The Sport of Kings
- Thread starter Grey Wolf
- Start date
Why not? I worked for England and Scotland.
I decided that 'United Kingdom' doesn't work. Scotland and England in OTL were united as the Kingdom of Great Britain (Queen Anne) and as a territorially contiguous unit it made sense to merge the legislatures at London, creating a united parliament for the realm. The United Kingdom came into existence a century later being the unification of Great Britain and Ireland, and saw Ireland's parliament merged into that of Great Britain, again at London.
I can't see any merging of legislatures going on for England and France in this ATL. The Estates General are not going to merge into the English parliament in London, whilst the latter is not going to merge into the Estates General in Paris. Neither realm would accept this and civil war would be the result. This might change later, but for the time-being the idea of a Dual Monarchy akin to Austria-Hungary (after 1866) makes sense, with separate legislatures for England and for France ruling each kingdom under a united crown.
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The Polish War - Pt 1 (1640-1647)
The Polish War 1640-1651
With an Imperial army under the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX and a Danish army under Christian V advancing from the West, and a united army of the Livonian Order supported by a Swedish contingent building in the East, the Christian powers of Europe combine in a united response to the Ottoman defeat of Poland, and the seizure of Danzig.
The irony is not lost on people. Fifty years before, the then Pope in the 1590s called for a Crusade against the Ottomans who were menacing Poland, and in so doing caused the split in the Church that led to the twenty-year long struggle of the Wars of Religion. The Crusader ideology defeated, a Collegiate Church was established by the victors. Now the heirs to those anti-Crusader victors combine to launch what is in all but name a Crusade against the Ottomans for the defence of Poland, only now five decades later the Ottoman Empire is in a much stronger position, and that of Poland is more parlous than ever.
King Sigismund IV of Poland (butterflies owing to his father's different marriage from OTL) and the schismatic Pope are besieged in Warsaw by one arm of the Ottoman army, whilst the other has swept West to the Baltic and taken Danzig.
In the South-East, Tsar Michael Romanov has little interest in the high ideals of Christian unity and takes advantage of Polish weakness to lay siege to Kiev.
1640 sees the Imperial Army succeed in driving the Ottomans from Danzig, but they retreat in good order and Winter in Great Poland
1641
Warsaw falls to the Ottomans, King Sigismund IV fleeing to Vilna, the schismatic Pope to the remnants of the Teutonic Knights in Konigsberg
There is much consternation across Europe, and many volunteers flock to Poland, serving as auxiliaries of the Imperial Army under Charles IX
In Paris, Prince John, Prince of Wales (b 1621) begs his father to be allowed to lead an English/French volunteer force to Poland. Several great nobles back his call, and eventually Edward V gives in, his reasoning (as he explains to the Archbishop of Canterbury in a letter) being that should John die, he has three other sons, but should he live and become a hero then it would set him up well for when he succeeds him as king. Many younger sons of the nobility enroll in the volunteer force, and Edward V appoints Jean IX, Count of Armagnac (grandson and successor of the war hero from the Wars of Religion) to be the Prince of Wales' mentor in arms. They set off from Paris amidst much pomp and ceremony
An Ottoman strike at Konigsberg is halted by the Danish army of King Christian V
Prince George, Duke of York (b 1625) is elevated by his elder brother's absence into the counsel and councils of his father, Edward V
1642
One consequence of the Duke of York's new importance is that the seventeen year old prince is attendant on his father during a state visit to Paris by King Richard V of Navarre, coinciding with the Navarese volunteer force passing through on its way to Poland.
During this visit Prince George meets for the first time Richard's eldest daughter Sophia (b 1632) and is much enamoured of her. Their father's agree to a betrothal but the marriage is to be delayed until Sophia is eighteen.
A combined army of Danes and the Livonian Order fails to retake Warsaw
Kiev falls to Tsar Michael Romanov
The Imperial army, together with the English/French volunteers briefly retake Krakow but cannot hold it
1643
The Ottomans defeat a Livonian/Lithuanian army and sack Vilna, forcing King Sigismund IV to flee to Riga
King Charles X Philip sends additional Swedish reinforcements to his Vasa cousin at Riga
1644
King Charles X Philip (b 1601) still has no heir
Upon the death of his first wife (an ATL Danish noble's daughter he married whilst in exile in 1620), he weds as his second wife the young (14 year old) daughter of his old friend the Duke of Somerset
Somerset travels with his daughter, Elizabeth Beaufort (b 1630) to Sweden for the wedding
The Imperial Army lays siege to Warsaw
The Ottomans break the Livonian Order
The Swedish and Lithuanian army is besieged at Riga
Michael Romanov meanwhile occupies Ingria
News of the distaster to the Livonian Order and the cutting off of the Swedish force reaches Sweden.
Somerset volunteers to lead a relief force and lands in Estonia
Michael Romanov falls upon his force and annihilates it, killing him, slaughtering the Swedes, and occupying Northern Estonia
In response to these twin disasters, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX calls on all states of the Empire to provide troops, creating a new army under the Elector Palatine, which includes contingents from Urbino under the 2nd Howard Duke (who is also Earl of Nottingham)
1645
Queen Elizabeth Beaufort of Sweden gives birth to a sickly boy named Charles Augustus who surprises the doctors by living
Ottoman forces ravage Kurland/Courland and Livonia
Riga holds out
Polish noles rebel in Kiev and drive the Russians out
The two Imperial armies unite and take Warsaw
1646
Ottoman forces evacuate the North and fall back to Lublin
A Swedish-Polish force from Riga smashes Michael Romanov in Estonia
1647
There is much recrimination in the Imperial and allied armies that the King of Poland did not follow up the retreating Ottomans and press the issue, but instead struck NORTH against the Russians
Dissension in the allied ranks causes King Christian V of Denmark to return home with his army, convinced that the aim of the war has been achieved and the Ottomans driven for good far away from the Baltic
King Sigismund IV returns to Warsaw in great ceremony, celebrating his victory over the Russians and the Ottoman retreat
He brings the Crusader Pope back from Konigsberg, creating an open split with many of the allies. After months of squabbling, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX returns to Burgundy handing over control of the joint Imperial army to the Elector Palatine
All this dissension is to the advantage of the Ottomans who consolidate their position across the South-West, from Krakow to Lublin and across the Dniester into Volhynia
The campaigning season gets underway late, with the Imperial and Polish armies in an uneasy partnership, striking at Krakow. Failure to co-ordinate leads to a chaotic battle against the main Ottoman force, and the Elector Palatine withdraws his force for Winter
King Sigismund IV refuses to do likewise and launches a second attack upon Krakow
In a fierce battle his force is cut to bits and the king mortally wounded, dying in Ottoman captivity a couple of weeks later
King Charles X Philip of Sweden visits his army and there confers with the Imperial leadership
The new Polish king elected by the Sejm is Sigismund IV's brother John II Casimir, but his position is weak in a Warsaw full of Imperial troops
Charles X Philip and the Elector Palatine make a secret deal - Charles (b 1622) son of the Count Palatine of Zweibrucken and of Charles X Philip's sister Catherine will become King of Poland, with Swedish and Imperial backing
- - - - - -
more later - out of time now and it won't let me have any more !!!
- - - - - -
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The Polish War 1640-1651
With an Imperial army under the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX and a Danish army under Christian V advancing from the West, and a united army of the Livonian Order supported by a Swedish contingent building in the East, the Christian powers of Europe combine in a united response to the Ottoman defeat of Poland, and the seizure of Danzig.
The irony is not lost on people. Fifty years before, the then Pope in the 1590s called for a Crusade against the Ottomans who were menacing Poland, and in so doing caused the split in the Church that led to the twenty-year long struggle of the Wars of Religion. The Crusader ideology defeated, a Collegiate Church was established by the victors. Now the heirs to those anti-Crusader victors combine to launch what is in all but name a Crusade against the Ottomans for the defence of Poland, only now five decades later the Ottoman Empire is in a much stronger position, and that of Poland is more parlous than ever.
King Sigismund IV of Poland (butterflies owing to his father's different marriage from OTL) and the schismatic Pope are besieged in Warsaw by one arm of the Ottoman army, whilst the other has swept West to the Baltic and taken Danzig.
In the South-East, Tsar Michael Romanov has little interest in the high ideals of Christian unity and takes advantage of Polish weakness to lay siege to Kiev.
1640 sees the Imperial Army succeed in driving the Ottomans from Danzig, but they retreat in good order and Winter in Great Poland
1641
Warsaw falls to the Ottomans, King Sigismund IV fleeing to Vilna, the schismatic Pope to the remnants of the Teutonic Knights in Konigsberg
There is much consternation across Europe, and many volunteers flock to Poland, serving as auxiliaries of the Imperial Army under Charles IX
In Paris, Prince John, Prince of Wales (b 1621) begs his father to be allowed to lead an English/French volunteer force to Poland. Several great nobles back his call, and eventually Edward V gives in, his reasoning (as he explains to the Archbishop of Canterbury in a letter) being that should John die, he has three other sons, but should he live and become a hero then it would set him up well for when he succeeds him as king. Many younger sons of the nobility enroll in the volunteer force, and Edward V appoints Jean IX, Count of Armagnac (grandson and successor of the war hero from the Wars of Religion) to be the Prince of Wales' mentor in arms. They set off from Paris amidst much pomp and ceremony
An Ottoman strike at Konigsberg is halted by the Danish army of King Christian V
Prince George, Duke of York (b 1625) is elevated by his elder brother's absence into the counsel and councils of his father, Edward V
1642
One consequence of the Duke of York's new importance is that the seventeen year old prince is attendant on his father during a state visit to Paris by King Richard V of Navarre, coinciding with the Navarese volunteer force passing through on its way to Poland.
During this visit Prince George meets for the first time Richard's eldest daughter Sophia (b 1632) and is much enamoured of her. Their father's agree to a betrothal but the marriage is to be delayed until Sophia is eighteen.
A combined army of Danes and the Livonian Order fails to retake Warsaw
Kiev falls to Tsar Michael Romanov
The Imperial army, together with the English/French volunteers briefly retake Krakow but cannot hold it
1643
The Ottomans defeat a Livonian/Lithuanian army and sack Vilna, forcing King Sigismund IV to flee to Riga
King Charles X Philip sends additional Swedish reinforcements to his Vasa cousin at Riga
1644
King Charles X Philip (b 1601) still has no heir
Upon the death of his first wife (an ATL Danish noble's daughter he married whilst in exile in 1620), he weds as his second wife the young (14 year old) daughter of his old friend the Duke of Somerset
Somerset travels with his daughter, Elizabeth Beaufort (b 1630) to Sweden for the wedding
The Imperial Army lays siege to Warsaw
The Ottomans break the Livonian Order
The Swedish and Lithuanian army is besieged at Riga
Michael Romanov meanwhile occupies Ingria
News of the distaster to the Livonian Order and the cutting off of the Swedish force reaches Sweden.
Somerset volunteers to lead a relief force and lands in Estonia
Michael Romanov falls upon his force and annihilates it, killing him, slaughtering the Swedes, and occupying Northern Estonia
In response to these twin disasters, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX calls on all states of the Empire to provide troops, creating a new army under the Elector Palatine, which includes contingents from Urbino under the 2nd Howard Duke (who is also Earl of Nottingham)
1645
Queen Elizabeth Beaufort of Sweden gives birth to a sickly boy named Charles Augustus who surprises the doctors by living
Ottoman forces ravage Kurland/Courland and Livonia
Riga holds out
Polish noles rebel in Kiev and drive the Russians out
The two Imperial armies unite and take Warsaw
1646
Ottoman forces evacuate the North and fall back to Lublin
A Swedish-Polish force from Riga smashes Michael Romanov in Estonia
1647
There is much recrimination in the Imperial and allied armies that the King of Poland did not follow up the retreating Ottomans and press the issue, but instead struck NORTH against the Russians
Dissension in the allied ranks causes King Christian V of Denmark to return home with his army, convinced that the aim of the war has been achieved and the Ottomans driven for good far away from the Baltic
King Sigismund IV returns to Warsaw in great ceremony, celebrating his victory over the Russians and the Ottoman retreat
He brings the Crusader Pope back from Konigsberg, creating an open split with many of the allies. After months of squabbling, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX returns to Burgundy handing over control of the joint Imperial army to the Elector Palatine
All this dissension is to the advantage of the Ottomans who consolidate their position across the South-West, from Krakow to Lublin and across the Dniester into Volhynia
The campaigning season gets underway late, with the Imperial and Polish armies in an uneasy partnership, striking at Krakow. Failure to co-ordinate leads to a chaotic battle against the main Ottoman force, and the Elector Palatine withdraws his force for Winter
King Sigismund IV refuses to do likewise and launches a second attack upon Krakow
In a fierce battle his force is cut to bits and the king mortally wounded, dying in Ottoman captivity a couple of weeks later
King Charles X Philip of Sweden visits his army and there confers with the Imperial leadership
The new Polish king elected by the Sejm is Sigismund IV's brother John II Casimir, but his position is weak in a Warsaw full of Imperial troops
Charles X Philip and the Elector Palatine make a secret deal - Charles (b 1622) son of the Count Palatine of Zweibrucken and of Charles X Philip's sister Catherine will become King of Poland, with Swedish and Imperial backing
- - - - - -
more later - out of time now and it won't let me have any more !!!
- - - - - -
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
Cool - but it only reinforces my point that the term 'United Kingdom' can only come with a union of legislatures
Oh, and isn't it time for some maps?
Er, you know my lack of ability in that department !
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The Polish War - Part 2 (1648-1651)
The Polish War - Continued
1648
Swedish troops pour into Poland and the joint Swedish-Imperial coup is launched, the 26 year old Charles being made King of Poland by proclamation
For a few days a facical hide-and-seek ensues as John II Casimir escapes his usurpers and hides in the ruins of Warsaw, but he is eventually captured and thrown into prison, where he is shortly joined by the schismatic Crusader Pope
When this becomes known, 'King Charles of Poland' faces a huge revolt from among his 'own' people. Rebel Polish forces in the East, aided by Tsar Michael Romanov, ever the opportunist, advance on Warsaw (I saw no reason to kill him off at his OTL date as he has had a very different life and a few years one way or the other seems reasonable)
The Swedish-Imperial army, nominally in the name of 'King Charles of Poland', meets the Polish rebels in a huge battle at Vilna. The Elector Palatine is killed in the battle and 'King Charles' cut off, but John, Prince of Wales, commander of the English/French contingent, rallies the Imperial army and rescues the king, driving back the rebels and ending the day master of the battlefield. The carnage has been huge and among the dead are Jean IX, Count of Armagnac and the Howard 2nd Duke of Urbino
An opportunist Otoman thrust Northwards surprises its own commander by taking Warsaw. In the chaos, the prison guards massacre ex-King John II Casimir and his family, but Crusader guards battle their fells when they try to do the same to their Pope and he falls into Ottoman hands
1649
The war is proving severely draining of Swedish resources and increasingly unpopular, and a series of popular revolts coupled with severe difficulty raising the money to pay the troops, causes King Charles X Philip to rein back his commitment, withdrawing his garrisons from Riga and concentrating his foces in Prussia, with Konigsberg the headquarters of his army
The Imperial Army appoints Frederick-William, Elector of Brandenburg commander and, dividing its forces, half heads for Warsaw, and half led by John, Prince of Wales and with 'King Charles of Poland' amongst its number heads for the rebel 'capital' of Minsk
Ottoman forces operating out of Volhynia raid Kiev and burn the city before retreating
The Swedes from the North and the Imperial army from the East retake what's left of Warsaw, the Ottoman forces pulling back rather than fight for the city. They take the scismatic Pope with them and reinstall him in Krakow
The English, Imperial and 'Polish' army of 'King Charles' defeats the rebels at Minsk, harries them North and South and ends up at Vilna for the Winter
Tsar Michael Romanov dies enroute to lead another Russian descent on Kiev and is succeeded by his son, Alexis I (b 1629)
1650
The marriage takes place of George, Duke of York (b 1625) to Sophia, Princess of Navarre (b 1632)
In the ceremony she is described as a 'Princess of Navarre' marking the first formal abandonment of the dual title of 'Navarre-Aragon'
By mid-decade, Castile-Portugal will have officially adopted the name 'Spain' for itself
'King Charles of Poland' returns to Warsaw where the Swedes force on him a series of policies
- he is to disband the Teutonic Order and the Livonian Order
- the Duchy of Prussia including Konigsberg is granted to Sweden in full sovereignty
- the duchy of Courland is created and granted to Sweden, but is to be allowed to be occupied by Poland
That Poland is to cleave to the Collegiate Church goes without saying, and a representative has already been sent to Zurich
When news of the treaty is made public it causes consternation (a favourite word of this period !)
- mass revolts are renewed across Eastern Poland
- Saxon and Bohemian forces from the Imperial Army are ordered home by their commanders, angry and disgusted at what they see as a self-serving betrayal by Sweden
The remnant of the Imperial Army under Frederick-William of Brandenburg and the English/French contingent under John, Prince of Wales remain based in Warsaw
King Charles X Philip recalls all active Swedish units, occupying Prussia and proclaiming his sovereign authority there
Polish rebels and the Ottoman Empire make common cause and issue the 'Declaration of Lublin'
An Ottoman army joins with the rebels at Vilna and advance units enter Riga
Frederick-William of Brandenburg leads the bulk of the Imperial Army East again
John, Prince of Wales leads the rest South in a strike at Lublin, catching the Ottomans unaware and cutting them off in the North
The Ottomans fall back into Volhynia, leaving the Polish rebels to be smashed by Frederick-William of Brandenburg
John, Prince of Wales attempts to follow up his success with a strike on Krakow but is caught in a trap as the main Ottoman force hurries West to relieve the city. He is killed in battle, and the English contingent wiped out, also many casualties among the Imperial forces
Frederick-William of Brandenburg returns to Warsaw, having secured Eastern Poland for King Charles of Poland
In England/France there is much mourning for the heroic John, Prince of Wales
George, Duke of York becomes Heir Apparent and is created Prince of Wales (Prince of Aquitaine and Dauphin of France)
His son, born in 1651 is named John in honour of his late brother, and is created at birth Duke of Normandy and Duke of Cornwall as the heir of the heir
1651
The Ottomans retake Lublin
King Charles of Poland is finally formally elected by the Sejm, fed up with constant civil war
He sets off on a tour of his realm including the devastated East, leaving defence to the Imperial Army of the Elector of Brandenburg
Faced with an incipient revolt of his army, Frederick-William opened negotiations with the Ottomans and sends word to Dijon. The aged Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX sails to Danzig with a Burgundian fleet
Frederick-William intrigues hard to get something out of the war and gains Ottoman agreement to Brandenburg's annexation of Silesia and Western Great Poland. In return, he will give his backing to Ottoman possession of Krakow-Galicia including 'trans-Dneister Galicia' up to the borders with Volhynia (what Austria in OTL got from the 1772 First Partition)
Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX browbeats King Charles of Poland into accepting these terms on his return from the East, threatening with the withdrawal of the Imperial Army and leaving him to fend for himself
The Treaty of Warsaw ratifies the above as well as the previous agreement with Sweden with regard to Prussia's cession and Kurland's anomalous status
The Schismatic Pope remains in Krakow, now head of ALL Ottoman Catholics including Hungarians and Croatians who have been in a difficult position since the Settlement of 1620, unable to send delegates to Zurich and cut off from the Church in Rome as a result.
Of course, the idea of Papal supremacy and the right to declare Crusades are not part of the deal that the Pope in Krakow is granted by the Ottomans, so in essence the basis for his existence is deleted by the fact of his survival...
A Note on English/French Royal Titles
I have used the English dukedoms for convenience, but all royal princes would hold a dual dukedom, one English and one French, with the Prince of Wales having in addition a third title
Prince of Wales
- also Prince of Aquitaine and Dauphin of France
heir to the Prince of Wales
- Duke of Normandy and Duke of Cornwall
Duke of York
- also Duke of Anjou
heir to the Duke of York
- Earl of March and Count of Angouleme
Duke of Cambridge
- also Duke of Berry
Duke of Dorset
- also Duke of Touraine
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The Polish War - Continued
1648
Swedish troops pour into Poland and the joint Swedish-Imperial coup is launched, the 26 year old Charles being made King of Poland by proclamation
For a few days a facical hide-and-seek ensues as John II Casimir escapes his usurpers and hides in the ruins of Warsaw, but he is eventually captured and thrown into prison, where he is shortly joined by the schismatic Crusader Pope
When this becomes known, 'King Charles of Poland' faces a huge revolt from among his 'own' people. Rebel Polish forces in the East, aided by Tsar Michael Romanov, ever the opportunist, advance on Warsaw (I saw no reason to kill him off at his OTL date as he has had a very different life and a few years one way or the other seems reasonable)
The Swedish-Imperial army, nominally in the name of 'King Charles of Poland', meets the Polish rebels in a huge battle at Vilna. The Elector Palatine is killed in the battle and 'King Charles' cut off, but John, Prince of Wales, commander of the English/French contingent, rallies the Imperial army and rescues the king, driving back the rebels and ending the day master of the battlefield. The carnage has been huge and among the dead are Jean IX, Count of Armagnac and the Howard 2nd Duke of Urbino
An opportunist Otoman thrust Northwards surprises its own commander by taking Warsaw. In the chaos, the prison guards massacre ex-King John II Casimir and his family, but Crusader guards battle their fells when they try to do the same to their Pope and he falls into Ottoman hands
1649
The war is proving severely draining of Swedish resources and increasingly unpopular, and a series of popular revolts coupled with severe difficulty raising the money to pay the troops, causes King Charles X Philip to rein back his commitment, withdrawing his garrisons from Riga and concentrating his foces in Prussia, with Konigsberg the headquarters of his army
The Imperial Army appoints Frederick-William, Elector of Brandenburg commander and, dividing its forces, half heads for Warsaw, and half led by John, Prince of Wales and with 'King Charles of Poland' amongst its number heads for the rebel 'capital' of Minsk
Ottoman forces operating out of Volhynia raid Kiev and burn the city before retreating
The Swedes from the North and the Imperial army from the East retake what's left of Warsaw, the Ottoman forces pulling back rather than fight for the city. They take the scismatic Pope with them and reinstall him in Krakow
The English, Imperial and 'Polish' army of 'King Charles' defeats the rebels at Minsk, harries them North and South and ends up at Vilna for the Winter
Tsar Michael Romanov dies enroute to lead another Russian descent on Kiev and is succeeded by his son, Alexis I (b 1629)
1650
The marriage takes place of George, Duke of York (b 1625) to Sophia, Princess of Navarre (b 1632)
In the ceremony she is described as a 'Princess of Navarre' marking the first formal abandonment of the dual title of 'Navarre-Aragon'
By mid-decade, Castile-Portugal will have officially adopted the name 'Spain' for itself
'King Charles of Poland' returns to Warsaw where the Swedes force on him a series of policies
- he is to disband the Teutonic Order and the Livonian Order
- the Duchy of Prussia including Konigsberg is granted to Sweden in full sovereignty
- the duchy of Courland is created and granted to Sweden, but is to be allowed to be occupied by Poland
That Poland is to cleave to the Collegiate Church goes without saying, and a representative has already been sent to Zurich
When news of the treaty is made public it causes consternation (a favourite word of this period !)
- mass revolts are renewed across Eastern Poland
- Saxon and Bohemian forces from the Imperial Army are ordered home by their commanders, angry and disgusted at what they see as a self-serving betrayal by Sweden
The remnant of the Imperial Army under Frederick-William of Brandenburg and the English/French contingent under John, Prince of Wales remain based in Warsaw
King Charles X Philip recalls all active Swedish units, occupying Prussia and proclaiming his sovereign authority there
Polish rebels and the Ottoman Empire make common cause and issue the 'Declaration of Lublin'
An Ottoman army joins with the rebels at Vilna and advance units enter Riga
Frederick-William of Brandenburg leads the bulk of the Imperial Army East again
John, Prince of Wales leads the rest South in a strike at Lublin, catching the Ottomans unaware and cutting them off in the North
The Ottomans fall back into Volhynia, leaving the Polish rebels to be smashed by Frederick-William of Brandenburg
John, Prince of Wales attempts to follow up his success with a strike on Krakow but is caught in a trap as the main Ottoman force hurries West to relieve the city. He is killed in battle, and the English contingent wiped out, also many casualties among the Imperial forces
Frederick-William of Brandenburg returns to Warsaw, having secured Eastern Poland for King Charles of Poland
In England/France there is much mourning for the heroic John, Prince of Wales
George, Duke of York becomes Heir Apparent and is created Prince of Wales (Prince of Aquitaine and Dauphin of France)
His son, born in 1651 is named John in honour of his late brother, and is created at birth Duke of Normandy and Duke of Cornwall as the heir of the heir
1651
The Ottomans retake Lublin
King Charles of Poland is finally formally elected by the Sejm, fed up with constant civil war
He sets off on a tour of his realm including the devastated East, leaving defence to the Imperial Army of the Elector of Brandenburg
Faced with an incipient revolt of his army, Frederick-William opened negotiations with the Ottomans and sends word to Dijon. The aged Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX sails to Danzig with a Burgundian fleet
Frederick-William intrigues hard to get something out of the war and gains Ottoman agreement to Brandenburg's annexation of Silesia and Western Great Poland. In return, he will give his backing to Ottoman possession of Krakow-Galicia including 'trans-Dneister Galicia' up to the borders with Volhynia (what Austria in OTL got from the 1772 First Partition)
Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX browbeats King Charles of Poland into accepting these terms on his return from the East, threatening with the withdrawal of the Imperial Army and leaving him to fend for himself
The Treaty of Warsaw ratifies the above as well as the previous agreement with Sweden with regard to Prussia's cession and Kurland's anomalous status
The Schismatic Pope remains in Krakow, now head of ALL Ottoman Catholics including Hungarians and Croatians who have been in a difficult position since the Settlement of 1620, unable to send delegates to Zurich and cut off from the Church in Rome as a result.
Of course, the idea of Papal supremacy and the right to declare Crusades are not part of the deal that the Pope in Krakow is granted by the Ottomans, so in essence the basis for his existence is deleted by the fact of his survival...
A Note on English/French Royal Titles
I have used the English dukedoms for convenience, but all royal princes would hold a dual dukedom, one English and one French, with the Prince of Wales having in addition a third title
Prince of Wales
- also Prince of Aquitaine and Dauphin of France
heir to the Prince of Wales
- Duke of Normandy and Duke of Cornwall
Duke of York
- also Duke of Anjou
heir to the Duke of York
- Earl of March and Count of Angouleme
Duke of Cambridge
- also Duke of Berry
Duke of Dorset
- also Duke of Touraine
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The Americas to 1700
The Americas
Pre-1600 - as per previous post, no significant diversion
1600-1610
England-France settling Newfoundland, Acadia, New France and pioneering in 'New England' (OTL Virginia), as yet sparsely and much scattered
1600-1620
Wars of Religion
England-France seizes Jamaica and a few Caribbean islands
Burgundy seizes Curacao and the neighbouring Antilles, Guyana, Bahia and Pernambuco
1620-1630
Castile-Portugal remains weak, focusing on crushing the Braganza Rebellion in Portugal
Burgundy settles its South American colonies and fully establishes them
by 1630
England-France established outposts in Massachusetts during the Wars of Religion and these begin to grow
after 1630
Portugal and Castile's empires are merged, and after the mid 1650s take the generic name of 'Spain'
by 1640
New Burgundy is flourishing (OTL New Netherland)
Denmark has established colony in Delaware
Scotland has begun settling 'Nova Scotia' (OTL Maryland)
England-France responds to New Burgundy by a drive to fully settle Massachusetts (OTL Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island)
by 1685
Scotland-Burgundy trading treaty of 1677 as their respective colonies of Nova Scotia and New Burgundy establish a common frontier (in OTL central Pennsylvania)
England-France is fully established with trading outposts in the Great Lakes area, and has incorporated New Cambria (OTL Rupertsland on Hudson's Bay)
New Burgundy has expanded over OTL central Connecticut
Scotland establishes the colony of Davidsland (in the OTL core of South Carolina)
1685-1688
1st War of Navarese Succession (or 1st Navarese War)
A confused affair, which England-France uses to seize Belize, whilst Burgundy establishes an outpost on the OTL Louisiana coast
by 1700
England-France has settlements at the head of the Mississippi but as yet these, like the Great Lakes settlements, have not been incorporated as colonies and remain under military or commercial control
New Burgundy and New France have expanded to meet along a common frontier
Spain establishes Pensacola to counter Burgundy's flourishing new colony of New Provence which has spread along the Southern coast
Note - During the 17th century, Spain has been as weak as in OTL in N. America, not due to European wars but due to sustaining Portugal's colonial empire in the Persian Gulf, India and East Indies
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The Americas
Pre-1600 - as per previous post, no significant diversion
1600-1610
England-France settling Newfoundland, Acadia, New France and pioneering in 'New England' (OTL Virginia), as yet sparsely and much scattered
1600-1620
Wars of Religion
England-France seizes Jamaica and a few Caribbean islands
Burgundy seizes Curacao and the neighbouring Antilles, Guyana, Bahia and Pernambuco
1620-1630
Castile-Portugal remains weak, focusing on crushing the Braganza Rebellion in Portugal
Burgundy settles its South American colonies and fully establishes them
by 1630
England-France established outposts in Massachusetts during the Wars of Religion and these begin to grow
after 1630
Portugal and Castile's empires are merged, and after the mid 1650s take the generic name of 'Spain'
by 1640
New Burgundy is flourishing (OTL New Netherland)
Denmark has established colony in Delaware
Scotland has begun settling 'Nova Scotia' (OTL Maryland)
England-France responds to New Burgundy by a drive to fully settle Massachusetts (OTL Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island)
by 1685
Scotland-Burgundy trading treaty of 1677 as their respective colonies of Nova Scotia and New Burgundy establish a common frontier (in OTL central Pennsylvania)
England-France is fully established with trading outposts in the Great Lakes area, and has incorporated New Cambria (OTL Rupertsland on Hudson's Bay)
New Burgundy has expanded over OTL central Connecticut
Scotland establishes the colony of Davidsland (in the OTL core of South Carolina)
1685-1688
1st War of Navarese Succession (or 1st Navarese War)
A confused affair, which England-France uses to seize Belize, whilst Burgundy establishes an outpost on the OTL Louisiana coast
by 1700
England-France has settlements at the head of the Mississippi but as yet these, like the Great Lakes settlements, have not been incorporated as colonies and remain under military or commercial control
New Burgundy and New France have expanded to meet along a common frontier
Spain establishes Pensacola to counter Burgundy's flourishing new colony of New Provence which has spread along the Southern coast
Note - During the 17th century, Spain has been as weak as in OTL in N. America, not due to European wars but due to sustaining Portugal's colonial empire in the Persian Gulf, India and East Indies
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
Oh god why John
So pretty much over the course of the war the entire English/French lot are dead?
I'm afraid so
Apart from anyone who went home injured, or to take up responsibilities there, or was on detachment etcIts funny, in writing out the next 70 years over the last day and a half a good few characters have assumed 'real' proportions in my mind - the future John IV and Charles X are good examples of that, when you get to them
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
Nice development! And the map is very... interesting!
With Spain's help, could the Portuguese colonies in Asia be more succesful? Maybe creating a Spanish Raj?
!With Spain's help, could the Portuguese colonies in Asia be more succesful? Maybe creating a Spanish Raj?
The 1650s (1651 to 1660)
1651-1660
With the Ottoman Empire over-reaching itself in the North and focusing on the land war, Venice takes advantage and attacks Adriatic islands and the Ionian isles
Venetian finace is doing very well from the two long wars they stayed out of
Naples, not in the Polish War, staged a good recovery from the 20 Year War (Wars of Religion)
1652
Venice and Naples form an alliance
Naples and Venice together assault Sicily (Ottoman held), but the enterprise ends in disarray
1653
Peace with the Ottomans - Venice keeps its Adriatic and Ionian Isles gains
King Charles (Carol) of Poland (b 1622) marries Louise Charlotte (b 1617), sister of the Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg, and a widow who had borne her late husband four healthy children (i.e. a good catch !)
Two children are born :-
-1- Crown Prince Carol (b 1654)
-2- Princess Charlotte (b 1655)
1655
Death of Edward V of England/France (becoming known as the Dual Monarchy)
Accession of George III (b 1625)
George is first crowned at Reims, then moves the court to London, (the first time the reigning king has been in England since 1639) where he remains for five years, 1655-61
His third son, Richard, is born there in 1656
Children of George III and Queen Sophia (b 1632)
- John, Prince of Wales/Dauphin of France b 1651
- Charles, Duke of York & Anjou b 1652 d 1682
- Richard, Duke of Clarence & Alencon b 1656
- Princess Sophia, b 1665
During George III's sojourn in England, his brother William, Duke of Cambridge & Berry (b 1631) is Regent in France
Charles X Philip of Sweden's Beaufort wife never had another child, the difficult first birth having left her unable to bear anymore children. Thus sickly weak Charles Augustus (b 1645) is sole heir to Sweden
The Polish War 1640-1651 has put great strain on the Holy Roman Empire and dis-satisfaction settles in as a common reaction, especially within Burgundy who wonder what they got from the war, a feeling exacerbated by the gains for Sweden, Brandenburg and the Ottomans
1658
Death of Fernando, brother of Alessandro II of Naples. His only surviving heir is his daughter Juliana who in 1630 married the exiled Bernard II of Navarre, and in 1630 gave birth to his son, the titular Bernard III. Bernard II died in 1649 and Bernard III is inherited his claim to the thrones of Navarre and Aragon; he is now in line to inherit estates of substantial worth within Naples from his mother
1660
Richard (b 1630), heir to Richard V of Navarre marries his first cousin Lucrezia (b 1635) of Burgundy-Milan, daughter of Duke Jean II. They never have any children
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
1651-1660
With the Ottoman Empire over-reaching itself in the North and focusing on the land war, Venice takes advantage and attacks Adriatic islands and the Ionian isles
Venetian finace is doing very well from the two long wars they stayed out of
Naples, not in the Polish War, staged a good recovery from the 20 Year War (Wars of Religion)
1652
Venice and Naples form an alliance
Naples and Venice together assault Sicily (Ottoman held), but the enterprise ends in disarray
1653
Peace with the Ottomans - Venice keeps its Adriatic and Ionian Isles gains
King Charles (Carol) of Poland (b 1622) marries Louise Charlotte (b 1617), sister of the Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg, and a widow who had borne her late husband four healthy children (i.e. a good catch !)
Two children are born :-
-1- Crown Prince Carol (b 1654)
-2- Princess Charlotte (b 1655)
1655
Death of Edward V of England/France (becoming known as the Dual Monarchy)
Accession of George III (b 1625)
George is first crowned at Reims, then moves the court to London, (the first time the reigning king has been in England since 1639) where he remains for five years, 1655-61
His third son, Richard, is born there in 1656
Children of George III and Queen Sophia (b 1632)
- John, Prince of Wales/Dauphin of France b 1651
- Charles, Duke of York & Anjou b 1652 d 1682
- Richard, Duke of Clarence & Alencon b 1656
- Princess Sophia, b 1665
During George III's sojourn in England, his brother William, Duke of Cambridge & Berry (b 1631) is Regent in France
Charles X Philip of Sweden's Beaufort wife never had another child, the difficult first birth having left her unable to bear anymore children. Thus sickly weak Charles Augustus (b 1645) is sole heir to Sweden
The Polish War 1640-1651 has put great strain on the Holy Roman Empire and dis-satisfaction settles in as a common reaction, especially within Burgundy who wonder what they got from the war, a feeling exacerbated by the gains for Sweden, Brandenburg and the Ottomans
1658
Death of Fernando, brother of Alessandro II of Naples. His only surviving heir is his daughter Juliana who in 1630 married the exiled Bernard II of Navarre, and in 1630 gave birth to his son, the titular Bernard III. Bernard II died in 1649 and Bernard III is inherited his claim to the thrones of Navarre and Aragon; he is now in line to inherit estates of substantial worth within Naples from his mother
1660
Richard (b 1630), heir to Richard V of Navarre marries his first cousin Lucrezia (b 1635) of Burgundy-Milan, daughter of Duke Jean II. They never have any children
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
Nice development! And the map is very... interesting
With Spain's help, could the Portuguese colonies in Asia be more succesful? Maybe creating a Spanish Raj?
Well, I'm definitely hoping for greater success and would like to see SOMETHING like this, but more probably IMHO a divided India, with Portugal owning a couple of great swathes
A few years ago I chatted on Messenger to an Indian chap from the East whose family came from the foothills of the Himalayas and was half Portuguese in descent from centuries back, so the OTL level of their penetration must have been pretty significant, and we just need to keep them cohesive in this period
Any ideas as to how to achieve things would be appreciated ! How would Portugal keeping its possessions in the Persian Gulf affect things ?
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1660s (1661 to 1670)
1661 to 1670
1661
Princess Maria of Navarre (b 1635) youngest daughter of King Richard V of Navarre marries Pedro, Prince of the Asturias (b 1610) as his second wife, having had no children from his first marriage
King Pedro V (b 1580 @ 1620) dies later that year aged 81 and the Prince of the Asturias ascends as King Pedro VI of Spain (now the formal name for Castile-Portugal)
Pedro VI and Maria have six sons :-
-1- Pedro, Prince of the Asturias (b 1663)
-2- Ricardo (b 1664) and named for his grandfather of Navarre
-3- Juan (b 1666)
and Alfonso, Henry and Ferdinand
1666
Richard V of Navarre dies in 1666 and is succeeded by his son as Richard VI (b 1630)
Navarre now has a childless king and his two sisters who are both queens of its neighbours
1668
Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX/King Charles V of Burgundy dies.
He is succeeded by his grandson Charles X/VI (b 1645)
Charles X does not have his grandfather's and forebearers' regard for the 'Old Order' and is especially suspicious of the motives of England/France. He sees politics in a far more pragmatic fashion, with Burgundy's interests first, and has much support for this view from merchants, diets and nobles, still disillusioned with the result of the 164051 Polish War which brought Burgundy nothing despite its huge cost
1670
King Charles X Philip of Sweden dies.
He is succeeded by his only son Charles XI Augustus (b 1645 and aged 25) who has remained unmarried, an unattractive weak and sickly man. But on attaining the throne he weds his cousin, 15 year-old Charlotte of Poland
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
1661 to 1670
1661
Princess Maria of Navarre (b 1635) youngest daughter of King Richard V of Navarre marries Pedro, Prince of the Asturias (b 1610) as his second wife, having had no children from his first marriage
King Pedro V (b 1580 @ 1620) dies later that year aged 81 and the Prince of the Asturias ascends as King Pedro VI of Spain (now the formal name for Castile-Portugal)
Pedro VI and Maria have six sons :-
-1- Pedro, Prince of the Asturias (b 1663)
-2- Ricardo (b 1664) and named for his grandfather of Navarre
-3- Juan (b 1666)
and Alfonso, Henry and Ferdinand
1666
Richard V of Navarre dies in 1666 and is succeeded by his son as Richard VI (b 1630)
Navarre now has a childless king and his two sisters who are both queens of its neighbours
1668
Holy Roman Emperor Charles IX/King Charles V of Burgundy dies.
He is succeeded by his grandson Charles X/VI (b 1645)
Charles X does not have his grandfather's and forebearers' regard for the 'Old Order' and is especially suspicious of the motives of England/France. He sees politics in a far more pragmatic fashion, with Burgundy's interests first, and has much support for this view from merchants, diets and nobles, still disillusioned with the result of the 164051 Polish War which brought Burgundy nothing despite its huge cost
1670
King Charles X Philip of Sweden dies.
He is succeeded by his only son Charles XI Augustus (b 1645 and aged 25) who has remained unmarried, an unattractive weak and sickly man. But on attaining the throne he weds his cousin, 15 year-old Charlotte of Poland
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1670s (1671-1680)
The 1670s - 1671 to 1680
1671
King Charles XI Augustus of Sweden (b 1645) has a son and heir, Charles Gustav, born 1671, but his 17 year-old wife, Charlotte of Poland, dies in childbirth
1672
Holy Roman Enperor Charles X/Charles VI of Burgundy (b 1645/) marries Dorothea of Denmark (b 1645), youngest daughter of King Christian V of Denmark.
They have two sons
-1- Charles b 1674
-2- Antoine b 1675
1674
Charles XI Augustus of Sweden marries for the second time, the daughter of a Swedish noble family. They have two children :-
-1- Gustav Johann b 1675
-2- Christina b 1677
King Charles of Poland (Carol I) dies and is succeeded by his son King Carol II (b 1654)
1675
Death of Robert V of Scotland, and accession of his second son as David III (his eldest son Robert having predeceased him without heirs)
1677
King David III of Scotland visits Burgundy and at Dijon signs a treaty with Emperor Charles X/King Charles VI, allowing for free trade between Scotland's and Burgundy's colonies in the Americas. A secret clause also commits them to a defensive military alliance
1678
King Christian V of Denmark (b 1603 @ 1618) dies and is succeeded by his son King Christian VI (b 1630)
1679
Charles XI of Sweden, always sickly since birth dies at the age of only 44. His seven year old son accedes as King Charles XII Gustav, under a Regency Council
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1670s - 1671 to 1680
1671
King Charles XI Augustus of Sweden (b 1645) has a son and heir, Charles Gustav, born 1671, but his 17 year-old wife, Charlotte of Poland, dies in childbirth
1672
Holy Roman Enperor Charles X/Charles VI of Burgundy (b 1645/) marries Dorothea of Denmark (b 1645), youngest daughter of King Christian V of Denmark.
They have two sons
-1- Charles b 1674
-2- Antoine b 1675
1674
Charles XI Augustus of Sweden marries for the second time, the daughter of a Swedish noble family. They have two children :-
-1- Gustav Johann b 1675
-2- Christina b 1677
King Charles of Poland (Carol I) dies and is succeeded by his son King Carol II (b 1654)
1675
Death of Robert V of Scotland, and accession of his second son as David III (his eldest son Robert having predeceased him without heirs)
1677
King David III of Scotland visits Burgundy and at Dijon signs a treaty with Emperor Charles X/King Charles VI, allowing for free trade between Scotland's and Burgundy's colonies in the Americas. A secret clause also commits them to a defensive military alliance
1678
King Christian V of Denmark (b 1603 @ 1618) dies and is succeeded by his son King Christian VI (b 1630)
1679
Charles XI of Sweden, always sickly since birth dies at the age of only 44. His seven year old son accedes as King Charles XII Gustav, under a Regency Council
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1680s (1681 - 1690)
The 1680s
Within Navarre, succession crises are brewing throughout the 1680s as Richard VI sickens, with no heir of his own, and each of his sisters married to the reigning monarchs of his neighbours
1682
Prince Christian of Denmark (b 1660), the eldest son of King Christian VI (ascended 1678) marries Princess Sophia of England/France (b 1665), youngest child of King George III
1683
David III of Scotland's eldest son and heir, David Duke of Rothesay marries Holy Roman Emperor Charles X's sister Madeleine. They have two daughters, born in 1680s and two sons, the eldest Alexander not being born till 1690
1685
Richard VI of Navarre dies, his will leaving his throne to the second son of his younger sister, Prince Ricardo of Spain (b 1664)
As a side-effect his death ends the line of the Dukes of Gloucester whose substantial estates in England revert to the English crown, a handy filip for George III's finances
George III (b 1625) starts the War of Navarese Succession
He declares war and quickly moves to occupy Pau and Barcelona, basing his claim to the succession on his having married Richard VI's older sister (historically the kingship of Navarre is bestowed on the husband of any queen)
Charles X/VI sees this as England-France simply trying to expand to dominate the West as a rival to Burgundy and the Holy Roman Empire. He also doesn't like the idea of a Spanish-dominated Navarre either, and publically backs the pretender 'Bernard III' (b 1636)
Bernard III lands at Valencia with his Neapolitan allies
An Imperial fleet under the Valois Duke Jean III (b 1635) of Milan seizes Sardinia in the name of Bernard III
An English/French fleet occupies the Balaerics in George III's name
George III is furious at Burgundy's overt support for one of his rivals but makes huge efforts to avoid war with the Empire, proposing a conference and even hinting at accepting Bernard in Sardinia but not elsewhere. Charles X brushes these aside
David III of Scotland sees a chance and invades England, taking Berwick and ravaging the North
An English/French army under the Howard 2nd Duke of Suffolk (son of The Slayer....sounds like the title of a novel !) is sent to drive him out
Burgundy sends aid to Scotland
Panic grips London and Paris as threat of war with the Empire becomes a reality
1686
George III makes an alliance with the Ottomans
- Ottoman invasion of Bohemia and Styria
- Ottoman N African fleet (Barbary) smashes the Neapolitan fleet and maroons Bernard III at Valencia
Burgundy, raising two Imperial armies to fight the Ottomans, can only put one in the field against England/France, striking towards Paris from the Netherlands
This Burgundian army is countered by a third English/French army, commander by William, Duke of Cambridge & Berry (b 1631)
Prince William's English/French army is pushed steadily back but the front holds
The main Spanish army enters Saragossa and Pedro VI attends his second son Ricardo's coronation as King Richard VII of Navarre
1687
King Charles XII of Sweden takes personal charge at the age of 16, dismissing the Regency Council
Later in the year he visits Prussia and is received by the Swedish governor of Konigsberg
Spanish forces drive the English/French our of Barcelona and lay siege to Valencia
An Imperial army suffers a severe defeat in Styria in which the Duke of Austria is killed
Emperor Charles X and King George III agree to a truce. Both grudgingly accept the coronation of King Richard VII of Navarre. English/French forces withdraw from Catalonia and Pau. The Imperial fleet of Jean III, Duke of Milan (b 1635) evacuates Bernard III from Valencia and establishes him as King of Sardinia. Richard VII has to accept this. However, England/France evacuates the Balaerics and returns them to Navarre
An uneasy peace treaty is agreed between England/France, Burgundy and Scotland restoring the status quo ante bellum
1688
King Carol II of Poland (b 1654) reaffirms the treaty whereby he holds Courland/Kurland from the King of Sweden. He and his young cousin, King Charles XII (b 1672) get on very well and sign a secret treaty at Riga
Swedish and Polish forces advance through Livonia and Estonia and occupy Russian-held Ingria
Tsar Alexis II (b 1654 @ 1676) gathers an army and moves against them.
Holy Roman Emperor Charles X makes peace with the Ottomans, having to cede Styria which he had proved unable to pry back from their grasp
Swedish-Polish forces destroy Alexis II's army and take him captive. Only in 1690 does his brother, Regent Theodore (b 1661) agree peace and ransom him, having to cede Ingria to Poland
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1680s
Within Navarre, succession crises are brewing throughout the 1680s as Richard VI sickens, with no heir of his own, and each of his sisters married to the reigning monarchs of his neighbours
1682
Prince Christian of Denmark (b 1660), the eldest son of King Christian VI (ascended 1678) marries Princess Sophia of England/France (b 1665), youngest child of King George III
1683
David III of Scotland's eldest son and heir, David Duke of Rothesay marries Holy Roman Emperor Charles X's sister Madeleine. They have two daughters, born in 1680s and two sons, the eldest Alexander not being born till 1690
1685
Richard VI of Navarre dies, his will leaving his throne to the second son of his younger sister, Prince Ricardo of Spain (b 1664)
As a side-effect his death ends the line of the Dukes of Gloucester whose substantial estates in England revert to the English crown, a handy filip for George III's finances
George III (b 1625) starts the War of Navarese Succession
He declares war and quickly moves to occupy Pau and Barcelona, basing his claim to the succession on his having married Richard VI's older sister (historically the kingship of Navarre is bestowed on the husband of any queen)
Charles X/VI sees this as England-France simply trying to expand to dominate the West as a rival to Burgundy and the Holy Roman Empire. He also doesn't like the idea of a Spanish-dominated Navarre either, and publically backs the pretender 'Bernard III' (b 1636)
Bernard III lands at Valencia with his Neapolitan allies
An Imperial fleet under the Valois Duke Jean III (b 1635) of Milan seizes Sardinia in the name of Bernard III
An English/French fleet occupies the Balaerics in George III's name
George III is furious at Burgundy's overt support for one of his rivals but makes huge efforts to avoid war with the Empire, proposing a conference and even hinting at accepting Bernard in Sardinia but not elsewhere. Charles X brushes these aside
David III of Scotland sees a chance and invades England, taking Berwick and ravaging the North
An English/French army under the Howard 2nd Duke of Suffolk (son of The Slayer....sounds like the title of a novel !) is sent to drive him out
Burgundy sends aid to Scotland
Panic grips London and Paris as threat of war with the Empire becomes a reality
1686
George III makes an alliance with the Ottomans
- Ottoman invasion of Bohemia and Styria
- Ottoman N African fleet (Barbary) smashes the Neapolitan fleet and maroons Bernard III at Valencia
Burgundy, raising two Imperial armies to fight the Ottomans, can only put one in the field against England/France, striking towards Paris from the Netherlands
This Burgundian army is countered by a third English/French army, commander by William, Duke of Cambridge & Berry (b 1631)
Prince William's English/French army is pushed steadily back but the front holds
The main Spanish army enters Saragossa and Pedro VI attends his second son Ricardo's coronation as King Richard VII of Navarre
1687
King Charles XII of Sweden takes personal charge at the age of 16, dismissing the Regency Council
Later in the year he visits Prussia and is received by the Swedish governor of Konigsberg
Spanish forces drive the English/French our of Barcelona and lay siege to Valencia
An Imperial army suffers a severe defeat in Styria in which the Duke of Austria is killed
Emperor Charles X and King George III agree to a truce. Both grudgingly accept the coronation of King Richard VII of Navarre. English/French forces withdraw from Catalonia and Pau. The Imperial fleet of Jean III, Duke of Milan (b 1635) evacuates Bernard III from Valencia and establishes him as King of Sardinia. Richard VII has to accept this. However, England/France evacuates the Balaerics and returns them to Navarre
An uneasy peace treaty is agreed between England/France, Burgundy and Scotland restoring the status quo ante bellum
1688
King Carol II of Poland (b 1654) reaffirms the treaty whereby he holds Courland/Kurland from the King of Sweden. He and his young cousin, King Charles XII (b 1672) get on very well and sign a secret treaty at Riga
Swedish and Polish forces advance through Livonia and Estonia and occupy Russian-held Ingria
Tsar Alexis II (b 1654 @ 1676) gathers an army and moves against them.
Holy Roman Emperor Charles X makes peace with the Ottomans, having to cede Styria which he had proved unable to pry back from their grasp
Swedish-Polish forces destroy Alexis II's army and take him captive. Only in 1690 does his brother, Regent Theodore (b 1661) agree peace and ransom him, having to cede Ingria to Poland
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1690s (1691-1700)
The 1690s
1691
Tsar Alexis II on his return from captivity in Konigsberg where the Swedes had lodged him in the old fortress HQ of the defunct Teutonic Order, sets about rebuilding his armed forces
1692
Feeling strong enough now, Tsar Alexis II has his brother Theodore imprisoned, tried for treason and executed for the delay in ransoming him
1694
Tsar Alexis II (b 1654) invades Ingria
Sweden and Poland raise a large army and declare war
Russia annihilates the Swedish army and kills King Charles XII Gustab on the field (b 1671 @ 1679 majority 1687 k 1694)
His brother (b 1674) accedes as King Gustav II Johann and agrees to Riksdag pressure to drop out of the war in return for Russian acceptance of his rights in Prussia and Courland
King Carol II of Poland is forced back Westwards. A second Russian army under Ivan (b 1666), Alexis' surviving brother invades the Ukraine and lays siege to Kiev
1695
King Carol II sues for peace, ceding Ingria, Estonia, Livonia as well as Kiev and the Eastern Ukraine
Death of David III of Scotland, succeeded by his grandson, a child, as Alexander VII
For a decade Scotland is riven by factional infighting
1697
King Gustav III Johann and Tsar Alexis II meet at Riga where Sweden confirms Russia's gains and Alexis gives support for Sweden to occupy Kurland
1698
Sweden takes possession of Courland/Kurland "by right"
Death of King George III of England/France (b 1625) and accession of the Prince of Wales as King Jean IV of England & VI of France (b 1651)
Tsar Alexis II of Russia launches an attack towards Azov, becoming embroiled in a long war with the Ottomans
1699
Holy Roman Emperor Charles X agrees an alliance with Alexis II against the Ottomans
(one assumes Charles sends someone to Riga to meet with Alexis or his representatives)
Pedro VII of Spain dies suddenly leaving no heir. Succession falls on his next brother, Ricardo VII of Navarre
John IV of England proclaims his right to Navarre
Richard VII is crowned King of Spain as Ricardo I at Madrid
(and has an impressive list of titles - King of Spain, King of Navarre, Duke of Bourbon, and as sub-realms King of Aragon and King of Mallorca. He can be considered King of Castile and King of Portugal but these have been formally merged into 'Spain'.)
Richard (b 1664, ascended Navarre 1685, confirmed by treaty 1687, ascended Spain 1699)
married in 1688 a princess of Savoy (Carignano)
They have the following children :-
-1- Ricardo, Prince of Viana from birth, now Prince of The Asturias, b 1689
-2- Sanchia, she was born in 1690
-3- Ferdinand, he was born in 1692
-4- Maria Luisa, she was born in 1695
1700
A co-ordinated Imperial and Russian offensive is launched at the same time into the Ottoman Empire
This means that Burgundy is too busy to properly do anything when John IV starts the
Second War of Navarese Succession
England/France invades Spain/Navarre
with 3 armies and 2 fleets involved in an all-out effort
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The 1690s
1691
Tsar Alexis II on his return from captivity in Konigsberg where the Swedes had lodged him in the old fortress HQ of the defunct Teutonic Order, sets about rebuilding his armed forces
1692
Feeling strong enough now, Tsar Alexis II has his brother Theodore imprisoned, tried for treason and executed for the delay in ransoming him
1694
Tsar Alexis II (b 1654) invades Ingria
Sweden and Poland raise a large army and declare war
Russia annihilates the Swedish army and kills King Charles XII Gustab on the field (b 1671 @ 1679 majority 1687 k 1694)
His brother (b 1674) accedes as King Gustav II Johann and agrees to Riksdag pressure to drop out of the war in return for Russian acceptance of his rights in Prussia and Courland
King Carol II of Poland is forced back Westwards. A second Russian army under Ivan (b 1666), Alexis' surviving brother invades the Ukraine and lays siege to Kiev
1695
King Carol II sues for peace, ceding Ingria, Estonia, Livonia as well as Kiev and the Eastern Ukraine
Death of David III of Scotland, succeeded by his grandson, a child, as Alexander VII
For a decade Scotland is riven by factional infighting
1697
King Gustav III Johann and Tsar Alexis II meet at Riga where Sweden confirms Russia's gains and Alexis gives support for Sweden to occupy Kurland
1698
Sweden takes possession of Courland/Kurland "by right"
Death of King George III of England/France (b 1625) and accession of the Prince of Wales as King Jean IV of England & VI of France (b 1651)
Tsar Alexis II of Russia launches an attack towards Azov, becoming embroiled in a long war with the Ottomans
1699
Holy Roman Emperor Charles X agrees an alliance with Alexis II against the Ottomans
(one assumes Charles sends someone to Riga to meet with Alexis or his representatives)
Pedro VII of Spain dies suddenly leaving no heir. Succession falls on his next brother, Ricardo VII of Navarre
John IV of England proclaims his right to Navarre
Richard VII is crowned King of Spain as Ricardo I at Madrid
(and has an impressive list of titles - King of Spain, King of Navarre, Duke of Bourbon, and as sub-realms King of Aragon and King of Mallorca. He can be considered King of Castile and King of Portugal but these have been formally merged into 'Spain'.)
Richard (b 1664, ascended Navarre 1685, confirmed by treaty 1687, ascended Spain 1699)
married in 1688 a princess of Savoy (Carignano)
They have the following children :-
-1- Ricardo, Prince of Viana from birth, now Prince of The Asturias, b 1689
-2- Sanchia, she was born in 1690
-3- Ferdinand, he was born in 1692
-4- Maria Luisa, she was born in 1695
1700
A co-ordinated Imperial and Russian offensive is launched at the same time into the Ottoman Empire
This means that Burgundy is too busy to properly do anything when John IV starts the
Second War of Navarese Succession
England/France invades Spain/Navarre
with 3 armies and 2 fleets involved in an all-out effort
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
1700 - The Offensives
1700
England/France invades Spain with 3 armies :-
-1- under King John IV and VI (b 1651 @ 1698)
-2- under William 2nd Duke of Cambridge & Berry (b 1657 @ 1695, the son of 'The Hero of Paris')
-3- under the Duc de Montmorency (grandson of the hero of the English Civil War)
It is supported by two fleets, one in the Mediterranean and one in the Atlantic
For the first time a joint Regent of England and France is appointed in the king's absence, mainly to be concerned with England but to deal with matters arising in France if the king is unable to due to pressures of war
- John IV's surviving brother, Richard Duke of Cambridge & Alencon gets the job (b 1656)
Holy Roman Emperor Charles X launches what he grandiosely titles 'The War of Reconquest'
He initiates two massive offensives, each with two armies :-
-1- via Bohemia
---i. Aimed at Krakow, army commanded by Jean, Duke of Flanders (b 1648), brother of Charles X
---ii. Aimed at Vienna, army commanded by Frederick William II, Elector of Brandenburg (b 1655 @ 1688)
-2- cia Bavaria and the Tyrol
---i. Aimed at Vienna, commanded by Emperor Charles X in person (b 1645 @ 1668)
---ii. Aimed at Styria, commanded by the Habsburg Duke Francis of Austria
In addition, the Imperial fleet enters the Adriatic under Jean III, Duke of Milan (b 1635)
- the Imperial Fleet in the Mediterranean has a core of vessels under direct Burgundian control (based in Provence), augmented by Captains who bring hired fleets and has thus strong contingents from Genoa and Tuscany, as well as a smaller squadron from the Kingdom of Sardinia
In the English/French offensive :-
- The Duke of Cambridge occupies Pau and thrusts towards the Pyrenees
- The Duc de Montmorency commences the siege of Toulouse
- King John IV occupies Roussillon and Cerdagne and thrusts towards Barcelona
- The English/French fleet in the Mediterranean defeat the Navarese fleet, mainly due to Plantagenet elements in the reserve squadrons whose actions and inactions cause the battle line to fall apart and England/France to win. The victorious fleet lands forces in the Balaeric Islands
- The English/French fleet in the Atlantic blockades the Spanish fleet in Lisbon and Cadiz and prevents it from linking up
In the Imperial offensive :-
- The Duke of Flanders is rebuffed before Krakow
- The Elector of Brandenburg and the Emperor link up and lay siege to Vienna
- The Duke of Austria over-runs Styria
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
1700
England/France invades Spain with 3 armies :-
-1- under King John IV and VI (b 1651 @ 1698)
-2- under William 2nd Duke of Cambridge & Berry (b 1657 @ 1695, the son of 'The Hero of Paris')
-3- under the Duc de Montmorency (grandson of the hero of the English Civil War)
It is supported by two fleets, one in the Mediterranean and one in the Atlantic
For the first time a joint Regent of England and France is appointed in the king's absence, mainly to be concerned with England but to deal with matters arising in France if the king is unable to due to pressures of war
- John IV's surviving brother, Richard Duke of Cambridge & Alencon gets the job (b 1656)
Holy Roman Emperor Charles X launches what he grandiosely titles 'The War of Reconquest'
He initiates two massive offensives, each with two armies :-
-1- via Bohemia
---i. Aimed at Krakow, army commanded by Jean, Duke of Flanders (b 1648), brother of Charles X
---ii. Aimed at Vienna, army commanded by Frederick William II, Elector of Brandenburg (b 1655 @ 1688)
-2- cia Bavaria and the Tyrol
---i. Aimed at Vienna, commanded by Emperor Charles X in person (b 1645 @ 1668)
---ii. Aimed at Styria, commanded by the Habsburg Duke Francis of Austria
In addition, the Imperial fleet enters the Adriatic under Jean III, Duke of Milan (b 1635)
- the Imperial Fleet in the Mediterranean has a core of vessels under direct Burgundian control (based in Provence), augmented by Captains who bring hired fleets and has thus strong contingents from Genoa and Tuscany, as well as a smaller squadron from the Kingdom of Sardinia
In the English/French offensive :-
- The Duke of Cambridge occupies Pau and thrusts towards the Pyrenees
- The Duc de Montmorency commences the siege of Toulouse
- King John IV occupies Roussillon and Cerdagne and thrusts towards Barcelona
- The English/French fleet in the Mediterranean defeat the Navarese fleet, mainly due to Plantagenet elements in the reserve squadrons whose actions and inactions cause the battle line to fall apart and England/France to win. The victorious fleet lands forces in the Balaeric Islands
- The English/French fleet in the Atlantic blockades the Spanish fleet in Lisbon and Cadiz and prevents it from linking up
In the Imperial offensive :-
- The Duke of Flanders is rebuffed before Krakow
- The Elector of Brandenburg and the Emperor link up and lay siege to Vienna
- The Duke of Austria over-runs Styria
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
I'm really not an expert in this region, but I think that to keep the possessions of Persian Gulf in Portuguese (or Spanish) hands, you need a weak Persia and the ottomans not interested in the region, and no involvement of other European powers. However, OTL their position there was always threatened. Their position was always fragile, depending on the cooperation of the local elites, that disliked them. I think that soon or later Ormuz, Bahrain and Muscat would fall, but, if they are able to keep it, then the Portuguese/Spanish would control the maritime trade between India and the Middle East, possibly making Persia weaker, what could have effects in other regions. You would have effects too on the maritime empire of Oman, that would not be formed.