Well it might have some use as a beach-head if you actually want to invade Morocco, I suppose, but hopefully nobody ITTL will be quite that stupid....
The Life and Times of First Duchess of Cumberland
- Thread starter Valena
- Start date
Charles III Stuart is ATL "doppelganger" of Charles XII of Sweden so some crazy decisions are expected, but there's difference between crazy and lunacy. But thanks for... interesting view on matters of lunacy. Though if James II lives till 1701 and James III lives till 1715 - then Charles III comes to power at the age of 35 and then he's a bit too old to play Sebastian of Portugal. So he'll be roughly of August the Strong degree of eccentricity.
Wish I could - you know this 10x better than I do.
Thanks for the update on the House of Stuart.
... a/k/a Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart, youngest daughter of James II/VII. (I had to look up the allusion.)
And I had to dig the portrait with the most "Spanish" look - luckily her father in TTL is black-eyed brunette, so that was easy.
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?p=8212902#post8212902
Chapter 3 is edited. Thanks to the colleagues from another board I found some answers to my questions.
Chapter 3 is edited. Thanks to the colleagues from another board I found some answers to my questions.
I finally decided to went with "dumping ground" solution for ATL Edict of Fontainebleau - earlier discovery of Mississippi mouth is the best method, and allows for "safe" dumping ground that is surrounded by Spanish Catholics from near all sides. This is also an intermediate measure to postpone the revocation since there's no good reason it must happen in 1685 in any TL.
I also decided against Louis XIV's too premature death, since resulting Louis XV will be nearly as "good" as OTL Louis XV.
Coming next - Baltic/Russian special No.2, describing family life of King of Sweden and participation of Russia in Wars of Holy League (with first military campaign of Grand Duke Peter along with "Russian Vauban" (Kosagov was nearly as fond of fortification as his French contemporary, sadly he was one of those people who suffered badly in OTL Russian Regency era of 1680ies, but still have good chance to become famous in ATL).
I also decided against Louis XIV's too premature death, since resulting Louis XV will be nearly as "good" as OTL Louis XV.
Coming next - Baltic/Russian special No.2, describing family life of King of Sweden and participation of Russia in Wars of Holy League (with first military campaign of Grand Duke Peter along with "Russian Vauban" (Kosagov was nearly as fond of fortification as his French contemporary, sadly he was one of those people who suffered badly in OTL Russian Regency era of 1680ies, but still have good chance to become famous in ATL).
Just realized a hilarious thing. TTL Elector Palatine Rupert V is the "reversal" of situation with George I of Hanover - an English prince married to an English princess whose mother tongue is English and who is much more at home in London that in Heidelberg inheriting the throne of German state.
Quite so. Germany was the great exporter of heirs.
But was there even one case of a non-German relation inheriting a German princedom? Perhaps the Danish crown and Holstein.
ISTM that very few German younger brothers married abroad, and with the Salic Law, that's how it would have to happen.
Hochadel law. There was a loophole (used for Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, for example) around this law - imperial tax of 92 000 Talers buying the bride the principal dignity, thus allowing the marriage to be counted as non-morganatic.
But that is A LOT of money and this loophole was used only in rare cases. It's much safer to find a non-morganatic wife among the f*ckton of German states and statelets.
Dudley Rupert of Palatinate-Simmern was Earl of Holderness and Bellomont for first 19 years of his life, his only pure German relative is his paternal grandfather - his dad is half-Scotsman, his mom is Irish noblewoman, he's married to his English second cousin. But he's legal heir under Salic law.
The case with another Duke of Cumberland - Victoria's uncle - inheriting Hannover had a lot less British heritage involved
But that is A LOT of money and this loophole was used only in rare cases. It's much safer to find a non-morganatic wife among the f*ckton of German states and statelets.
Dudley Rupert of Palatinate-Simmern was Earl of Holderness and Bellomont for first 19 years of his life, his only pure German relative is his paternal grandfather - his dad is half-Scotsman, his mom is Irish noblewoman, he's married to his English second cousin. But he's legal heir under Salic law.
The case with another Duke of Cumberland - Victoria's uncle - inheriting Hannover had a lot less British heritage involved
How about Charles V inheriting the Habsburg lands in Austria [etc] from his grandfather Maximilian? With a Spanish mother and a Burgundian paternal grandmother, raised largely in the Burgundian Netherlands and already King in at least Castille (I don't remember the date for Aragon) before this inheritance, he wasn't very 'German'...
I've run into writer block. Handwaving Palatinate and English succession issue DOES NOT result in the handwaving of Nine-Years War. There's still a Cologne succession
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Years'_War#Prelude:_1687.E2.80.9388
And it is even MORE crappy things for the Dutch than Palatinate thing. The only thing that changes is TTL Palatinate alignment and the lack of Dutch intervention in England.
Now I'm writing the "Eastern segment" on late 1680ies, but in the very next chapter I have to take on the Cologne problem. And I need some good ideas for this. No scorched earth in Palatinate, though, since there's no basis for this, and Austrians did not favor such methods of war, though the lands of Palatinate are going to be involved in this ATL Nine Years War no matter what, just not subject to such mass pillage as OTL. I only handwaved one of THREE reasons for Nine Years War and not even the main one, but leftover one. And with better performance of Russia against Tatars TTL the Balkans may be secured even better... thus there WILL be a bloody war in 1690ies regarding the Cologne issue. Though I think that geographically it will be sort of similar to Franco-Dutch War without mass occupation of Rhineland. And the harsher treatment of Huguenots (not only attempts at mass conversion of young children and permit of overseas settlement in Louisiana) might be the result of Cologne thing as the last ditch attempt to please the Pope.
That's not defusing the powder keg, that's merely attaching longer fuse to it.
Any ideas regarding "Cologne War" in TTL? And any thoughts on my ideas presented above?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Years'_War#Prelude:_1687.E2.80.9388
And it is even MORE crappy things for the Dutch than Palatinate thing. The only thing that changes is TTL Palatinate alignment and the lack of Dutch intervention in England.
Now I'm writing the "Eastern segment" on late 1680ies, but in the very next chapter I have to take on the Cologne problem. And I need some good ideas for this. No scorched earth in Palatinate, though, since there's no basis for this, and Austrians did not favor such methods of war, though the lands of Palatinate are going to be involved in this ATL Nine Years War no matter what, just not subject to such mass pillage as OTL. I only handwaved one of THREE reasons for Nine Years War and not even the main one, but leftover one. And with better performance of Russia against Tatars TTL the Balkans may be secured even better... thus there WILL be a bloody war in 1690ies regarding the Cologne issue. Though I think that geographically it will be sort of similar to Franco-Dutch War without mass occupation of Rhineland. And the harsher treatment of Huguenots (not only attempts at mass conversion of young children and permit of overseas settlement in Louisiana) might be the result of Cologne thing as the last ditch attempt to please the Pope.
That's not defusing the powder keg, that's merely attaching longer fuse to it.
Any ideas regarding "Cologne War" in TTL? And any thoughts on my ideas presented above?
Also, any ideas on TTL' fate of Monmouth?
That's how I envision his fate:
With legitimate male protestant successor in Duke of Cambridge the attempt to rebel will be even more ridiculous, and of what we know of James Scott's attitude towards Cambridge as a child, he'll rather be working on securing his position as "power behind the throne", trying to influence young Duke, and maybe go into exile/enter the service of William of Orange for his efforts?
That's how I envision his fate:
With legitimate male protestant successor in Duke of Cambridge the attempt to rebel will be even more ridiculous, and of what we know of James Scott's attitude towards Cambridge as a child, he'll rather be working on securing his position as "power behind the throne", trying to influence young Duke, and maybe go into exile/enter the service of William of Orange for his efforts?
Him working for William -- if William has a place for him -- makes sense to me.
An idea about Cologne succession is maybe attempt to butterfly-postpone it to 1691, so that it coincided with Lovois' death, and thus more limited and less bloodthristy war is possible.
That is the only way to backpedal on this overlooked "White Elephant in the room" I see. Everyone remembers the Palatinate and nobody remembers it was basically an afterthought of Nine-Years War which started because of Cologne.
That is the only way to backpedal on this overlooked "White Elephant in the room" I see. Everyone remembers the Palatinate and nobody remembers it was basically an afterthought of Nine-Years War which started because of Cologne.
Chapter 3.5
On all things eastern (and northern)
It’s not easy to be King of Sweden now, but being the Queen of Sweden is not easier in the slightest. Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt is frequently reminded by her aunt and mother-in-law that she was chosen to be Queen because of big broods of children Hessen princesses are famous for – the most famous being “Neuburg bunch”.
In fact, the criticism is too harsh – there were 8 pregnancies in ten years of marriage, with no stillborn children, yet only two children managed to survive past age of five – Elisabeth-Hedwig, born in 1676, firstborn child of the couple, and Marie-Sybille, born in 1680. The rest run into the one of the biggest first cousin marriage problems – poor survival of boys. And Hessen genes, unlike Habsburg genes, are poorly suited for such situation. The longest-living male child of the couple, Prince Charles, born in 1678, managed to live only to the age of five. Thus if Marie Elisabeth doesn’t give birth to a boy soon, Sweden is up for Queen Elisabeth I. And to make matters worse, the heiress presumptive has unhealthy obsession with her English namesake.
Another Queen Christine is not what Sweden needs now, especially not when Charles XI pursued the peaceful relations with Denmark after disastrous Scanian war. Both countries are scared of being dragged in any pan-European conflicts by Great Powers – especially since England is now dynastically allied to Denmark, and Sweden has been courted by Dutch diplomacy lately (resulting in such strange things as Brandenburg allied with France).
But Elisabeth-Hedwig and Marie-Sybille have one huge advantage over Christine – they are not orphans. So in 1690, to alleviate possible crisis resulting from Charles XI providing support to Christian Albert, exiled Duke of Holstein-Hottorp, young Marie-Sybille gets betrothed to Prince Christian of Denmark, five years her senior (the marriage with crown prince Frederick is more favorable, but is never considered – Kalmar union and all that). Her older sister in the same year marries her cousin, Gustav Samuel Leopold, 5th Duke of Stegeborg, to preserve the dynasty of Swedish Wittelsbachs – thus Gustav is raised ahead of his brother Adolf in succession line to the Swedish throne. Shall Charles XI die without male heir (and the King’s health is not the most robust right now), Gustav and Elisabeth are to be jointly crowned as Gustav III and Elisabeth I of Sweden. That secures the succession somewhat – leaving Charles free to sit and watch what may be the preparation for the next major European war, as Prince-Bishop of Cologne’s health is rapidly declining, and King of France and Holy Roman Emperor both have their preferred candidates for the vacant Electoral seat in one of major strategic areas of Rhineland. Whatever is brewing now, is going to be ugly.
Prince Christian of Denmark
Gustav of Palatinate-Kleeburg, 5th Duke of Stegeborg.
But as for now, the King of France is more interested in trying to find compromise between pleasing Pope and keeping pro-French opposition in Netherlands content – thus dangling both carrot of Louisiana colony in front of Huguenot population – especially La Rochelle merchants (and corsairs) who see Caribbean region as the quick and easy money making, and “voluntary-forced” conversions, which become more and more pronounced and more and more with the stress on “forced”.
The Emperor is too busy dealing with Holy League business, nevertheless. And the business so far is good. Eugene of Savoy, who escaped from French service into Austrian after being denied military career at France, proves himself to be superb asset as a military commander. There are also prominent “allied volunteers” such as Charles-Louis, Raugraf Palatine, or Prince Conti of France. The King of Poland, John Sobieski, is also enjoying high success – especially since his eastern flank is secured. The Moldavian campaigns are still not successful – but mostly because Moldavian populance doesn’t want Catholic Hospodars and the campaigns are somewhat lackluster – with the money of his wife, who sadly fails to give him son (but gives him three pretty daughters), Jakub Sobieski has all the money and prestige needed to bribe Sejm in electing him the next king and is not too eager to secure the Hospodar title for himself. His brother Alexander, however, is another story which is to be told later.
Russians did manage to provide excellent support against Tatars, especially due to Tsar Feodor III being desperate for military victory against somebody important for general folk in Muscovy (Amur War with China is too far away to count as something of importance, unlike the crusade against traditional enemies) – “Papist Tsar” propaganda from the Old Believers supporters is on its highest as of 1688 (the pamphlets with the offensive criticism of Romanov dynasty are being thrown even from bell towers of Kremlin), and Tsar’s only surviving full brother, Grand Duke Ivan, is nearly killed in the accident involving a group of Old Believers performing self-immolation (“baptism by fire”) on the road to one of monasteries. Ivan, suffering from health problems, went to some prominent holy sites on pilgrimage hoping that it would improve his health. The sight of burning men chanting prayers mixed with screams obviously scared horses, the carriage was turned on its roof before the bodyguards of Grand Duke had the chance to intervene. The Grand Duke got serious injuries, which in combination with his disability resulted in the death of Ivan in June 1688, close to the Holy Trinity Holiday (Troitsa).
Another blow to Feodor’s family is suffered the same year, when Tsarina Agafia dies in childbirth in August 1688, giving birth to who is going to be a spare to the Russian throne. Both boy (born premature, probably due to the stress caused by Ivan’s death), christened Ivan after his late uncle, and mother perish within five days. Tsar Feodor is left devastated. Agafia was the love of his life, but now he has to marry another woman – since his children from Agafia amount to sickly Tsesarevich-Successor Ilya, born in 1681, and three of his sisters – Tsarevnas Irina, born in 1683, Anastasia, born in 1685, and Fotinia (Greek rendering of Svetlana, which was thought to be too “peasantly” of a name for Tsarevna, despite she was born on the March 20, 1687, commemorative day of the respective Saint, Fotinia the Samaritan Martyr).
After some pondering he marries to Marfa Apraxina soon after Christmas – her family is of known merit to Feodor, the brothers of new Tsarina serving in retinue of Feodor’s half-brother Grand Duke Peter. So the Apraxins are not of the kind that would be driven too power-hungry due to becoming in-laws to Tsar – at least in Feodor’s opinion.[1]
Marfa Apraxina, the second wife of Feodor III of Russia
Marfa is a quiet woman, unlike politically active Agafia, perfectly knowing that she was selected only to secure the continuation of Romanov dynasty. The thing is especially important, since Ivan is dead, Ilya is sickly, and Peter is… typical horny 16-years old, but what makes a good mistress, won’t make a good Tsarina. At least “Peter is making progress in learning German in his nightly… classes with his mistress from Nemetskaya Sloboda”, as Feodor jokes about his godson. There’s not one lover, there’s a number of concubines – but all of those are pretty low-born and none of them is Grand Duchess material – yes, grandmother to Feodor and Peter, Eudokia Streshneva, was comparatively low-born, but the daughter of lowly provincial noble is still more high born that the daughter of craftsman or merchant.
So Feodor has to find the means to provide a marriage for Peter that will both satisfy his tastes for “Western girls” and prevent the Dowager Tsarina Natalya from any meddling through marriage of her son in attempts to return her brother Lev, now busy conquering Novorossia-on-Amur from Chinese, to court. He enters the correspondence with his sister, Princess of Courland, on this matter, asking her to review her husband’s nieces for some girl who is reasonably pretty, witty and is not above the conversion to Orthodox Christianity which is a requirement for marrying a Russian Grand Duke.
As the bride-searching agency “Sophia and Feodor” starts its work, Peter leaves Moscow with large retinue (many young men in which having military experience in Peter’s Amusement Guard) on his first military campaign in assistance to Kosagov.
Kosagov has already earned the title of Shaitan Pasha (Devil General) by taking Ochakov and several other fortresses in 1686, where he started the mass fortification program after beating the weak link of Crimean nomads, Budjack Horde of Belgorod. That was especially important since the direct attack on Crimean Tatars resulted in the Second Defeat at Kalka (Konka) of 1687, where the allies of Russia, Hetmanate, and the large group of Russian cavalry were chased off by Tatars using the burning of steppe, thus destroying the food source of Russian horses. Kosagov, with his Vauban-like attitude to military business, viewed fighting the nomads as nomads do, namely cavalry on cavalry, highly unreasonable. His general plan, presented to Tsar, involved encircling Crimea from both sides and creating the base against Turks in both Black Sea (Ochakov and surrounding fortification) and Azov Sea, for which a fortress of Azov needed to be taken. For that purpose a fleet of 30 galleys was built on Voronezh shipyard with assistance of specialists provided by Duke of Courland was prepared. Kosagov already attempted to besiege Azov from sea in 1674 but was chased away by Turkish fleet. Right now the major forces of Turkish Navy are too busy fighting Venetians in Mediterranean, so no major fleet is expected.
Feodor is reasonably worried about his godson – in both Amur and Tatar campaigns more people were killed by diseases than by Manchu or Tatars (prompting Feodor to start reorganization of Apothecary Department to ensure better medical support for Russian Army). But with lack of good PR for Russian Army a successful military campaign by the prince of royal blood is the best. Peter got good advisors, both from Russia and Courland, has good sturdy fleet partially manned by Couronian sailors and partially by Cossacks familiar with local waters, and got everything to return to Moscow as victorious prince.
It is worth to note that Russian subsidies (and the influence of Sophia of Russia) were directed towards support of Courland Navy, which Feodor plans to turn into reliable mercenary Navy. The groundwork laid by Duke Jakob, invitations of Courland nobles to serve in Russian New Model Regiment as officers, and Sophia’s good knowledge of history of Byzantine bureaucracy (and regular monetary donations by her brother) shall all serve to keep Courland as the pro-Russian “pet Baltic Holland”. And right now it’s well fed ally, with a Duke who loves splendid court life just enough to live off Russian subsidies, listen to advices from his sister-in-law, and provide specialists for Russian Navy and artillery.
The Don Campaign provided good example of Cossack plundering talent as groups of Cossacks on galleys and traditional “Chaikas” were used to cut off Azov from supply by sea. Some of the veterans of those privateer campaigns will later move to Novorossia-on-Amur, where Cossack piracy traditions will soon flourish as the downstream of Amur is well mapped, providing the first relatively strong Christian pirate force in the region dominated by Chinese and Japanese pirates.
Azov was taken in 1690 after a few months of siege and bombardment from sea, during which Grand Duke Peter has shown himself as a competent commander understanding the interaction of navy and artillery. Taking of Azov and Ochakov now meant that mouths of Don and Dnepr are controlled by Russians – even though Kosagov is facing supply problems in Ochakov, it is enough to cause MASSIVE panic in Istanbul and even more massive rejoicing in Moscow. Partrick Gordon, a Scottish Catholic and “Extraordinary Ambassador” of English court in Russia (invested as such by James II in 1686, but not approved due to Gordon being a general in Russian service, so Feodor decided that him pulling double-duty would be rather ridiculous) was appointed the first Russian governor of Azov, invested with the task of fortification of mouth of Don, just as Kosagov is building fortification in the mouth of Dnepr. Kosagov and Gordon are in sort of rivalry for the title of best fortification expert in Russia, and having them both securing strategic positions on major rivers is viewed as very important thing.
Victorious Grand Duke Peter is recalled to Moscow, the image making act being totally successful. Peter is first greeted at Izmailovo, which is gaining the reputation of Russian Versailles, despite the palace itself being rather modest unlike surrounding gardens (Feodor was of rather Spartan tastes in his personal life, but beautiful gardens were loved by Agafia, it was her decision to create the Izmailovo Park, and Feodor is going to honor it) by his brother and his family, which on April 14, 1690 welcomed the newest addition and first child of Feodor and his second wife – Tsarevich Sergey, named after revered Saint Sergey of Radonezh.
Then 18-years old Peter is invited to Mitava by his sister Sophia. It is there, in Mitava Court Opera (Peter finds Opera a great way to compromise between tastes of his sister Natalya – the only patron of theater in Russian royal family – and his brother Tsar Feodor – it’s theater, just like Natalya likes, but with music, just like Feodor likes – and wonders how good would it be to have one in Moscow to please them, though he personally is rather indifferent about all this stuff) where he meets a “beautiful angel” – the result of bride-search by Feodor and Sophia, Charlotte-Dorothea-Sophia of Hesse-Homburg. She is only a month younger than Peter, well-mannered, and dashing Russian prince finds himself in rather awkward situation. A beautiful, well educated Western girl – who seems to like him, Peter – and Peter finds himself responding to her in strange mixture of German and Latin, forgetting simple words from languages he has a good knowledge of. She’s an angel and he’s a big hulking Eastern savage, whose previous experience with ladies was with…well, non-ladies.
What’s more, Charlotte is totally OK with converting to Orthodox Christianity, becoming Sophia Feodorovna. Probably that’s because another marriage prospect of her, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, is a hopeless drunkard with five children from previous marriage, and young Russian Grand Duke with romantic fleur of victorious military commander around him is a suitable alternative.
The bride is converted into Orthodox Faith by Mitropolite Marcellus of Pskov, a confessor to Princess of Courland, in September 1690, and the splendid wedding of Grand Duke Peter and Grand Duchess Sophia Feodorovna is celebrated in Mitava the same month. The no less splendid celebration is held in Moscow a month later, attended by the whole family of Tsar (it is noted that Tsarina Marfa is pregnant again, taking seriously her duty to be the “family breeder”).
Marcellus’ election as Patriarch [2] in 1691 was another sign of Latinization of the Tsar family, since the new Patriarch was a Bulgarian, and thus will by default support the religious union with Constantinople Patriarchy. However, Tsar Feodor hoped for the peace with Osman Empire that will secure mouths of Don and Dnepr for Russia, and thus a Patriarch with the least disagreement with Constantinople is a good mediator.
Notes:
[1] Marfa Apraxina was selected as second wife for Feodor in OTL, however Feodor was terminally ill by then and in OTL Agafya Grushetskaya died from her first pregnancy, not fourth one.
[2] In OTL he lost election to Mitropolite Hadrian of Kazan due to intrigues of Dowager Tsarina Natalya Naryshkina, whose position is much less important in TTL.
On all things eastern (and northern)
It’s not easy to be King of Sweden now, but being the Queen of Sweden is not easier in the slightest. Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt is frequently reminded by her aunt and mother-in-law that she was chosen to be Queen because of big broods of children Hessen princesses are famous for – the most famous being “Neuburg bunch”.
In fact, the criticism is too harsh – there were 8 pregnancies in ten years of marriage, with no stillborn children, yet only two children managed to survive past age of five – Elisabeth-Hedwig, born in 1676, firstborn child of the couple, and Marie-Sybille, born in 1680. The rest run into the one of the biggest first cousin marriage problems – poor survival of boys. And Hessen genes, unlike Habsburg genes, are poorly suited for such situation. The longest-living male child of the couple, Prince Charles, born in 1678, managed to live only to the age of five. Thus if Marie Elisabeth doesn’t give birth to a boy soon, Sweden is up for Queen Elisabeth I. And to make matters worse, the heiress presumptive has unhealthy obsession with her English namesake.
Another Queen Christine is not what Sweden needs now, especially not when Charles XI pursued the peaceful relations with Denmark after disastrous Scanian war. Both countries are scared of being dragged in any pan-European conflicts by Great Powers – especially since England is now dynastically allied to Denmark, and Sweden has been courted by Dutch diplomacy lately (resulting in such strange things as Brandenburg allied with France).
But Elisabeth-Hedwig and Marie-Sybille have one huge advantage over Christine – they are not orphans. So in 1690, to alleviate possible crisis resulting from Charles XI providing support to Christian Albert, exiled Duke of Holstein-Hottorp, young Marie-Sybille gets betrothed to Prince Christian of Denmark, five years her senior (the marriage with crown prince Frederick is more favorable, but is never considered – Kalmar union and all that). Her older sister in the same year marries her cousin, Gustav Samuel Leopold, 5th Duke of Stegeborg, to preserve the dynasty of Swedish Wittelsbachs – thus Gustav is raised ahead of his brother Adolf in succession line to the Swedish throne. Shall Charles XI die without male heir (and the King’s health is not the most robust right now), Gustav and Elisabeth are to be jointly crowned as Gustav III and Elisabeth I of Sweden. That secures the succession somewhat – leaving Charles free to sit and watch what may be the preparation for the next major European war, as Prince-Bishop of Cologne’s health is rapidly declining, and King of France and Holy Roman Emperor both have their preferred candidates for the vacant Electoral seat in one of major strategic areas of Rhineland. Whatever is brewing now, is going to be ugly.
Prince Christian of Denmark
Gustav of Palatinate-Kleeburg, 5th Duke of Stegeborg.
But as for now, the King of France is more interested in trying to find compromise between pleasing Pope and keeping pro-French opposition in Netherlands content – thus dangling both carrot of Louisiana colony in front of Huguenot population – especially La Rochelle merchants (and corsairs) who see Caribbean region as the quick and easy money making, and “voluntary-forced” conversions, which become more and more pronounced and more and more with the stress on “forced”.
The Emperor is too busy dealing with Holy League business, nevertheless. And the business so far is good. Eugene of Savoy, who escaped from French service into Austrian after being denied military career at France, proves himself to be superb asset as a military commander. There are also prominent “allied volunteers” such as Charles-Louis, Raugraf Palatine, or Prince Conti of France. The King of Poland, John Sobieski, is also enjoying high success – especially since his eastern flank is secured. The Moldavian campaigns are still not successful – but mostly because Moldavian populance doesn’t want Catholic Hospodars and the campaigns are somewhat lackluster – with the money of his wife, who sadly fails to give him son (but gives him three pretty daughters), Jakub Sobieski has all the money and prestige needed to bribe Sejm in electing him the next king and is not too eager to secure the Hospodar title for himself. His brother Alexander, however, is another story which is to be told later.
Russians did manage to provide excellent support against Tatars, especially due to Tsar Feodor III being desperate for military victory against somebody important for general folk in Muscovy (Amur War with China is too far away to count as something of importance, unlike the crusade against traditional enemies) – “Papist Tsar” propaganda from the Old Believers supporters is on its highest as of 1688 (the pamphlets with the offensive criticism of Romanov dynasty are being thrown even from bell towers of Kremlin), and Tsar’s only surviving full brother, Grand Duke Ivan, is nearly killed in the accident involving a group of Old Believers performing self-immolation (“baptism by fire”) on the road to one of monasteries. Ivan, suffering from health problems, went to some prominent holy sites on pilgrimage hoping that it would improve his health. The sight of burning men chanting prayers mixed with screams obviously scared horses, the carriage was turned on its roof before the bodyguards of Grand Duke had the chance to intervene. The Grand Duke got serious injuries, which in combination with his disability resulted in the death of Ivan in June 1688, close to the Holy Trinity Holiday (Troitsa).
Another blow to Feodor’s family is suffered the same year, when Tsarina Agafia dies in childbirth in August 1688, giving birth to who is going to be a spare to the Russian throne. Both boy (born premature, probably due to the stress caused by Ivan’s death), christened Ivan after his late uncle, and mother perish within five days. Tsar Feodor is left devastated. Agafia was the love of his life, but now he has to marry another woman – since his children from Agafia amount to sickly Tsesarevich-Successor Ilya, born in 1681, and three of his sisters – Tsarevnas Irina, born in 1683, Anastasia, born in 1685, and Fotinia (Greek rendering of Svetlana, which was thought to be too “peasantly” of a name for Tsarevna, despite she was born on the March 20, 1687, commemorative day of the respective Saint, Fotinia the Samaritan Martyr).
After some pondering he marries to Marfa Apraxina soon after Christmas – her family is of known merit to Feodor, the brothers of new Tsarina serving in retinue of Feodor’s half-brother Grand Duke Peter. So the Apraxins are not of the kind that would be driven too power-hungry due to becoming in-laws to Tsar – at least in Feodor’s opinion.[1]
Marfa Apraxina, the second wife of Feodor III of Russia
Marfa is a quiet woman, unlike politically active Agafia, perfectly knowing that she was selected only to secure the continuation of Romanov dynasty. The thing is especially important, since Ivan is dead, Ilya is sickly, and Peter is… typical horny 16-years old, but what makes a good mistress, won’t make a good Tsarina. At least “Peter is making progress in learning German in his nightly… classes with his mistress from Nemetskaya Sloboda”, as Feodor jokes about his godson. There’s not one lover, there’s a number of concubines – but all of those are pretty low-born and none of them is Grand Duchess material – yes, grandmother to Feodor and Peter, Eudokia Streshneva, was comparatively low-born, but the daughter of lowly provincial noble is still more high born that the daughter of craftsman or merchant.
So Feodor has to find the means to provide a marriage for Peter that will both satisfy his tastes for “Western girls” and prevent the Dowager Tsarina Natalya from any meddling through marriage of her son in attempts to return her brother Lev, now busy conquering Novorossia-on-Amur from Chinese, to court. He enters the correspondence with his sister, Princess of Courland, on this matter, asking her to review her husband’s nieces for some girl who is reasonably pretty, witty and is not above the conversion to Orthodox Christianity which is a requirement for marrying a Russian Grand Duke.
As the bride-searching agency “Sophia and Feodor” starts its work, Peter leaves Moscow with large retinue (many young men in which having military experience in Peter’s Amusement Guard) on his first military campaign in assistance to Kosagov.
Kosagov has already earned the title of Shaitan Pasha (Devil General) by taking Ochakov and several other fortresses in 1686, where he started the mass fortification program after beating the weak link of Crimean nomads, Budjack Horde of Belgorod. That was especially important since the direct attack on Crimean Tatars resulted in the Second Defeat at Kalka (Konka) of 1687, where the allies of Russia, Hetmanate, and the large group of Russian cavalry were chased off by Tatars using the burning of steppe, thus destroying the food source of Russian horses. Kosagov, with his Vauban-like attitude to military business, viewed fighting the nomads as nomads do, namely cavalry on cavalry, highly unreasonable. His general plan, presented to Tsar, involved encircling Crimea from both sides and creating the base against Turks in both Black Sea (Ochakov and surrounding fortification) and Azov Sea, for which a fortress of Azov needed to be taken. For that purpose a fleet of 30 galleys was built on Voronezh shipyard with assistance of specialists provided by Duke of Courland was prepared. Kosagov already attempted to besiege Azov from sea in 1674 but was chased away by Turkish fleet. Right now the major forces of Turkish Navy are too busy fighting Venetians in Mediterranean, so no major fleet is expected.
Feodor is reasonably worried about his godson – in both Amur and Tatar campaigns more people were killed by diseases than by Manchu or Tatars (prompting Feodor to start reorganization of Apothecary Department to ensure better medical support for Russian Army). But with lack of good PR for Russian Army a successful military campaign by the prince of royal blood is the best. Peter got good advisors, both from Russia and Courland, has good sturdy fleet partially manned by Couronian sailors and partially by Cossacks familiar with local waters, and got everything to return to Moscow as victorious prince.
It is worth to note that Russian subsidies (and the influence of Sophia of Russia) were directed towards support of Courland Navy, which Feodor plans to turn into reliable mercenary Navy. The groundwork laid by Duke Jakob, invitations of Courland nobles to serve in Russian New Model Regiment as officers, and Sophia’s good knowledge of history of Byzantine bureaucracy (and regular monetary donations by her brother) shall all serve to keep Courland as the pro-Russian “pet Baltic Holland”. And right now it’s well fed ally, with a Duke who loves splendid court life just enough to live off Russian subsidies, listen to advices from his sister-in-law, and provide specialists for Russian Navy and artillery.
The Don Campaign provided good example of Cossack plundering talent as groups of Cossacks on galleys and traditional “Chaikas” were used to cut off Azov from supply by sea. Some of the veterans of those privateer campaigns will later move to Novorossia-on-Amur, where Cossack piracy traditions will soon flourish as the downstream of Amur is well mapped, providing the first relatively strong Christian pirate force in the region dominated by Chinese and Japanese pirates.
Azov was taken in 1690 after a few months of siege and bombardment from sea, during which Grand Duke Peter has shown himself as a competent commander understanding the interaction of navy and artillery. Taking of Azov and Ochakov now meant that mouths of Don and Dnepr are controlled by Russians – even though Kosagov is facing supply problems in Ochakov, it is enough to cause MASSIVE panic in Istanbul and even more massive rejoicing in Moscow. Partrick Gordon, a Scottish Catholic and “Extraordinary Ambassador” of English court in Russia (invested as such by James II in 1686, but not approved due to Gordon being a general in Russian service, so Feodor decided that him pulling double-duty would be rather ridiculous) was appointed the first Russian governor of Azov, invested with the task of fortification of mouth of Don, just as Kosagov is building fortification in the mouth of Dnepr. Kosagov and Gordon are in sort of rivalry for the title of best fortification expert in Russia, and having them both securing strategic positions on major rivers is viewed as very important thing.
Victorious Grand Duke Peter is recalled to Moscow, the image making act being totally successful. Peter is first greeted at Izmailovo, which is gaining the reputation of Russian Versailles, despite the palace itself being rather modest unlike surrounding gardens (Feodor was of rather Spartan tastes in his personal life, but beautiful gardens were loved by Agafia, it was her decision to create the Izmailovo Park, and Feodor is going to honor it) by his brother and his family, which on April 14, 1690 welcomed the newest addition and first child of Feodor and his second wife – Tsarevich Sergey, named after revered Saint Sergey of Radonezh.
Then 18-years old Peter is invited to Mitava by his sister Sophia. It is there, in Mitava Court Opera (Peter finds Opera a great way to compromise between tastes of his sister Natalya – the only patron of theater in Russian royal family – and his brother Tsar Feodor – it’s theater, just like Natalya likes, but with music, just like Feodor likes – and wonders how good would it be to have one in Moscow to please them, though he personally is rather indifferent about all this stuff) where he meets a “beautiful angel” – the result of bride-search by Feodor and Sophia, Charlotte-Dorothea-Sophia of Hesse-Homburg. She is only a month younger than Peter, well-mannered, and dashing Russian prince finds himself in rather awkward situation. A beautiful, well educated Western girl – who seems to like him, Peter – and Peter finds himself responding to her in strange mixture of German and Latin, forgetting simple words from languages he has a good knowledge of. She’s an angel and he’s a big hulking Eastern savage, whose previous experience with ladies was with…well, non-ladies.
What’s more, Charlotte is totally OK with converting to Orthodox Christianity, becoming Sophia Feodorovna. Probably that’s because another marriage prospect of her, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, is a hopeless drunkard with five children from previous marriage, and young Russian Grand Duke with romantic fleur of victorious military commander around him is a suitable alternative.
The bride is converted into Orthodox Faith by Mitropolite Marcellus of Pskov, a confessor to Princess of Courland, in September 1690, and the splendid wedding of Grand Duke Peter and Grand Duchess Sophia Feodorovna is celebrated in Mitava the same month. The no less splendid celebration is held in Moscow a month later, attended by the whole family of Tsar (it is noted that Tsarina Marfa is pregnant again, taking seriously her duty to be the “family breeder”).
Marcellus’ election as Patriarch [2] in 1691 was another sign of Latinization of the Tsar family, since the new Patriarch was a Bulgarian, and thus will by default support the religious union with Constantinople Patriarchy. However, Tsar Feodor hoped for the peace with Osman Empire that will secure mouths of Don and Dnepr for Russia, and thus a Patriarch with the least disagreement with Constantinople is a good mediator.
Notes:
[1] Marfa Apraxina was selected as second wife for Feodor in OTL, however Feodor was terminally ill by then and in OTL Agafya Grushetskaya died from her first pregnancy, not fourth one.
[2] In OTL he lost election to Mitropolite Hadrian of Kazan due to intrigues of Dowager Tsarina Natalya Naryshkina, whose position is much less important in TTL.
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Second "Eastern Special" is finished. Not much Novorossia-on-Amur here, since I had no time for simultaneous research on possibilities for the region development while I'm busy researching derivatives for Cologne war and the Crimean campaigns of Russian Regency. Kosagov did capture Ochakov in OTL, but was unable to keep it (due to political unholy mess in Moscow and him being strongly loyal to Galitzine family he never got the support he needed). In TTL he's in much better position to secure the mouth of Dnepr, due to him having more weight in decision-making.
And notable things in Novorossia-on-Amur won't start until 1710 so I decided not to run ahead too much.
And notable things in Novorossia-on-Amur won't start until 1710 so I decided not to run ahead too much.