The Great Northern War: Surrender in 1708

Part 1
Part 1

Surrender of 1708

After the failure to recapture the area of Ingria by General Georg Henrik Lybecker due to a lack of supplies, Charles XII realised that the problem of supplies would only be getting worse. Sweden did not have the ability to maintain a war for much longer as their armies were difficult to supply while campaigning in Russia. After this disastrous campaign, Tsar Peter once again offered peace to the Swedish, reiterating that they would only take Swedish Ingria, otherwise known as Neva. After a lot of discussion with advisors, Charles XII ultimately accepted the peace offer, and Russia now had a port in the Baltic Sea. Thus, the Great Northern War ended in 1708.

Development of Saint Petersburg

Being too close to the Swedish possessions in Karelia and Estonia, Peter decided not to move the capital to St Petersburg. While Tsar Peter stayed at the new city for some years, overseeing construction, he soon returned back to Moscow. Development of the city focused mainly on improving it's naval capabilities and making the city more defensible. However, Moscow needed attention as well, being the capital of the Empire. Hoping to improve its conditions. Much of the city was rebuilt with modern city planning in mind. This would see the population of Moscow grow larger in the next years.

Veneto-Ottoman War

With Austria still in the War of Spanish Succession, the Ottomans decided to invade Morea in 1710, given that Austria was at war while Russia was still rebuilding from a war. The war was a massive defeat for the Venetians, losing Dalmatia, Morea and the Greek islands in the peace of 1713. However, it was generally agreed upon that the war could have been much easier. The main issues included a lack of coordination, bad leaders and backwards technology. The Ottoman Empire reorientated itself as European and sought out to catch up with Europe, beginning the Tulip Era. Ahmed III knew that his main opponents would be the Janissaries and the Pashas, who were growing in their power and independence. He began the slow process of breaking the hereditary rule of many pashaliks, increasing central government supervision and creating more provinces.

Sweden in the War of Spanish Succession

Right after Sweden's surrender, Charles XII was determined to prove that Sweden was still a great powers. He joined the War of Spanish Succession against the Spanish and French. However, the Swedish played a relatively minor role in the war and was thus awarded with little. They only received the backwards Spanish colony of Florida. After the war ended, the Swedish began to develop Florida, founding a city on OTL Jacksonville. Eventually, the investment in Florida would pay off as the colony grew more profitable every year. Fishing and logging would become the backbone of the new Swedish colony.

With the Treaty of Utrecht, Phillip V of Spain would be unable to claim the throne of France. He certainly wanted to, however, with Austria at peace and an alliance of the Netherlands, France and England against him, Phillip backed down and began focusing on other matters, mainly domestic, attempting to raise Spain up to the standards of other Western European countries.

Important Events in Other Countries

Oman: In the Sultanate of Oman, the Sultan decides to move the capital from Muscat to Stone Town in Zanzibar in 1711, as he sees that the more highly populated Zanzibar to have more potential over Oman. The Omani navy, the only native navy in the Indian ocean with blue-seas capabilities, prospers as shipyards are built in the new capital. The Omanis were becoming a trade power in the Indian ocean.

New Zealand: After the Spanish Succession War ends, an adventurous Dutch explorer aims to visit the land described by Van Demien around 60 years ago. He arrives in the Bay of Islands, offering gifts to the natives. In return, they give gifts and allow the crew to come ashore. He would soon depart back to the Netherlands in hopes of a larger expedition, but not before further exploring the area.

POD:

Sweden sues for peace before the disastrous Battle of Poltava, getting away with a less brutal peace treaty.
Europeans come into contact with the Maori earlier.
The Omani rulers are interested in developing Zanzibar much earlier.
 
Part 2
Chapter 2

Anglo-Spanish War

The Spanish attempted to retake Gibraltar and Minorca in 1722, after reinsurances that no other powers would intervene. The Spanish were quickly able to take Gibraltar after a siege, however, the British fleet was able to blockade the Caribbean and Spanish ports. The Spanish managed to defeat a smaller British fleet off the coast of Valencia, but were later defeated when a larger fleet attacked it. Minorca was also taken two months later. While Spain had captured both Gibraltar and Minorca, the British blockade hurt the Spanish economy severely, so in the end, Phillip of Spain decided to sue for peace. The Treaty of Valencia gave Spain Minorca back, however Spain would have to pay back the cost of the British ships they had destroyed.

The Death of Mahmud Hotak

In 1721, the Hotakis attempted to siege the city of Kerman. However, they were soundly defeated after a commander of a local army, Nader Shah, managed to break the siege through the use of tactical genius. News soon spread through Persia of this man, and he was quickly invited to the court of the Shah. Quickly rising through the ranks, he soon became the commander of the entire Persian army. An expansion of the weak Persian army quickly began and many more artillery pieces were made, in an attempt to modernise the equipment of the Persian army. The next years were spent consolidating his power by removing rebellious governors and chieftains. The Shah, being lazy, allowed Nader Shah to take on his roles, giving Nader Shah control of economic and domestic policies. The Hotakis had ruined eastern Persia, increasing the need of funds to fix the dire situation of the Persians. Thus, Nader Shah would plan an invasion of the Mughal Empire.

Polish Succession War of 1727

For some time, Europe had been at peace. France continued to strengthen as the urban population grew and the monarchy dissolved the power of the nobility. Russia stayed at peace as well, determined to catch up with the rest of Europe, while Austria expanded it's diplomatic influence. This peace would come to an end when King Stanislaw of Poland-Lithuania was found dead, killed in an assassination. There were two candidates for the throne. Augustus II of Austria was once again nominated, along with Boguslaw, hailinh from a local magnate. While Boguslaw was the one elected, many nobles preferred Augustus. When Augustus invaded from Saxony, many nobles went to his side.

Austria, not wanting to see Saxony grow stronger, supported Boguslaw and marched an army north. Augustus, realising that he would be defeated, searched for help from foreign powers. He offered to give Russia parts of Ruthenia and Belarus if they joined on his side. The Russians accepted the offer and joined. Prussia, wanting to take land from Saxony, joined the side of Boguslaw. The Prussian army marched into Saxony.

The Saxon army was soon unable to help the Polish loyal to Augustus, as their army was forced to turn back to confront the Prussians. The Austrians took Lvov and Krakow, while the Russians defeated a force loyal to Boguslaw in Belarus. The Prussians were very successful and managed to defeat the Saxons decisively in the battle of Hoyersverda, then began the march to Dresden. Meanwhile, the Austrians defeated a Russian army at the Battle of Zytomierz, driving out the Russians. After the Saxons surrendered, giving the Prussians much of the border territories, it was decided that Prussia, Austria, the PLC(under Boguslaw) and Russia would meet in Warsaw to discuss a solution.

In the Treaty of Warsaw, it was decided that Russia would retract all support of Augustus as the king of the PLC. It was also decided that minor border territories of the PLC would be ceded to the surrounding powers. Prussia gained Lidzbark, Austria formally took control of the PLC enclaves in her territories and Russia took all territory east of the Dneiper river in Belarus. With this treaty, it was declared that if one nation was to invade, the others would assist the PLC, creating an uneasy truce in Eastern Europe.

Ottoman Reforms and Civil War

While the main threats to the Ottoman Empire were at war, the Sultan instituted the Administrative Reform of 1729, aiming to reduce the power of the pashaliks. Hereditary succession to the role of pasha was banned, the eyalets were reduced in size, creating new eyalets, advisors and supervisors chosen from Istanbul were appointed in each eyalet as well. As expected, many of the pashas were not pleased and revolted, such as the pasha of Egypt.

The divided pashaliks were defeated one by one, and Sultan Ahmed III was victorious after 2 years of civil war. Ahmed III also began to create an army composed among western lines and weren't recruited from janissaries, which was used to guard loyal provinces while the janissaries were campaigning. However, when the Janissaries returned, they were angered and began plotting.
 
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Development of Saint Petersburg

Being too close to the Swedish possessions in Karelia and Estonia, Peter decided not to move the capital to St Petersburg. While Tsar Peter stayed at the new city for some years, overseeing construction, he soon returned back to Moscow. Development of the city focused mainly on improving it's naval capabilities and making the city more defensible. However, Moscow needed attention as well, being the capital of the Empire. Hoping to improve its conditions. Much of the city was rebuilt with modern city planning in mind. This would see the population of Moscow grow larger in the next years.

Sweden in the War of Spanish Succession

Right after Sweden's surrender, Charles XII was determined to prove that Sweden was still a great powers. He joined the War of Spanish Succession against the Spanish and French. However, the Swedish played a relatively minor role in the war and was thus awarded with little. They only received the backwards Spanish colony of Florida. After the war ended, the Swedish began to develop Florida, founding a city on OTL Jacksonville. Eventually, the investment in Florida would pay off as the colony grew more profitable every year. Fishing and logging would become the backbone of the new Swedish colony.
These are the two things I see issues with, Peter the Great was too heavily invested in St. Petersburg to not make it the capital of Russia regardless of nearby Swedish territory, as he did OTL despite Finland being owned by Sweden. Second, Karl XII wouldn't just join the War of the Spanish Succession without a good enough reason. The only way he would is if one side attacked Sweden or its honor.
 
Ok here are some problems but since it is made up they may not matter. The character of Charles was such that he would not settle peaceably he was very dogmatic some say autistic. Why might he end the war in 1708 and leave the port to Peter? He would have to be attacked by a force so important for his reputation that he was willing to forget about Russia to face them. Maybe Norway and Denmark attack backed by Catholic Austria and Italy ( he hated Catholics and the other two were in his area). There is no way Peter would turn his back on a port that cost him everything - all he wanted was a port and he hated Moscow. The only way he was leave would be if he found another way to trade or another port. But then that might happen if Charles was away and he was able to get Latvia or Estonia while he was off fighting. How does Charles get drawn into the war of the Spanish Succession? Charles needs men by 1708 and he is promised an entire army if he can join and end the war of succession for Spain against France. The rest as you say is alternate history.
 
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