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Prelude
(1600)
“... the Commonwealth of Poland Lithuania allowed all faiths to preach. The Tsardom of Russia, believers in the Eastern Orthodox faith, oppressed all religions, especially Catholicism. The religious gap between the two nearly led to the failure of the Polish diplomatic mission, saved only by Boris’s stroke and subsequent ‘vision.’” -An excerpt from ‘The Treaty of Kiev and What Nearly Didn’t Happen’ by Alexei Barkov.

In Russia, Lew Sapieha began packing up to heading home. The Polish mission had failed. Boris Godunov, Tsar of Russia, had rejected the proposed Union of the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania and the Tsardom of Russia. Despite the clear military and economic benefits of such a union, the prospect of having to agree to Polish-Lithuanian religious tolerance proved too much to bear. Russia was not as Enlightened as most European nations, certainly not anywhere near the level of the Tolerant Commonwealth.

Lew Sapieha was faintly disappointed. With Russia brought into the Commonwealth, even to a small extent, there were so many more opportunities to increase ones own power… Lew had thought that Boris, the first non Rurikid Tsar of Russia, was different. Already in his reign as Czar he had begun sending of Russians to be educated in foreign countries, as well as allowing Lutheran churches to be built in Russia. He clearly recognized that Russia needed to reform. However, Lew had been proved wrong. The massive Czardom proved too rigid to change...

As the sun rose the Polish diplomatic mission prepared to leave. However, as they began to leave, a Russian messenger chased them down. Apparently, Tsar Boris Godunov had suffered a stroke last night, and by the will of God had survived. Not only that, but he had deigned to restart negotiations with diplomatic mission about the possible Union…


Right: A portrait of Boris Godunov, Czar of All Russia.


-First Real Attempt at a Good TL. Keep in mind, I am not a expert! :eek:-
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