no mere mortal coincidence, no it was divine providence! Turning to see that he had overslept James ran off to tell his wife Mary of his revelation and then later to inform Louis of his new decision...

(From James Stuart, The Latter Years a Study of TL: 20 000 by Henry Efferts)

From what we can observe Timeline 20 000 seems to begin to deviate from ours in the year 1696. It appears as if instead of refusing King Louis XIV’s offer to become the French candidate for Polish throne, James accepts it, partially due to what he claims was a vision of Mary the Mother of Jesus telling him to accept the offer.

So, motivated by religious zeal James set about preparing to assume his God-given position as the King of Poland. The election was close in this timeline just as it was in our timeline due to the plethora of candidates for the throne. Just as in our timeline the French candidate won the majority of the votes so did James Stuart. In our timeline however the French Candidate was beaten to Poland by Augustus II of Saxony however this timeline saw James and his family beat the Herculean Saxon and expel him from the country.

Crowned James I of Poland or Jakub I, James Stuart set about solidifying his reign in his new home and making alliances. One of his most prominent alliances would be with the family of the previous monarch John Sobieski pledging his son James Francis Stuart to be married to one of his granddaughters Maria Casmira Sobieski. James would also continue the war of the Holy League leading the forces of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth personally. This would prove to have a great affect on things to come as James would endear himself to the troops as would his young son James Francis Stuart.

Following the war of the Holy League, James would continue his policy of internal reforms. It would be during this time that James would reject the offer of joining the Anti-Swedish Alliance and remain neutral in what would become the Great Northern War. James’ reforms would also prove quite popular as he began to streamline the bulky government of the Polish Commonwealth.

James would continue working hard until his death in 1703 from a cerebral haemorrhage identical to his cause of death in our timeline. James’ death would see yet another scramble for the throne of Poland. Almost 20 candidates popped out of the woodwork to vie for the throne. However it would be an extensive campaign backed by France and Austria and several Polish noble families that would see James’ son James Francis Stuart elected to the throne of Poland with his mother Mary of Modena to act as regent until he reached majority.

The Stuart dynasty had re-established itself in Poland just as it reached it’s dying days in England. The effects of the former would have effects that would shake the entire course of history. For the English Catholics as well as his supporters throughout the British Isles James would become famed as Séamus an Chaca or “James the Shit” for his betrayal of their cause. Yet many in Poland would regard James as one of their greatest monarchs as his policies and that of his descendants would result in Poland remaining a substantial power in Eastern Europe....

...
James Francis Stuart, Jakub II of Poland

The ascension of James Francis Stuart or Jakub II of Poland, though heavily influenced by his father was mainly a result of his own popularity with the Polish nobles and that of his mother Mary of Modena. This in addition to major financial backing from several European powers would result in his narrow victory and the continuation of his father’s policies to a point.

James’ early reign would in reality be that of Mary of Modena who acted as Regent for James until he reached majority. In the end it would be her decision to ally with Charles XII of Sweden against the Commonwealth’s traditional foe of Russia and enter the Great Northern War. Having forced Denmark out of the war only a year prior, Charles was now free to face Russia alone now with the aid of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The combined Swedish-Commonwealth forces would prove to be too much for the ill-equipped Russian Hordes and would deliver defeat after defeat to Peter I’s armies resulting in the Treaty of Riga that saw Russia cede significant lands to both Sweden and Poland ending the Great Northern War in 1707. Ironically, though it had been Mary of Modena who initiated Commonwealth involvement in the Great Northern War it would be James II who would take credit for the short victorious war having reached majority in 1707.

Revitalized and rejuvenated by their victory in the Great Northern War, the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth began to consolidate it’s new lands and continue a course of internal reform. With the support of Charles XII (who had married James’ sister Louise Stuart following the conclusion of the war) James began to streamline the government of the Polish Lithuanian commonwealth and restore some power to the Monarchy....

...

The Last Years of Peter I and the Boyar Ascendancy

Following the defeat of the Russo-Danish Alliance in The Great Northern war and the loss of the Karelia, Novogrod, and the Kola Peninsula to Sweden not to mention several Ukrainian provinces to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Peter was a broken man. His great gambit had failed and Russia had been yet again denied a port on the Baltic. Moreover he’d condemned his nation to a horrific prolonged war against both Sweden and The Commonwealth.

These factors coupled with his dismissal of the Boyar Duma would result in his downfall. Though the power of the Boyars had been in decline since the reign of Ivan the Terrible during the time of Peter I they still retained a fair powerbase and it was with this powerbase that they launched a revolt. The Boyar Revolt, widely supported by opponents of Peter I was aimed at deposing the pro-western monarch and placing his son Alexei Petrovitch on the throne as the Tsar of Russia.

Though it is often said that “no plan ever survives contact with the enemy...” the Boyar Revolt seems to have faired quite well. Tsarevitch Alexei was kidnapped without incident and his father unceremoniously dethroned after signing “The Grand Decree” which combined his abdication with the empowerment of the Duma. The Boyars had won and Russia had begun it’s transition from autocracy to oligarchy. From this point on the Tsar would cease to be anything more than a puppet of the Boyar Duma. Crowned Tsar Alexei I on July 7th 1708 Alexei Petrovitch would oversee a new era in the history of Russia as the Boyar Duma henceforth referred to simply as “The Duma” took over the true reigns of power.

The Boyar Reforms
With the Duma now exercising effective control of Russia numerous reforms began to take place. No longer were the “Westernization” policies of Peter I pursued. One of the first actions of the Duma was to streamline taxation within the Russian Empire. This lengthy and extensive process coupled with significant military reforms would be key in Russia’s recovery from the Great Northern War.

(An excerpt from “An Examination of TL 20,000” by Henry Efferts)
As we close out our look at the time surrounding the point of divergence of TL 20,000 it seems to have altered drastically in only a few short years. James Stuart and his progeny’s influence resulted in Poland joining The Great Northern War on Sweden’s side and the preservation of both the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden as major powers thereby preventing Russia from ascending to dominance. Meanwhile Peter the Great, having failed to gain a Baltic coastline was overthrown by the Boyars and replaced by his son Alexei.

Meanwhile in the British Isles, supporters of James and his progeny (Jacobites) as they were called laid low. Several insignificant uprisings were launched but failed to gain momentum. The Stuart dynasty in Britain appeared to be ready to die with a whimper as the Parliament looked across Europe for a replacement for the sickly and childless Queen Anne. The once proud Stuart dynasty seemed set to die with a whimper.
 
Part II: A New Era

Introduction

The election of James Stuart and his son James Francis Edward Stuart to the throne of the Commonwealth of Poland as James I & II had truly revitalized the nation. Their collective influence along with the influence of James I’s wife Mary of Modena had given the Commonwealth new life and their influence would enable the nation to remain a regional power for some time.

Following the Treaty of Riga, a war known in our timeline as “The Great Northern War” and in this TL as “The Great Baltic War” was drawn to a conclusion. Karelia, Novogrod, and the Kola peninsula were lost to the Swedish Empire while The Commonwealth regained Kiev and several other Ukrainian provinces and Peter I’s hopes of gaining a Baltic port for Russia were crushed. The stunning Russian defeat would culminate in a revolution by the remaining Boyars that saw Peter I replaced by his son Alexei and the Boyar Duma assume effective power in the nation.

Russia under the Boyar Duma would cease to be a real power as most of the reforms of Peter I were rescinded and the Duma focused on concentrating power in their hands. This would prove to be a boon to both Poland and Sweden as they maintained their status as major powers without the threat of a resurgent Russia. Both focused on consolidating their gains and establishing a strong alliance to preserve their nations, this was symbolized by Charles XII marrying Louise Stuart the sister of James II (III of England).

Though the match was initially rejected, a contract was signed ensuring that all of Charles’ children would be educated as Protestants despite Louise being allowed to keep her own personal faith. Having satisfied the demands of the Swedish nobles, and having gained the consent of Mary of Modena the two were wed in 1707 in the city of Riga. The marriage was a happy one despite a 10 year age gap and would soon produce children. The birth of Prince Charles in 1708 would complicate things immensely for not only the Swedish and Polish Monarchies but the nascent Kingdom of Great Britain as well.

Following the treaty of Riga and the marriage of Charles XII and Louise Stuart, Charles XII would only go to war one more time. Following the end of the truce signed between Denmark and Sweden, Charles XII and James II would go to war, this time against Denmark alone and deliver a series of decisive defeats to the nation both naval and on land. The result would mean the end of Denmark as a regional power. Norway, Denmark’s German Territories, Iceland and the possessions of the Danish East Indies Company were all ceded to Sweden.

The British Succession

With what would later be dubbed “The Scandinavian War” over the attention of Europe turned to the question of the British Succession. Following the Act of Union in 1707 the crowns of Scotland and Britain had been merged into that of Great Britain. Queen Anne, the monarch of Great Britain had failed to produce an heir that lasted into adulthood due to the disease later known as Hughes Syndrome or at the time “Sticky Blood”. This disease coupled with her poor health and addiction to brandy led to her death in 1714.

Now at the time of her death dozens of candidates were eligible for the throne of Great Britain. The Act of Exclusion had resulted in the exclusion of all Catholic claimants to the throne of Great Britain thereby ruling out James Francis Stuart, now King Jakub II of Poland and son of James II of England (also Jakub I of Poland). However the marriage of Louise Stuart, the only other surviving child of James II’s marriage to Mary of Modena to Charles XII complicated matters. What complicated matters further was the three children that the marriage had produced, all Protestants.

The negotiations that followed were intense. Many in parliament favoured George I, elector of Hanover over any of the children of Louise Stuart and Charles XII. However the claim the children had on the throne was too strong to be ignored and with their Protestant faith not in doubt the decision was made. The Act of Settlement was amended in 1710 following the birth of a second son John, the third child of Louise Stuart and Charles XII of Sweden.

Following the death of Anne, John would assume the throne of Great Britain under the regency of Thomas Parker 1st Earl of Macclesfield. Several stipulations were added writing John out of the succession of Sweden and preventing Sweden from achieving a personal Union with Britain. In addition a line of succession was established with providing a lack of heirs on John’s part the throne pass to George I the original claimant to the throne of England. The remainder of the Act was kept the same and in 1714, John made the treacherous journey across the sea to his new kingdom.

Crowned King John II, John would spend his entire life in the British Isles. Just as his namesake’s predecessor saw a massive upswing in the power of the parliament so did the reign of John II. Britain would be effectively ruled by no less than 12 different regents for the 14 years until John II achieved majority. By living in isolation from the rest of the Stuarts, John’s education ensured that as King he would not only respect but empower parliament. Separation from his family resulted in him having a rather hostile view of his relatives with the exception of his father who was allowed to visit him from time to time.

As a result of visits from his father and several Swedish tutors, John grew up to become much like him. Often regarded as one of England’s greatest military monarch’s since Henry V, the reign of John II would see Britain achieve ascendancy and become a world class power. Abstaining from women, John would focus not only on his studies, but on hunting, soldiering, and sailing as outlets for his anger at a lack of family.

John would end his celibacy in 1727 with his marriage to Princess Freidericke Sophie Wilhelmine of Prussia. His desire to ensure that his children have a better childhood than he coupled with his staunch protestant faith and fidelity resulted in the couple having 12 surviving children over the course of their marriage, much to the delight of Parliament. The days of the House of Stuart were over and the days of the House of Palatinate-Zweibruken were here to stay.

A New Baltic

Following the victory of the combined forces of the Swedish Empire and the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth in both the “Great Baltic War” and the Scandinavian War, Sweden emerged as the dominant power in Northern Europe. The Baltic was effectively a Swedish lake and the Swedes were reaping the benefits of their victories. Due perhaps to the influence of his wife Louise Stuart, Charles XII would cease his warmongering and focus primarily on consolidating his empire never to take the field again.

Charles would be quite supportive of his brother in law and ally in Poland James II, sending several armies to assist him in “The War of the Sejm” in which Polish nobles with the aid of the Russians tried to overthrow James II and replace him with a candidate of their choosing. Charles intervention coupled with James’ popularity with the military and enough of the nobles allowed James to remain on the throne and curtail the power of the Sejm.

Though initially his Catholic wife Louise caused problems, her infectious personality and charitable nature soon warmed the hearts of many Swedes resulting in her becoming one of Sweden’s most beloved queens of all time. Her descendants would end up ruling most of Europe and by extension most of the world. Together with Charles she would have a total of 8 children.

Following the conclusion of the War of the Sejm, Sweden would enter a long period of peace. During this time Sweden would develop one of the best militaries in the world refining the concept of a standing army as well as a modern navy ensuring their longevity as a Great power. That peace would only be broken by Sweden’s involvement in the War of Austrian Succession, a war that would throw all of Europe up in arms.

The War of the Sejm or the Polish Civil War
Following James II’ victory at the Treaty of Riga and the conclusion of Charles’ war with the Danes, The Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth was once again a star ascending. James II was easily the most popular monarch in years and his son by Maria Casmira Sobieski, Charles Scott Stuart was looking to be just as popular as his father. The situation was ripe for a noble revolt. James II and his father James I had always been interested in curtailing the power of the Sejm but so far had only succeeded in minor ways.

In 1716, with the support of Russia now under the leadership of the Boyar Duma and Alexei I, the Sejm revolted in an attempt to remove James from the throne and replace him with a candidate of their own choosing. However the leaders of the revolt failed to accurately gauge the popularity of James and his powerful ally. Over the duration of his reign and that of his father’s, James Francis Edward Stewart had won over the common man of the Commonwealth and their support coupled with that of his ally Sweden would turn the tide in the war.

The revolt of the Sejm began with an attempt to seize James in his palatial residence. This failed however due to the heroic actions of James’ personal Highland Guard, Scotsmen who’d left England to accompany “The True King” his father and later pledged allegiance to him. James and his family managed to escape into the hands of the Sobieski’s, nobles friendly to the cause of the Stuarts.

Following the escape of James numerous nobles deserted and joined the Royalist cause yet enough recognized the threat James posed to create a 70-30 split amongst their ranks in favour of the Sejm. It would soon become apparent that foreign support would be essential to any Royalist victory. That support would come from Charles XII of Sweden at the behest of his wife Louise Stuart.

For 4 years the people of Poland would be subject to a brutal civil war as the Russians intervened on the side of the Sejm while Sweden supported the forces of James II. However the support James garnered from the common man coupled with the Royalist adoption of a modern professional standing army would culminate in his victory. By 1720 the Royalist forces had crushed the last remnants of the Sejm’s army sending thousands of nobles into exile.

Following the conclusion of the War of the Sejm the system of government in the Polish Commonwealth would be reworked from top to bottom. The monarch regained much of his traditional power while whatever was left of the power of Sejm was split between a rump Sejm and a new Lower House. The parliamentary system was regulated and the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth began life anew as it was. Meanwhile the professional armies of The Commonwealth and Sweden would each undergo a crucial trial by fire with ramifications to follow.

Duma Duma Yeh!
Life in Russia following the Great Baltic War was harsh. Peter I had embroiled his country in a destructive war that it was not ready for and prolonged it far longer than he should have. Then, Russia, devastated by war ousted Peter I and replaced him with his son Alexei I and allowed the Boyar Duma to assume the effective power in the nation.

Almost immediately, Peter’s scheme of Westernization was dropped as the Boyars focused on concentrating power in their hands. What remained of Russia was consolidated and rebuilt and the economy began to slowly recover from the devastation it had suffered. Alexei I married the daughter of a prominent Boyar and was reduced to a mere puppet of the Duma. All the while the ranks of the Boyar’s swelled and their power increased.

By the time of the Sejm war, the Duma had grown strong enough and the country recovered enough for them to try another foreign adventure. Hoping to break the Polish-Swedish axis that had defeated them in the Great Baltic War, they intervened on the side of the Sejm. However the Russian army had actually gotten a good deal worse since the Boyar Resurgence and as a result their aid to the Sejm was horribly ineffective. In addition the intervention of the Swedish Empire resulted Russia being forced out of the war with no gains. Though, it did receive a large number of Polish and Lithuanian immigrants from the war who would play a large role in the future of Russia.

Conclusion
All told the 2nd Decade of the 18th century saw some of the trends of the first decade continue. Sweden’s star continued to rise with the conclusion of the Scandinavian War and the reduction of Denmark to a rump state. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth meanwhile saw the advent of a new era as it reversed it’s trend of decline and effectively curtailed the rampant excesses of it’s elective monarchy. And in Britain one of the greatest warrior kings since Henry V was set to take the stage, John II would see Britain establish itself as a major world power and bring about an end to the 2nd Hundred years war with a bang.
 
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