The Sun of Rocroi TL- A better Grand Condé

[Kurd Gossemer]

Indeed, it may be alright now but it could end up falling down harder it did in our TL if the situation is dire enough, with a powerful England, a stronger and bigger France, a independent Netherlands and the threat of Portugal and Aragon revolting during a big war will force it's rulers to walk on eggshells everytime and if they fail... Things are going to get ugly and fast.

 

[Comte de Dordogne]

Indeed, it may be alright now but it could end up falling down harder it did in our TL if the situation is dire enough, with a powerful England, a stronger and bigger France, a independent Netherlands and the threat of Portugal and Aragon revolting during a big war will force it's rulers to walk on eggshells everytime and if they fail... Things are going to get ugly and fast.

You are right to make these remarks but I am not going to tell you now how it will end. 😉

 

[alexmilman]

I had wondered about it, I didn't wonder about it any more. Perhaps I will come back to this.
Thank you for enjoying my last chapter.


Glad you like it. The Spanish Empire, by ending the war in the Netherlands faster, defeating Portugal and enjoying a good Regency while avoiding the reign of Carlos II, is doing better than OTL.
However, the Spanish Empire remains extremely vast and is not immune to covetousness and conflict. Moreover, although the peninsula has been pacified, it could revolt again. Finally, the Spanish expedition to North Africa is also very expensive for the Crown.
The question is whether Carlos-Balthazar will succeed in maintaining his empire.

Probably this is also a matter of the internal strength. In OTL under the first Bourbons Spain started developing its own economy so in your TL it is going to do this decades earlier and even if it can’t avoid some of the European wars it may be involved in fewer because it does not have to try to return the territories which it did not lost. And a more productive economy and fewer wars (and expenses) means an ability to maintain an effective navy and army.

Now, if there is no WoSS or some other event with a massive fighting on the Spanish territory or if the government simply pays attention to the “details”, Spain is not losing Gibraltar and this mean that the Brits are not getting a base which in OTL allowed them further penetration into the Med (ditto for Portugal remaining Spanish). Which is, of course, a huge change in the overall situation.

 

[alexmilman]

Indeed, it may be alright now but it could end up falling down harder it did in our TL if the situation is dire enough, with a powerful England, a stronger and bigger France, a independent Netherlands and the threat of Portugal and Aragon revolting during a big war will force it's rulers to walk on eggshells everytime and if they fail... Things are going to get ugly and fast.

But keep in mind that England, France and the Netherlands have generally conflicting interests and this provides an opening for political maneuver and choice of the least disastrous alliance. As far as the Spanish colonial empire is involved, England is enemy #1 while France is much less so and for the Netherlands England is the main trade competitor. If France is not looking for the further expansion. at the Spanish expense and France and the Netherlands are in a close alliance, then siding with them puts Spain in a relatively secure position. Spain may attract them by granting the right of asiento (which in OTL Britain got after the WoSS) and by somewhat opening its colonies for the trade (with a proper taxation): the Netherlands are, anyway, are mostly carrying goods from here to there and their naval capacities could be helpful for increasing the revenues from the colonies. France (with the manufactures of Belgium) becomes a major exporter but, again, this is a matter of the custom dues and Spain itself is not producing enough export goods to be worried about the competition. So everybody is happy (except for the slaves, of course).

England at that time is not yet as strong as it is going to be later in OTL (economically, financially and as a naval power) and, by avoiding the ITL Anglo-Dutch Wars and financially disastrous participation in the WoSS the Netherlands are both rich and a practically equal naval power backed up by the French military might and navy. If our dear @Comte de Dordogne supplies Louis with a little bit extra mental capacities the “Triple Alliance” would be quite secure. Now, if it manages to restrict the British access to the sources of the timber (especially masts), hemp, flax and other materials needed for the ship construction, it will be even better but this requires more attention to the Northern Europe.

 

[Kurd Gossemer]

But keep in mind that England, France and the Netherlands have generally conflicting interests and this provides an opening for political maneuver and choice of the least disastrous alliance. As far as the Spanish colonial empire is involved, England is enemy #1 while France is much less so and for the Netherlands England is the main trade competitor. If France is not looking for the further expansion. at the Spanish expense and France and the Netherlands are in a close alliance, then siding with them puts Spain in a relatively secure position. Spain may attract them by granting the right of asiento (which in OTL Britain got after the WoSS) and by somewhat opening its colonies for the trade (with a proper taxation): the Netherlands are, anyway, are mostly carrying goods from here to there and their naval capacities could be helpful for increasing the revenues from the colonies. France (with the manufactures of Belgium) becomes a major exporter but, again, this is a matter of the custom dues and Spain itself is not producing enough export goods to be worried about the competition. So everybody is happy (except for the slaves, of course).

England at that time is not yet as strong as it is going to be later in OTL (economically, financially and as a naval power) and, by avoiding the ITL Anglo-Dutch Wars and financially disastrous participation in the WoSS the Netherlands are both rich and a practically equal naval power backed up by the French military might and navy. If our dear @Comte de Dordogne supplies Louis with a little bit extra mental capacities the “Triple Alliance” would be quite secure. Now, if it manages to restrict the British access to the sources of the timber (especially masts), hemp, flax and other materials needed for the ship construction, it will be even better but this requires more attention to the Northern Europe.

Great analysis, as long as the Spanish manage to be cordial with France(while keeping them busy with confronting the english) and continue their reforms along with careful expansion they will be able to avert or at least be better prepared for many troubles that plagued the Spanish Empire in OTL.

 

[alexmilman]

Great analysis, as long as the Spanish manage to be cordial with France(while keeping them busy with confronting the english) and continue their reforms along with careful expansion they will be able to avert or at least be better prepared for many troubles that plagued the Spanish Empire in OTL.

Agree with one exception: Spain did not really need a continued expansion because, due to the shortage of the population and obvious problems with communications and logistics, it could not effectively manage even everything it it already hold.

And don’t ignore the Netherlands: they are a major naval power and the Brits are becoming their growing competitor. In OTL a the Dutch ended up being glued to the British/Hanover politics and lost its dominant positions both in Swedish and Russian markets. The naval and economic power of the “Triple Alliance” can change the balance with a considerable domino effect. Basically, the partners are complementing each other: Spain - supplier of the raw materials (including fleece), France, thanks to Belgium, a major producer of the manufactured goods and the Netherlands are (still) the world’s greatest distributor. 🤗

 

[redfire]

Franche-Comte really does seem to be simultaneously untenable for Spain to maintain control over, and poison for any lasting peace with France. I think ideally it would be traded to France for territory elsewhere that is contiguous with Spain, for land in the Americas, or simply sold. I’m not sure how realistic this is, but that really seems best for Spain. The longer Spain can be at peace with the other European great powers, the better.

 

[blackswordzero]

Franche-Comte really does seem to be simultaneously untenable for Spain to maintain control over, and poison for any lasting peace with France. I think ideally it would be traded to France for territory elsewhere that is contiguous with Spain, for land in the Americas, or simply sold. I’m not sure how realistic this is, but that really seems best for Spain. The longer Spain can be at peace with the other European great powers, the better.

And don't forget about the little County of Charolais!

 

[Comte de Dordogne]

Probably this is also a matter of the internal strength. In OTL under the first Bourbons Spain started developing its own economy so in your TL it is going to do this decades earlier and even if it can’t avoid some of the European wars it may be involved in fewer because it does not have to try to return the territories which it did not lost. And a more productive economy and fewer wars (and expenses) means an ability to maintain an effective navy and army.

Now, if there is no WoSS or some other event with a massive fighting on the Spanish territory or if the government simply pays attention to the “details”, Spain is not losing Gibraltar and this mean that the Brits are not getting a base which in OTL allowed them further penetration into the Med (ditto for Portugal remaining Spanish). Which is, of course, a huge change in the overall situation.

I couldn't agree with you more. When we have finished our tour of Europe we will go to see the butterflies in America and the rest of the world before returning to Europe and the wars of the end of the 17th century.
The colonial empires will be very upset, you are quite right.

But keep in mind that England, France and the Netherlands have generally conflicting interests and this provides an opening for political maneuver and choice of the least disastrous alliance. As far as the Spanish colonial empire is involved, England is enemy #1 while France is much less so and for the Netherlands England is the main trade competitor. If France is not looking for the further expansion. at the Spanish expense and France and the Netherlands are in a close alliance, then siding with them puts Spain in a relatively secure position. Spain may attract them by granting the right of asiento (which in OTL Britain got after the WoSS) and by somewhat opening its colonies for the trade (with a proper taxation): the Netherlands are, anyway, are mostly carrying goods from here to there and their naval capacities could be helpful for increasing the revenues from the colonies. France (with the manufactures of Belgium) becomes a major exporter but, again, this is a matter of the custom dues and Spain itself is not producing enough export goods to be worried about the competition. So everybody is happy (except for the slaves, of course).

England at that time is not yet as strong as it is going to be later in OTL (economically, financially and as a naval power) and, by avoiding the ITL Anglo-Dutch Wars and financially disastrous participation in the WoSS the Netherlands are both rich and a practically equal naval power backed up by the French military might and navy. If our dear @Comte de Dordogne supplies Louis with a little bit extra mental capacities the “Triple Alliance” would be quite secure. Now, if it manages to restrict the British access to the sources of the timber (especially masts), hemp, flax and other materials needed for the ship construction, it will be even better but this requires more attention to the Northern Europe.

Northern Europe will soon be covered in an upcoming chapter, and once again you make interesting predictions.

Franche-Comte really does seem to be simultaneously untenable for Spain to maintain control over, and poison for any lasting peace with France. I think ideally it would be traded to France for territory elsewhere that is contiguous with Spain, for land in the Americas, or simply sold. I’m not sure how realistic this is, but that really seems best for Spain. The longer Spain can be at peace with the other European great powers, the better.

And don't forget about the little County of Charolais!

Indeed, with the loss of the Spanish Netherlands Franche-Comté becomes a very useless territory for Madrid. They are not likely to keep it for long.

 

[xmoose]

Indeed, with the loss of the Spanish Netherlands Franche-Comté becomes a very useless territory for Madrid. They are not likely to keep it for long.

Not sure what valuable could France give for it... but what about trade with some minor italian or german house? French-Comte for Modena or Florence or something?

 

[alexmilman]

Northern Europe will soon be covered in an upcoming chapter, and once again you make interesting predictions.

Well, speaking about the predictions (which I did not, yet made ) , there is a great opportunity to make a potentially (*) major change in the history of the XVIII century with a reasonably small and quite realistic adjustment.

Decade after your 25 (?) YW is gloriously finished and everybody is happily gnawing on a bone he got (well, Wallenstein, IIRC, is suffering from a gout and should cut on the meat consumption), the 2nd Northern War starts. The most remarkable thing about it is that the participants are fighting each other in rather peculiar and shifting combinations with (surprise, surprise) the 1st award in category "the most bizarre" going to the Tsardom of Moscow: Tsar Alexey managed to be at war simultaneously with the PLC and Sweden who were fighting each other ("The Deluge"). To a great degree this can be attributed to the inexperience of what was passing for the Russian diplomacy: the leading diplomat was not aware of the fact that in the PLC the treaties had to be ratified by the Sejm and not just by the King so Tsardom started war with Sweden while not having a formal ceasefire with the PLC. So in the most "interesting" moment the Poles broke the ceasefire (which formally did not exist) and the Swedes also managed to restore ante bellum situation. But this is not the point. Below are the general map of that war and the map of the fighting in the most important (for the purpose of the discussion) area, Ingria.

In OTL the main target of the Tsardom was Riga with the supporting move toward Narva and remote third operations in Ingria & Karelia. Needless to say that an attempt to take Riga eventually failed and offensive into Estonia failed as well (the cities taken had been returned to Sweden by the peace treaty). OTOH, the tiny force operating in Ingria (2nd map) was quite successful until the reinforcements arrived to Narva and it had to retreat. As you can see from the second map, the Ingrian force managed to take the area of the future Peter's "paradise" and to secure access to it by capturing Noteburg/Schlissselburg/<whatever is is Finnish name>. In other words, did the same thing that Peter did few decades later.

Now, let's assume that:
(a) The Russian top diplomat Ordyn Naschokin bothered to get himself familiar with the internal workings of the PLC (instead of taking excessive care of how the Tsar's title is written in international documents) and waits until the armistice, or a peace, is properly ratified by both sides.
(b) Tsar Alexey, instead of launching an overly ambitious campaign in Livonia concentrates on a limited task of re-capturing Ingria, possibly but not necessarily with Narva (**). This area could be occupied and held by a significant force making its reconquest by Sweden unlikely or at least very expensive comparing to the low overall value of the region. The existing trade arrangements could be confirmed and Narva returned to Sweden. It would take years to build a meaningful port out of Nien (***) so the Swedes would not necessarily worry about loss of the custom dues: their main source was Riga. Sweden is busy fighting "The Deluge" so a minor concession could be OK, especially if it results in a military alliance with the Tsardom which is also at war with the PLC (well, there is an armistice but a reason to break it always can be found, especially taking into an account that the Cossacks are itching for a continued fighting).

So the Tsardom gets its access to the Baltic Sea and a minor port on it. A formal reason for the Russian participation in the GNW is absent. If Peter wants his "window to Europe", it is there and he can build it up to something bigger without fighting a war. Anyway, his initial ambitions did not extend beyond getting Narva (with which he did not quite know what to do after he captured it). Without him the coalition either does not happen or is handily destroyed. However, there are two wild cards:
1st, Charles XII may decide that ceding Ingria by Charles X was an act of injustice forced by the Tsardom and that it should be remedied. Judging by even sympathetic sources, Charles XII had rather ...er... unique mental organization so the normal logic does not apply.
2nd, pretty much the same, even if to a lesser degree, goes for Peter who may decide that the "window" is not big enough for his dreams, etc. OTOH, it is probably reasonable to assume that he may concentrate on building up the city, building his Baltic fleet, etc.

Of course, if somehow both these personages are removed from the picture (Charles has an accident, Feodor III has a better health or Peter drowned while sailing his boat on Izmailovo pond (****) while still being a teenager) the European North may keep developing along the relatively peaceful lines.


_______
(*) "potentially" because there still would be two major players capable of screwing the peaceful situation into a major war but let's say their window of opportunity for doing so would be much smaller (speaking of the windows, one of them was "credited" with making a window for the purposes routinely associated with the doors).
(**) While under the Swedes Narva was a major outlet for the Russian imports/exports on the Baltic coast, it was not critical or even truly important for the Tsardom to have it by a number of reasons. 1st, as a port it had very limited capacities (and was not even a port being well up the river) and no secure harbor. 2nd, even if it remains in the Swedish hands, the old trade arrangements could remain in force even in Russia builds its own port in Ingria (it would take a while for it being able to compete with Riga). 3rd, there was a functioning fair in Pskov from which the goods had been carried by land to Revel and Riga. 4th, Russian main trade outlet was in Archangelsk ( Peter artificially restricted volume of trade passing through it to promote St-Petersburg) which had a huge advantage of not being dependent upon the Danish and Swedish good graces.
(***) Even with Peter's obsession and artificial regulations it took years to make a major port out of St-Petersburg. The Dutch, for example, did prefer Archangelsk.
(****) The depth is 2-3 meters, which should be adequate for the purpose, saving Russia millions of lives.

 

[Comte de Dordogne]

Not sure what valuable could France give for it... but what about trade with some minor italian or german house? French-Comte for Modena or Florence or something?

France was already looking into it during the Thirty Years' War. And it will continue to do so. It was part of the French "pré carré" and was supposed to help in the defence of the kingdom (think of the fortress of Besançon improved by Vauban). France can't take the risk of letting a foreign power use it as an outpost.

Well, speaking about the predictions (which I did not, yet made ) , there is a great opportunity to make a potentially (*) major change in the history of the XVIII century with a reasonably small and quite realistic adjustment.

Decade after your 25 (?) YW is gloriously finished and everybody is happily gnawing on a bone he got (well, Wallenstein, IIRC, is suffering from a gout and should cut on the meat consumption), the 2nd Northern War starts. The most remarkable thing about it is that the participants are fighting each other in rather peculiar and shifting combinations with (surprise, surprise) the 1st award in category "the most bizarre" going to the Tsardom of Moscow: Tsar Alexey managed to be at war simultaneously with the PLC and Sweden who were fighting each other ("The Deluge"). To a great degree this can be attributed to the inexperience of what was passing for the Russian diplomacy: the leading diplomat was not aware of the fact that in the PLC the treaties had to be ratified by the Sejm and not just by the King so Tsardom started war with Sweden while not having a formal ceasefire with the PLC. So in the most "interesting" moment the Poles broke the ceasefire (which formally did not exist) and the Swedes also managed to restore ante bellum situation. But this is not the point. Below are the general map of that war and the map of the fighting in the most important (for the purpose of the discussion) area, Ingria.

View attachment 599641
View attachment 599642
In OTL the main target of the Tsardom was Riga with the supporting move toward Narva and remote third operations in Ingria & Karelia. Needless to say that an attempt to take Riga eventually failed and offensive into Estonia failed as well (the cities taken had been returned to Sweden by the peace treaty). OTOH, the tiny force operating in Ingria (2nd map) was quite successful until the reinforcements arrived to Narva and it had to retreat. As you can see from the second map, the Ingrian force managed to take the area of the future Peter's "paradise" and to secure access to it by capturing Noteburg/Schlissselburg/<whatever is is Finnish name>. In other words, did the same thing that Peter did few decades later.

Now, let's assume that:
(a) The Russian top diplomat Ordyn Naschokin bothered to get himself familiar with the internal workings of the PLC (instead of taking excessive care of how the Tsar's title is written in international documents) and waits until the armistice, or a peace, is properly ratified by both sides.
(b) Tsar Alexey, instead of launching an overly ambitious campaign in Livonia concentrates on a limited task of re-capturing Ingria, possibly but not necessarily with Narva (**). This area could be occupied and held by a significant force making its reconquest by Sweden unlikely or at least very expensive comparing to the low overall value of the region. The existing trade arrangements could be confirmed and Narva returned to Sweden. It would take years to build a meaningful port out of Nien (***) so the Swedes would not necessarily worry about loss of the custom dues: their main source was Riga. Sweden is busy fighting "The Deluge" so a minor concession could be OK, especially if it results in a military alliance with the Tsardom which is also at war with the PLC (well, there is an armistice but a reason to break it always can be found, especially taking into an account that the Cossacks are itching for a continued fighting).

So the Tsardom gets its access to the Baltic Sea and a minor port on it. A formal reason for the Russian participation in the GNW is absent. If Peter wants his "window to Europe", it is there and he can build it up to something bigger without fighting a war. Anyway, his initial ambitions did not extend beyond getting Narva (with which he did not quite know what to do after he captured it). Without him the coalition either does not happen or is handily destroyed. However, there are two wild cards:
1st, Charles XII may decide that ceding Ingria by Charles X was an act of injustice forced by the Tsardom and that it should be remedied. Judging by even sympathetic sources, Charles XII had rather ...er... unique mental organization so the normal logic does not apply.
2nd, pretty much the same, even if to a lesser degree, goes for Peter who may decide that the "window" is not big enough for his dreams, etc. OTOH, it is probably reasonable to assume that he may concentrate on building up the city, building his Baltic fleet, etc.

Of course, if somehow both these personages are removed from the picture (Charles has an accident, Feodor III has a better health or Peter drowned while sailing his boat on Izmailovo pond (****) while still being a teenager) the European North may keep developing along the relatively peaceful lines.


_______
(*) "potentially" because there still would be two major players capable of screwing the peaceful situation into a major war but let's say their window of opportunity for doing so would be much smaller (speaking of the windows, one of them was "credited" with making a window for the purposes routinely associated with the doors).
(**) While under the Swedes Narva was a major outlet for the Russian imports/exports on the Baltic coast, it was not critical or even truly important for the Tsardom to have it by a number of reasons. 1st, as a port it had very limited capacities (and was not even a port being well up the river) and no secure harbor. 2nd, even if it remains in the Swedish hands, the old trade arrangements could remain in force even in Russia builds its own port in Ingria (it would take a while for it being able to compete with Riga). 3rd, there was a functioning fair in Pskov from which the goods had been carried by land to Revel and Riga. 4th, Russian main trade outlet was in Archangelsk ( Peter artificially restricted volume of trade passing through it to promote St-Petersburg) which had a huge advantage of not being dependent upon the Danish and Swedish good graces.
(***) Even with Peter's obsession and artificial regulations it took years to make a major port out of St-Petersburg. The Dutch, for example, did prefer Archangelsk.
(****) The depth is 2-3 meters, which should be adequate for the purpose, saving Russia millions of lives.
View attachment 599653

Really very interesting, thank you for writing so much. I already have ideas for Sweden and the PLC but not yet for Russia.
I will continue my research on Russia and even if I don't fully take up your ideas they still inspire me.

 

[alexmilman]

Really very interesting, thank you for writing so much. I already have ideas for Sweden and the PLC but not yet for Russia.
I will continue my research on Russia and even if I don't fully take up your ideas they still inspire me.

I expect you to have your own ideas (otherwise it would be no fun😜). Just tried to show that with the reasonably small and quite realistic changes history of the whole region could go different and less bloody way. But if you want it to be even more bloody than in OTL, it is probably equally realistic taking into an account a number of the morons on the decision making level in all sides involved.

Surely, Tsar Alexey concentrating on attacking Nien and Narva instead of Riga and not going to a new war without formally ending the current one seems to be more realistic than, say, making the Polish Szhliahta of the XVII century fundamentally changing their mentality and supporting a strong monarchy. OTOH, it may be argued that making the Russian rulers not acting as the idiots and providing their advisors with some competence is a task of a comparable difficulty with the PLC of that time turning itself into a reasonably normal state. 😂

 

[Comte de Dordogne]

I expect you to have your own ideas (otherwise it would be no fun😜). Just tried to show that with the reasonably small and quite realistic changes history of the whole region could go different and less bloody way. But if you want it to be even more bloody than in OTL, it is probably equally realistic taking into an account a number of the morons on the decision making level in all sides involved.

Surely, Tsar Alexey concentrating on attacking Nien and Narva instead of Riga and not going to a new war without formally ending the current one seems to be more realistic than, say, making the Polish Szhliahta of the XVII century fundamentally changing their mentality and supporting a strong monarchy. OTOH, it may be argued that making the Russian rulers not acting as the idiots and providing their advisors with some competence is a task of a comparable difficulty with the PLC of that time turning itself into a reasonably normal state. 😂

I have my own ideas from reading my readers' comments. It gives me the beginnings of a track that allows me to develop ideas that are still vague to me.
I totally agree with you on the PLC, it's a state that seems completely crazy when you discover it. 😂

 

[alexmilman]

I have my own ideas from reading my readers' comments. It gives me the beginnings of a track that allows me to develop ideas that are still vague to me.
I totally agree with you on the PLC, it's a state that seems completely crazy when you discover it. 😂

Speaking of the PLC, look at the situation from a different perspective. It was a paradise for the nobility and had been organized in such a way that usually a monarch could not put it into a trouble by the excessive ambitions: he does not have either money or army. In this sense August was a major disaster because he had an army and revenues of his own and as a result dragged the PLC into the GNW in which it did not even officially participated and from which it was going to gain nothing. But in the terms of “freedoms” it was close to perfect (if you are on a proper place of a social ladder and can defend yourself against your peers).

The weak point of that paradise was a very limited ability to defend itself by the same reason: no army and the Sejm of Poland could be (and was more than once) reluctant to give money on something that did not directly involve the interests of the Polish nobility (for example, defense of Lithuania, the Cossack Wars and even wars against the Ottomans). Well, nothing is completely perfect. 😜

 

[Zygmunt Stary]

Speaking of the PLC, look at the situation from a different perspective. It was a paradise for the nobility and had been organized in such a way that usually a monarch could not put it into a trouble by the excessive ambitions: he does not have either money or army. In this sense August was a major disaster because he had an army and revenues of his own and as a result dragged the PLC into the GNW in which it did not even officially participated and from which it was going to gain nothing. But in the terms of “freedoms” it was close to perfect (if you are on a proper place of a social ladder and can defend yourself against your peers).

The weak point of that paradise was a very limited ability to defend itself by the same reason: no army and the Sejm of Poland could be (and was more than once) reluctant to give money on something that did not directly involve the interests of the Polish nobility (for example, defense of Lithuania, the Cossack Wars and even wars against the Ottomans). Well, nothing is completely perfect. 😜

But on the other hand, even anarchic PLC was much richer than Muscovy and Muscovy could not defeat it for a long time, even 1667 truce of Andrusovo was more a favorable draw than complete Muscovite victory. And this all talk about Charles XII and Peter I at their goals is sure interesting, but all those people aren't even born ITTL yet, and there is no guarantee that they'd get into power.

 

[alexmilman]

But on the other hand, even anarchic PLC was much richer than Muscovy and Muscovy could not defeat it for a long time, even 1667 truce of Andrusovo was more a favorable draw than complete Muscovite victory. And this all talk about Charles XII and Peter I at their goals is sure interesting, but all those people aren't even born ITTL yet, and there is no guarantee that they'd get into power.

What you are talking about is true but rather irrelevant because we did not discuss the Russian affairs of that period.

Needless to say that Andrusovo as an argument is not working because Tsardom, without completing a war against the PLC, got itself involved into a war with Sweden (which was conducted in too ambitious way and list) and the rest was a demonstration of a political ineptitude rather than of anything else. What is important is that by the time you are talking about more than a half of Tsardom’s army were western-style troops and that the state was on the early stages of the modernization. How you are defining who was richer than whom I have no idea but the centralized state clearly was in a better position of mobilizing its resources.

Taking into an account the territories Tsardom got by Andrusovo, following your logic we should also declare the earlier Russian-Polish wars being a draw because they resulted in the smaller territorial losses by Tsardom and, while Alexey did not plan the conquest of the PLC (and as such his war can’t be declared a failure), conquest of the Tsardom in the earlier wars was the Polish goal which was obviously not achieved so, following your logic, these wars should be considered a Polish failure (anyway, all the territories gained had been lost in few decades with a considerable part of the PLC land). 😜

 

[Zygmunt Stary]

What you are talking about is true but rather irrelevant because we did not discuss the Russian affairs of that period.

Needless to say that Andrusovo as an argument is not working because Tsardom, without completing a war against the PLC, got itself involved into a war with Sweden (which was conducted in too ambitious way and list) and the rest was a demonstration of a political ineptitude rather than of anything else. What is important is that by the time you are talking about more than a half of Tsardom’s army were western-style troops and that the state was on the early stages of the modernization. How you are defining who was richer than whom I have no idea but the centralized state clearly was in a better position of mobilizing its resources.

Taking into an account the territories Tsardom got by Andrusovo, following your logic we should also declare the earlier Russian-Polish wars being a draw because they resulted in the smaller territorial losses by Tsardom and, while Alexey did not plan the conquest of the PLC (and as such his war can’t be declared a failure), conquest of the Tsardom in the earlier wars was the Polish goal which was obviously not achieved so, following your logic, these wars should be considered a Polish failure (anyway, all the territories gained had been lost in few decades with a considerable part of the PLC land). 😜

PLC was richer, because while it had serious troubles (which ultimately escalated to the point of ungovernability) with mobilizing it resources, it had more financial resources than Moscow, townspeople in PLC tended to be more wealthy than their Muscovite counterparts. I think that yes, Deulin could be considered a draw, because it was a truce, not peace. PLC victory was Polanovo, because peace was made. And also, Sejm didn't plan conquest of Moscow. Sigismund at some point toyed with this idea, but seemed to have abandon it, So we cannot say that conquest of Moscow was PLC's goal. And speaking of PLC and reforms, it's not like PLC was isolated from rest of the world and I don't think that you noticed, but republican system of PLC's biggest trade partner, Netherlands, failed pretty spectacularly ITTL. While I do not think it'd make nobility sympathetic to absolutism, it might raise question ("why republics are suddenly all falling"?). In addition, even anarchistic PLC wasn't completely wiped out of the map even during Deluge, so I don't expect this to happen ITTL.

 

[alexmilman]

PLC was richer, because while it had serious troubles (which ultimately escalated to the point of ungovernability) with mobilizing it resources, it had more financial resources than Moscow, townspeople in PLC tended to be more wealthy than their Muscovite counterparts. I think that yes, Deulin could be considered a draw, because it was a truce, not peace. PLC victory was Polanovo, because peace was made. And also, Sejm didn't plan conquest of Moscow. Sigismund at some point toyed with this idea, but seemed to have abandon it, So we cannot say that conquest of Moscow was PLC's goal. And speaking of PLC and reforms, it's not like PLC was isolated from rest of the world and I don't think that you noticed, but republican system of PLC's biggest trade partner, Netherlands, failed pretty spectacularly ITTL. While I do not think it'd make nobility sympathetic to absolutism, it might raise question ("why republics are suddenly all falling"?). In addition, even anarchistic PLC wasn't completely wiped out of the map even during Deluge, so I don't expect this to happen ITTL.

If conquest of Moscow was just something Sigismund toyed with, what exactly the Polish garrison was doing in it and what Wladislaw was doing later besieging it? Why would he officially adopt Tsar’s title? BTW, both his Moscow Campaign and Smolensk War had been financed by the Sejm so this part of an argument is shaky, at best.

You are still failing to demonstrate which country was “richer”. For this you need some GDP-like data and not the vague statements that the “townspeople tended to be more wealthy”, which even if correct, are hardly showing anything for the countries which were predominantly agrarian and had noticeably different structure of the city population. In 1559 - 1563 the PLC lost approximately one third of its population which shrunk to 6 - 7 millions and not just the peasants and townspeople but even the ordinary nobility started losing their economic base and political independence in a favor of the big magnates (a big part of Szlachta zaściankowa turning into the magnates’ clients and to a big degree the same applied to the middle level nobility which depended upon the magnates in getting administrative positions). The agricultural crisis started in 1650s and lasted until 1720s with the processes going similarly but not identically to those in Tsardom: while growth and strengthening of the serfdom was common, in the PLC awe see the processes of growing and strengthening the magnates’ holdings while in the Tsardom the same process was regulated by the state in favor of the low-/mid-level nobility (service class). After Khmelnitsky Uprising and the Deluge 35% of the villages in Royal Prussia and 60% in Podolia were completely destroyed. Situation in the rural areas impacted the towns because the local merchants and tradesmen had been losing their traditional clientele. Situation started improving only after 1720 and improvements were not even: Warsaw and Danzig had been doing better but population of Krakow was shrinking. Trade balance remained mostly negative and importance of the PLC in transit trade was steadily diminishing after loss of the Baltic provinces (Riga being the biggest port on the Baltic Sea) and absence of the strong government would not allow effective introduction of mercantilism and protectionism. Improvements started only in 1720s, which is well past the time we had been talking about.

Now, if you want to say that during that period the Tsardom was in a lousy shape economically, you are preaching to the choir because I was saying this numerous times and an argument that somebody else is not doing well is not a proof that you are OK.

What is your insistence on being whipped from the map has to do with what we had been discussing with @Comte de Dordogne I have no idea: we were talking about period well preceding the Partitions.

Not sure how and why the Netherlands got into the picture and what they had to do with the situation in the PLC but the Netherlands had their own specifics and their eventual “failure” (as in being very rich and successful country but losing status of the major power) was a result of the numerous factors of which their republican system was only one. And their “republicanism” was quite specific. Besides the top level government representing all provinces (with Holland being a leading one) not only every province had a wide freedom of action but so did every city. For example, during the first years of the GNV the government in Hague insisted on a strict neutrality forbidding sending the military supplies and specialists to the participants. Amsterdam ignored this policy and kept openly supplying Russia with the weapons and being a base for recruiting naval, military and civilian specialists to the Russian service. The major blow for the Netherlands was competition with Britain in which Britain had generally stronger position and the numerous land wars in which the Provinces got involved thanks to the top leadership: WoSS practically bankrupted the state.

 

[Flosgon78]

ly. I remember when I had an issue with my transcripts, it took forever to get through all the bureaucratic red tape. But hopefully your experience will be better than mine.

The Habsburg Empire
Part 1: The Kingdom of Spain​

To say that the sixteenth century was that of Spain is a euphemism inaugurated by the discovery of America by Cristobal Colon. This century will also be that of the rise of the House of Habsburg. Carlos V by inheriting the Kingdoms of Spain, the Burgundian possessions and the crown of the Holy Roman Empire became the most powerful sovereign of Europe. Add to this the conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires in America and the exploitation of their many riches and it could be said that Spain was an Empire on which the Sun never sets.

View attachment 598980
Carlos V, Holy Emperor and King of Spain (1500-1558).

However, the Habsburg hegemony of Carlos V was very strongly contested by numerous opponents. In Western Europe, the France of Francis I had sought to obtain the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, which was taken by Carlos V in 1519. The rivalry between the Valois and the Habsburgs led to the numerous Italian wars. Moreover, the appearance of the Reformation led by Martin Luther in 1517 after having published his ninety-five theses provoked a violent schism within the Catholic Church. Supported by the German Princes of the north of the Holy Roman Empire, Protestantism spread throughout Europe like wildfire, provoking revolts and conflicts. Finally, the increasingly worrying expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans and the Mediterranean made the Christian world fear the arrival of the Mohammedan infidels. The occupation of the former Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt in 1517 as well as the Hungarian defeat at Mohács and the partition of the Magyar Kingdom and the alliance between Suleiman the Magnificent and Francis I, despite their different religions, led to fears that the Habsburg Empire would be dismembered.
Despite the many challenges, Carlos V will resist and succeed in protecting his Empire. The many Italian wars led by Francis I and later his son Henry II will end with the bitter defeat of France and the end of the transalpine dream for the Valois. Moreover the death of Henri II will make sink the Kingdom of France in numerous and bloody wars of religions. To the great joy of the Habsburgs. In the Holy Empire the Protestant Reformation after having provoked many struggles and conflicts forced Carlos V to reconsider the reformed cult. In 1555 he concluded the Peace of Augsburg with the converted princes of the Empire, recognizing as Protestant land the land ruled by a prince of the same religion. Finally, the Ottoman threat was vigorously fought by the Habsburg monarch, leading to a settlement in Mohammedan North Africa and the acquisition of the Bohemian crown and the crown of Hungary.
In 1555, Carlos V abdicated his titles as King of Spain, ceding Spain, its dependencies in the Mediterranean and America and the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands to his son, Felipe II.

1) The Spanish Decadence (1568-1621)​

Decadence is a strong word to describe this period. Although it was later named so by Spanish historians, the end of the 16th century was not perceived as a decline by the people of the time. However, as the years went by, sclerosis was already appearing in the Spanish system of governance, without a solution being found to counter this degradation.
The reign of Felipe II was marked by the will to defend the Roman Catholic faith wherever it was seen as being in danger. He is the model of the Catholic monarch promoting the Counter-Reformation. Felipe II led many wars in North Africa to drive the Ottomans out of the region but also to preserve the strongholds already present on the barbarian coast. After having had to quell the Moriscos' revolt of 1568, Felipe II joined the Holy League with Venice and the Papacy and together they won a resounding victory at Lepanto in 1571 against the Ottomans. However, the Spanish presence in Africa was reduced at that time. The Spanish ambitions will be even very quickly slowed down after his defeat with Portugal in 1578 in Morocco, which will see the death of King Sebastian I of Portugal. This death will be at the origin of the crisis of succession in Portugal which will see Felipe II march on Portugal, then declare himself King of Portugal and found the Iberian Union.
View attachment 598982
Christian galleys facing the Turkish galleys at Lepanto.

At the same time, Felipe II took advantage of the wars of religion in France to interfere militarily in the domain of the Valois and thus weaken France. The desire to oppose Protestantism also encouraged him to actively support the Catholic League when it became clear that the Protestant Bourbon family was preparing to succeed the Valois in France.
However, the reign of Felipe II will not be covered only by success. In 1566 in the Northern Provinces of the Netherlands Protestantism was strengthened during the reign of Felipe II. The fiscal pressure and the Inquisition provoked a terrible revolt that led to the foundation of the United Provinces of the Netherlands in 1579. The Dutch sailors will contest the colonial hegemony of Spain, whether in India or America. In addition, the beginning of the war with England and the defeat of the Invincible Armada in 1688 allowed London to establish itself on the American continent. The capture of Breda by surprise in 1690 by only 70 Dutchmen also marks a hard blow to the credibility of Spain. Finally, the coronation of Henry IV of Bourbon in 1594 after his conversion to Catholicism marked the end of the Wars of Religion in France and Spanish interference.
At his death in 1598, Felipe II left his son a kingdom with weak finances and many conflicts to lead throughout the Empire. Felipe III will be an erased King, leaving the management of the Empire to favorites. Spain under his reign will sign Peace with England in 1604 and a truce with the United Provinces in 1609.

2) The reign of Felipe IV and the Olivares government (1621-1644)​

In 1621, the death of Felipe III gave way to the reign of Felipe IV and his government, that of the ministry of Gaspar de Guzman, the Count of Olivares.
The Count of Olivares began a very active fight against the corruption that had become widespread during the previous reign in the high spheres of the Court. Moreover, Olivares tried to reform the tax system of the Empire, although his attempts were unsuccessful. What will mark the ministry of Olivares is the creation of "The Union of Armas", which will allow a better mobilization and coordination of the different kingdoms.
After twelve years of truce and long negotiations with the United Provinces, Olivares resumed hostilities with Holland by taking over Breda in 1624. The resumption of the conflict by Spain was also linked to the outbreak of the Twenty-five Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire. The seizure of the Palatinate by the imperials and the Spaniards was also to open the "Spanish road" through northern Italy and the Holy Roman Empire leading to the Spanish Netherlands.
View attachment 598983
Felipe IV of Spain (1605-1644).

Around the globe, the Dutch harass Spanish ships and colonies. In 1624 the settlement of the Dutch in Recife and the raids of Dutch pirates on the Brazilian coast irritated the Portuguese Cortes demanding a stronger protection of the Portuguese colonial empire. Madrid will grant a stronger protection of the Portuguese possessions in Insulinde against the Dutch raids [1]. The arrival of Frederick Henry of Orange-Nassau in 1629 allowed the Dutch to retake Groenlo and Bois-le-Duc from the Spaniards. Spain seemed to retreat to the Netherlands.

However, the situation is about to change. The appointment of Cardinal Infant Ferdnando of Austria as governor of the Spanish Netherlands puts him at the head of a powerful army of Tercios, departing from Milan, crossing the Alps to enter the Empire. The Cardinal Infant crushed Hesse Kassel [2] with the imperials and pursued Wallenstein's army into Saxony before finally returning to the Rhine valley to fight the Dutch and save Maastricht from the United Provinces [3].
In 1635, after the Spanish occupation of Trier, France went to war and attempted with its Dutch ally the siege of Louvain, a bitter failure against Cardinal Infant, who even had the luxury of making the French retreat and take Corbie the following year.
This period of success allowed Felipe IV to try to better protect the colonial empire in America but also in India. In 1637, a revolt is crushed in Algarve by the Duke of Medina Sidiona.
View attachment 598996
Spanish Tercios of the Cardinal Infant liberating Maastricht (1634).

Although the priority for Spain remained the Netherlands, there was a certain willingness to protect (at least) the colonies of the Empire. However, the destruction of the fleet in 1639 at Downs against the United Provinces would partly compromise the project.
In Spain itself, the increasing tax burden on the population became untenable. The Union of Armas was also very unpopular in Portugal and Aragon. It was moreover on 7 June 1640 in Catalonia that an uprising in Barcelona took control of the city, refusing to enlist the Tercios and the fighters. It didn't take more than that for France to rush into the breach and support the revolt. After a short-lived Catalan Republic, Louis XIII was proclaimed the year after Count of Barcelona.
For the Count of Olivares, the revolt is an opportunity to apply the Union of Armas by appealing to the Portuguese aristocracy.
That was all it took for the Portuguese nobility to plot against the monarchy and Olivares. Forty conspirators planned a plan that would lead to the Restoration of the Portuguese monarchy led by Jao, Duke of Bragança. In spite of the careful and secret planning, their plot will be disrupted at the last moment by Miguel de Vasconcelos, Secretary of State of the Vice-Rector of Portugal, the Duchess of Mantua [4].
Unable to stop the plot, Vasconcelos evacuated the Duchess of Mantua and the few garrisons loyal to Spain the day before and withdrew to Setubal. The next day, on December 1st, the Duke of Bragança was proclaimed Jao IV of Portugal in Lisbon in front of a delirious crowd. However, despite the uprising in the days that followed in the cities of Porto, Santarem and Evora, the Duchess of Mantua was able to prevent the revolt in Beja and Faro, hardly holding the Algarve in southern Portugal.
View attachment 599000
Gaspar de Guzman Count of Olivares (1587-1645).

The news of the uprising in Portugal combined with the war in Catalonia and the Netherlands revealed the dangerous slope the Spanish monarchy was taking.
The Spanish defeat at Montjuïc against the Franco-Catalans in January 1640 thwarted the attempt to retake Barcelona. Moreover, as Olivares' popularity fell, that of one of his enemies increased. While the Duchess of Mantua was driven out of Setubal by the Portuguese, the Duke of Medina Sidiona, as in 1637, replaced the Duchess of Mantua and began to fight the revolt in Portugal and the Algarve from Faro [5]. At the same time the Duke of Medina Sidiona received the support of Queen Elizabeth of France, a fierce opponent of Olivares. She was part of the double marriage between France and Spain. Although she became Queen of Spain in 1621 she remained very self-effacing in politics. After numerous miscarriages, Elisabeth of France gave birth to Balthazar-Carlos (1629) and Maria Theresa (1638). France's entry into the war against Spain in 1635 encouraged her to sell her own jewellery to finance the armies of the Empire, and despite her French birth she encouraged the court to help the Spanish monarchy against France.
In 1640 the disastrous situation and the growing opposition of the Court allowed her to gather the opponents of the Count of Olivares around her. In 1642 she encouraged her husband, Felipe IV, to go to the front in Catalonia despite Olivares' opposition. Felipe chose to listen to his wife and left for Zaragoza, forcing Olivares to join him, leaving the Regency and the Capital to Elisabeth. The Queen, now the sole authority in Madrid, visited the city's barracks and began to control the administration and raise new troops. The previous year, Cardinal Infant had returned from the Spanish Netherlands. The fall of Breda in 1637 and the many rumours at court accusing him of collaborating with France to become independent King of the Netherlands made him fear that Felipe IV would bring him down in disgrace. He chose to return to Spain to defend himself [6].
Although on arriving in Madrid it was hoped that he would succeed in effectively crushing the revolt in Portugal, his hasty departure from Brussels would indirectly cause the disaster of 1643. Francisco de Melo's Tercios were annihilated by the army of the Duke of Enghien. Within a few months, the Spanish Netherlands were completely conquered by France. The disaster is such that the Count of Olivares presents his resignation to Felipe IV and Spain is obliged to negotiate the end of the war with France and the United Provinces.

3) The Regency of Queen Elizabeth (1644-1650)
​

Despite Spain's stinging defeat, the conditions for peace were not as terrible as feared in Madrid. Under the Pyrenean Treaties Spain had to cede the whole of the Spanish Netherlands to France and recognise the independence of the United Provinces. However, Paris and The Hague in exchange pledged to withdraw their support from the Catalan and Portuguese revolts. The death of Louis XIII was the occasion for the Regent Anne of Austria to renounce her son, Louis XIV as Count of Barcelona. France even surrendered the city of Perpignan and its region in exchange for 100,000 ecus [7].
In colonial matters it was much more complicated. Madrid recognised France's settlement on the western part of the island of Hispaniola and in the Caribbean islands. Moreover, in Africa it had to yield to the United Benguela Provinces but was able to keep Luanda. Finally, in India, Holland undertook not to launch incursions on the Portuguese Swahili coast, to stop supporting the Kingdom of Kandi in Ceylon, to return the Portuguese trading posts in Insulinde and to recognise the Portuguese presence in Dejima in Japan [8]. Spain, however, refused to officially recognise the existence of Dutch Brazil, although de facto it did not seek to expel them from the region.

The Treaties of the Pyrenees allowed Spain to concentrate on internal revolts. The Spanish armies of the Holy Empire were repatriated to Spain. Part of them were sent to the Catalan front. The withdrawal of the French to Catalonia allowed Spain to retake Barcelona before the end of 1643. The fiscal and military pressure that France put on the Catalans allowed Madrid to retake the region with the strong support of the war-weary population.
View attachment 599004
Portuguese peasants lynching Spanish prisoners.

In Portugal the situation was much more difficult to pacify. After defeating Catalonia, the Spanish veterans were on the Portuguese front, joining the army of the Duke of Medina Sidiona in Fara or that of Cardinal Infant in Salamanca. On 8th June 1644 the Duke of Medina Sidiona defeated a weak Portuguese army at Ameixial. A month later it was the Cardinal Infant who crushed the Portuguese at the battle of Castelo Rodrigo, opening the road to Porto.
In Lisbon it was nothing more and nothing less than chaos. Jao IV seeing his rare armies defeated and the loss of foreign support saw his dream of an independent Portugal crumble. On 9 October 1644, when the Spanish troops arrived, Jao IV and most of the conspirators of 1640 fled Lisbon, preferring exile to death. On 12th October, the Spanish troops marched through the city.
But Felipe IV did not see this victory, and after a slow agony, the monarch died of St Anthony's fire on 6th October 1644. He leaves behind him a 14-year-old son, Balthazar-Carlos, and a Queen competent to assume the Regency [9].
The Regency of Elizabeth of France in Spain is very often compared to that of Anne of Austria in France, a period of peace led by a peaceful princess who was to allow their son a radiant reign.
Elizabeth of France did everything in her power to save Spain from decadence. She made sure to pacify the Iberian Peninsula by reducing taxes on the population of the different kingdoms as best she could, making her popular with the working classes.
View attachment 599006
Elizabeth of France, Queen and Regent of Spain (1602-1663).

In the case of Portugal, she pardoned the nobles for their rallying to the revolt of 1640, except for those who were part of the forty conspirators. Moreover, in exchange for the recognition of Balthazar-Carlos as King of Portugal and the renewal of the Cortes' loyalty to the Habsburg monarchy, the Regent Elisabeth chose the Duke of Medina and Sidona as Viceroy and undertook for her part to protect the Portuguese colonial empire. Between 1645 and 1648, an expedition to restore order in Brazil was successful. In addition, at the same time Elisabeth reformed the viceroyalties in the West Indies. Thus the regent created the viceroyalty of New Grenada in 1648 [10]. Elisabeth also developed Spain's merchant and military fleet to vigorously combat piracy in the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
Elisabeth redeveloped Asian trade with the Portuguese colonial possessions. In 1650 she promoted an expedition to re-establish the Portuguese presence in Oman. She also promoted trade between the Philippines, Sulawesi, the Swahili coast and Europe. Trade in the Far East also flourished under the Regency, with both Tokugawa Japan and Ming China.


Foreign policy under the Regency of Elizabeth was very peaceful. Relations with France, although not the most friendly, remained cordial despite the previous conflict. Elisabeth of France and Anne of Austria had a very flourishing correspondence during their respective regencies. They drew up a marriage project between Louis XIV and Maria Theresa of Austria, which was completed in 1659.
The relationship with the Habsburg cousins was more distant. Elisabeth renounced the marriage of her son to Mariana of Austria. She preferred to marry the English Stuarts. In 1648 in Madrid, Princess Henriette-Marie, after a long journey, converted to Catholicism on her own initiative and married Balthazar-Carlos.

4) The beginning of the reign of Balthazar-Carlos (1644-1670)​

On 17 October 1650, at the age of 21, Balthazar-Carlos became fully King of Spain, although his mother remained a wise adviser to him until her death.
View attachment 599009
Carlos-Balthazar in his youth (1645).

The reign of Balthazar-Carlos will also be marked by the influence of his uncle, the Infant Cardinal, who gave him his religious education after the death of his father. Although he was not a devotee, Balthazar-Carlos gave great preference to the clergy during his reign. He encouraged Jesuit missions in America as well as in Africa and Asia. In 1663, when he was about to found the Viceroyalty of the Plata [10], he granted the Jesuit missionaries the lands of Paraguay, which had become forbidden to colonisation, where only missionaries were allowed to enter into contact with the Indians.
It was also on this occasion that Balthazar-Carlos renewed the ban on slavery on Indian peoples, especially converted Indians. Faced with the anger of the Portuguese colonists in Rio, he renegotiated the borders of Brazil.
It was also at this time that Spain regained a renewed interest in Africa. In 1661 he was able to obtain from King Antonio I of the Kongo that missionaries could return to his kingdom, although Antonio I formally forbade the incursion of slave hunters, threatening to ask for help from the Dutch to hunt the Portuguese in case of violation. In 1663 the Portuguese re-established their protectorate over the Kingdom of Mutapa in Mozambique, exploiting the many slaves and gold mines in the region.
It was at this time that Balthazar-Carlos wanted to launch a new military campaign to cover himself with glory. Still remembering his country's bitter defeat at the hands of France, he did not seek to fight in Europe. He quickly turned his gaze towards the barbarian coast. Muslim pirates were wreaking havoc on the Mediterranean trade, and they even captured slaves on the coasts of Europe. But the withdrawal of the Ottomans from the region and the surrounding anarchy in the regency of Algiers gave the King of Spain the opportunity to settle the barbarian question.

View attachment 599010
Barbarians pirates preparing to attack a European ship.

Thus, in 1665, Spanish ships gathered in Mediterranean ports, mobilising sailors and ships from Castile, Aragon, Sicily, Naples and Genoa and even the Order of the Knights of Saint John. On 14th June the ships set out to conquer the North African cities in a modern-day crusade. Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Bougie, Bône and many other cities on the coast fell into the hands of the Spanish King in the months that followed. After taking the coast, Balthazar-Carlos allied himself with the Kingdom of Koukou and together they fought the remains of the Regency of Algiers. Djerba was taken by the Knights of Malta in 1666. In spite of these successes, Balthazar-Carlos' expedition was not as easy as his subjects believed. The war would be long and costly and it would take years to see the regions taken by the Spaniards pacified. Constantine would only fall in 1673 after several unsuccessful Spanish sieges.
However, this expedition to North Africa made him a significant sovereign for the Spanish monarchy. The beginning of Carlos-Balthazar's reign and his conquests in North Africa made him a King loved by his subjects. However, as the years went by, Carlos-Balthazar found himself caught up in the European wars of the time in spite of himself, as the wealth of his Empire attracted many covetous desires.

View attachment 599302
The Kingdom of Spain and its European dependencies in 1675.​

[1] OTL there has been no strengthening of the defence of the Portuguese Insulinde.
[2] OTL it won at Nördlingen, a battle that was ITL butterfly.
[3] OTL the city fell to the Dutch.
[4] OTL they didn't guess the plot, the conspirators stormed the palace, captured the duchess of Mantua and defenest Vasconcelos.
[5] OTL the Duke of Medina Sidiona was very suspicious, refusing the troops that Madrid gave him to defeat. Moreover, his marriage to the sister of Jao IV of Portugal made him very close to the Portuguese cause. Finally he would have started to plot for the independence of Andalusia even if some people thought he only wanted to overthrow Olivares. ITL with the Duchess of Mantua in the south of Portugal, the Duke did not refuse the troops, did not try to plot and did not get himself arrested.
[6] OTL there were many rumours about Cardinal Infant. However he died in disgrace and died in Brussels in November 1641.
7] OTL France kept Perpignan.
[8] I will tell you more about the impact on the whole Portuguese colonial empire in the chapters to come.
[9] OTL it was Elisabeth who died in 1644.
[10] OTL the viceroyalty of New Granada was only created in 1717 and the viceroyalty of La Plata in 1776.
****
Chapter that took a long time to come. I am happy to have finished it. I hope it will live up to your expectations.
As for the Colonial Empire and the expedition to North Africa, I intend to come back to it in the next chapters. If you have any questions, remarks or corrections to share with me do not hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks to @Zygmunt Stary and @Basileus_Komnenos who helped me a lot with this chapter.

Wonderful update for a wonderful timeline, j'adore !