WI: Denmark gain the Gottorps Holstein possesions.

Valdemar II

Banned
What if Denmark in the peace treaty in 1720 also gained the Gottorps possesion in Holstein (in OTL they only gained their possesion in Schleswig). What effects would it have, would the Gottorps still end up on Swedish and Russian thrones? In most of the 18th Century Denmarks primary focus was to gain this area (until they got it in 1772), what would Denmark focus shift to?
 
Would Denmark really have to shift its focus? One might say Denmark would then want to hold onto its gains, rather than fight for more of them. But my guess would be that it'd want to monopolize the North German river systems, as the Swedish tried to...
 

Valdemar II

Banned
Would Denmark really have to shift its focus? One might say Denmark would then want to hold onto its gains, rather than fight for more of them.

Yes I think a shift in focus would results, the Gottorps was the one of the primary reason for the very defensive and passive Danish foreign policy, because they with their close relationship with Sweden and Russia was a permanent threat to Danish/Oldenburgs control over Schleswig-Holstein.

But my guess would be that it'd want to monopolize the North German river systems, as the Swedish tried to...

Denmark will likely focus on control over Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck, but the problem is that while Denmark can easier powerproject into the area than Sweden, the British-Hanoverian personal union limits the Danes. While Denmark may join the French side in one of the French-English wars, it's quite risky, and Danish monarch in that periode wasn't gamblers (and every monarch until 1766 is already born).

One thing I imagine is if a Gottorp end up as Swedish King in TTL (around 1743), war is quite possible, and the very least Denmark have to be bribed, in OTL Denmark tried to gain Bohuslaan back, but stopped out of fear of a war with Russia, here they will likely say fuck it and force the issue, and end up with it. I think the attempt to place the Danish Crownprince on the Swedish throne will fail here too*.

*While he did have some Swedish support the great powers was quite against it, especially UK and Russia.
 
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