Need a plausible Medieval POD for ...

I'm trying to put together a 'somewhat' realistic alternate 19th century Europe by bringing some of the kingdoms and principalities from the Middle Ages into the more modern Victorian age. I realize that by terming the question with the word 'somewhat' I'm taking into an account in which I'm going to intertwine several indirectly related POD's for certain 'new' nations in putting together this Europe but specifically I'm looking for a reasonable way of keeping the Kalmar Union intact & merged (ideally) or in rival with with still functioning Hanseatic League territory. Thoughts? I have a Baltic power in my head that I want to place in the TL.
 
When Alfred of Hoerzollern (last Master of Teutonic Knights, de-facto king of East Prussia after the reform) dies, he does not design his brother Fredrick (Prince-Elector of Brandenburg) as his successor.
Thus East Prussia and Brandenburg do not unify, and East Prussia (Konisberg) become a center of attraction for other baltic states
 
The Kalmar Union is hard to keep - Sweden-Finland's interests were so much different from the interests of Denmark-Norway. The Danish nobility and the German noblemen and mercenaries the Danish Kings usually rewarded by making them tax collectors in Sweden had no understanding of the rights of the free-holding Swedish peasants, a cause for the multiple, sometimes even yearly revolts in Sweden.

While Denmark and a Hansaetic Legue can be at odds and usually were, the Hansaetic Legue and Swedish rebels have common interests. Sweden provides tar and wood for shipping, vital resources for the Legue, while the Legue transports the vital salt for Sweden. The Legue is sure to support Swedish revolts against Denmark to weaken them, and I don't see how Denmark really can hold on to Sweden - they were unable to do it OTL in the same scenario.

To keep the Hansaetic Legue powerful, you probably need to have it dominate north sea trade - you need to nerf the English and probably have the Dutch join the Legue rather than take over its trade. The problem is that the Dutch have conflicts with the Habsburgs, somehting the Legue has no profit in partaking in, and the Legue's conflicts with Denmark (and perhaps Novgorod or Muscowy over Baltic ports) is of no interest to the Dutch - they just want tar, hemp and wood from Sweden and grain from the Baltics (so they can continue to grow cash crops themselves) to flow uninterrupted.

You need a series of strong Danish Kings with the finesse to accept Swedish peasants' rights and a common enemy of Sweden and Denmark (an über-Novogorod wanting to make them all orthodox? Probably ASB). At the same time you need to make the Hansaetic Legue far more powerful to be able to resist the centralising Scandinavian countries as well as the German princes wanting to expand their power. You also need to make sure they are not out-competed by the English and the Dutch. A hard task indeed.
 
The Kalmar Union is hard to keep - Sweden-Finland's interests were so much different from the interests of Denmark-Norway.

So you would say that a Fino-Swedish (potentially the baltic states region) power is much more plausable than keeping the two together?


While Denmark and a Hansaetic Legue can be at odds and usually were, the Hansaetic Legue and Swedish rebels have common interests. Sweden provides tar and wood for shipping, vital resources for the Legue, while the Legue transports the vital salt for Sweden. The Legue is sure to support Swedish revolts against Denmark to weaken them, and I don't see how Denmark really can hold on to Sweden - they were unable to do it OTL in the same scenario.

Again, perhaps I can focus on a more OTL like Swedish power perhaps more successful around the Baltic states regions and eventually rivaling with a below mentioned Dutch Baltic power.

To keep the Hansaetic Legue powerful, you probably need to have it dominate north sea trade - you need to nerf the English and probably have the Dutch join the Legue rather than take over its trade

Hmmm, I like the idea of the Dutch joining or fusing itself with the H-L. Eventually Dutch interests and trade enveloping and dominated the routes and cities of the league as English competetion comes into play? As the influence and power of the H-L in the 'partnership' fade, so do the conflict of interests with the Hapsburgs. Would real control of and eventually outright 'annexation' by imbuing the league cities and territory benefit the Dutch to the point where it could elevate their status? Not sure where the Danes fit into this though.
 
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