More like more screwed. Sweden would do everything int heir power to get Ingria.
More like more screwed. Sweden would do everything int heir power to get Ingria.
The problem with Moscow is that originally it was somewhat isolated. Yes you had the rivers, but they ice over in the winter and there are a ton of forests near by. This however made it extremely good for discouraging Mongol attacks which is how Muscovy made its mark originally and it was later supported against Lithuania. If you butterfly those aspects away, it's possible that Moscow itself never becomes a hugely important city which makes Novgorod's life a lot easier.Hmm, Novgorodian Russia. Would they be able to expand south? I thought Moscow was geographically in the best position to unite Russia.
Yes, but could Novgorod expand south? That's my question.The problem with Moscow is that originally it was somewhat isolated. Yes you had the rivers, but they ice over in the winter and there are a ton of forests near by. This however made it extremely good for discouraging Mongol attacks which is how Muscovy made its mark originally and it was later supported against Lithuania. If you butterfly those aspects away, it's possible that Moscow itself never becomes a hugely important city which makes Novgorod's life a lot easier.
In the winter they were less isolated, the ice over rivers and bogs made good way for invading armies.The problem with Moscow is that originally it was somewhat isolated. Yes you had the rivers, but they ice over in the winter and there are a ton of forests near by. This however made it extremely good for discouraging Mongol attacks which is how Muscovy made its mark originally and it was later supported against Lithuania. If you butterfly those aspects away, it's possible that Moscow itself never becomes a hugely important city which makes Novgorod's life a lot easier.
They would have had to develop a good army. I tried to produce a POD in a thread long ago https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=111849 but no doubt there are better ways.Yes, but could Novgorod expand south? That's my question.
In my POD there were refugees from Tver and Moscow at Novgorod, who would have argued for a campaign directed south and there was a great need to recapture the food growing areas around Tver and Moscow. There was also a religious motivation as the Muslim Golden Horde had taken that area. By contrast relations with the Hanseatic League remained good, which enabled Novgorod, while funds or credit lasted, to buy food and import mercenaries to train its army.Next question:
Would Novgorod go south? Isn't Estonia and southern Finland more lucrative for expansion if they can control eastern Baltic Sea trade?
Do you think it's possible for a stronger Novgorod to keep Moscow as a kind of southern frontier territory, getting some of its resources of food for instance, while keeping it from eventually eating it's parent?In my POD there were refugees from Tver and Moscow at Novgorod, who would have argued for a campaign directed south and there was a great need to recapture the food growing areas around Tver and Moscow. There was also a religious motivation as the Muslim Golden Horde had taken that area. By contrast relations with the Hanseatic League remained good, which enabled Novgorod, while funds or credit lasted, to buy food and import mercenaries to train its army.