WI: Sigismund III annexes the Duchy of Prussia

In 1466, in the Second Peace of Thorn, King Caismir IV laid down the fate of the Teutonic Order's territories in Poland. The Polish crown would have total control of the Order's former possessions to the west of the lower Vistula River, together with the Kulmerland and Ermland to the east.

Caisimir allowed the Teutonic Order to keep their territories east of the Vistula River. only on condition that the grand, or high, master should hold it as a fief of the Polish crown. Prussia was effectively partitioned between the Order and the PLC which kept the lands along the Polish sovereignty, which be known as 'Royal Prussia'. Royal Prussia separated the remnants of Teutonic Prussia and the rest of Germany.

In 1525, in the Prussian Homage, Albert of Hohenzollern, the Order's last master in Prussia, converted to Lutheranism and secularized the fief, effectively turning it into his own duchy, which would be known as the Duchy of Prussia

As in 1618, Albert Frederick had no surviving male heirs, the co-enfeoffment of 1569, confirmed by the Treaty of Warsaw in 1611, allowed his son-in-law, Elector John Sigismund of the Hohenzollern branch in Brandenburg to become the duke's legal successor, thereafter ruling Brandenburg and Ducal Prussia in personal union.

In 1618, the Thirty Years War broke out, and John Sigismund himself died the following year. His son, George William, was successfully invested with the duchy in 1623 by the king of Poland, Sigismund III Vasa, thus the personal union Brandenburg-Prussia was confirmed. Many of the Prussian Junkers were opposed to rule by the House of Hohenzollern of Berlin and appealed to Sigismund III Vasa for redress, or even incorporation of Ducal Prussia into the Polish kingdom, but without success.

But what if Sigismund III bowed to the wishes of the Junkers and annexed the Duchy into Polish Prussia?
 
Brandenburgians at least don't need to try to be friendly towards both Swedes and Poles. IOTL they kept good relations with PLC because they wanted Ducal Prussia. That means Brandenburg is not devasted by Swedes like IOTL, but such devastation in OTL helped Hohenzollerns to centralise country and increase their power, thus Brandenburg would not be the same country like it was IOTL and may never turn into militaristic powerhouse. It means, that if PLC decline like IOTL it would remain Russian protectorate instead of being partitioned, Russians would not need to share their sphere of influence with anyone.
 
In 1466, in the Second Peace of Thorn, King Caismir IV laid down the fate of the Teutonic Order's territories in Poland. The Polish crown would have total control of the Order's former possessions to the west of the lower Vistula River, together with the Kulmerland and Ermland to the east.

Caisimir allowed the Teutonic Order to keep their territories east of the Vistula River. only on condition that the grand, or high, master should hold it as a fief of the Polish crown. Prussia was effectively partitioned between the Order and the PLC which kept the lands along the Polish sovereignty, which be known as 'Royal Prussia'. Royal Prussia separated the remnants of Teutonic Prussia and the rest of Germany.

In 1525, in the Prussian Homage, Albert of Hohenzollern, the Order's last master in Prussia, converted to Lutheranism and secularized the fief, effectively turning it into his own duchy, which would be known as the Duchy of Prussia

As in 1618, Albert Frederick had no surviving male heirs, the co-enfeoffment of 1569, confirmed by the Treaty of Warsaw in 1611, allowed his son-in-law, Elector John Sigismund of the Hohenzollern branch in Brandenburg to become the duke's legal successor, thereafter ruling Brandenburg and Ducal Prussia in personal union.

In 1618, the Thirty Years War broke out, and John Sigismund himself died the following year. His son, George William, was successfully invested with the duchy in 1623 by the king of Poland, Sigismund III Vasa, thus the personal union Brandenburg-Prussia was confirmed. Many of the Prussian Junkers were opposed to rule by the House of Hohenzollern of Berlin and appealed to Sigismund III Vasa for redress, or even incorporation of Ducal Prussia into the Polish kingdom, but without success.

But what if Sigismund III bowed to the wishes of the Junkers and annexed the Duchy into Polish Prussia?

Well, in George William really wants the Duchy, he can join the Swedes in 1621 with a high chance of getting what he wants as a part of the truce in Mitau (1625). Of course, Brandenburg of that time is a far cry from being a military powerhouse but their contribution could be rewarded. If not that time then as a result of the war of 1626 - 29.
 
Swedes would rather want it for themselves. They wanted to change Baltic into 'Swedish Lake'. Also, George William is not the same kind of man as Great Elector or Frederick the Great, so it would rather not happen.
 
Swedes would rather want it for themselves. They wanted to change Baltic into 'Swedish Lake'. Also, George William is not the same kind of man as Great Elector or Frederick the Great, so it would rather not happen.

GA did want to make Baltic Swedish Lake but he did not occupy Courland so let's not take the whole idea too literally. If Brandenburg is going to provide a noticeable military help then it may get this reward, especially taking into an account that most of the time GA is quite busy conquering Livonia and cutting off Russian access to the sea. Also keep in mind that most of his conquests in the region had a practical meaning which, as I understand, would be almost completely absent in the case of the Duchy of Prussia. He was grabbing the places/areas through which Lithuanian and Russian goods had been shipped in Europe (aka, sources of the revenue) and later he annexed Pomerania because it was a convenient landing base for his operations in Germany. As I understand, the Duchy of Prussia did not serve any of these purposes (Polish grain had been exported through Danzig).
 
GA did want to make Baltic Swedish Lake but he did not occupy Courland so let's not take the whole idea too literally. If Brandenburg is going to provide a noticeable military help then it may get this reward, especially taking into an account that most of the time GA is quite busy conquering Livonia and cutting off Russian access to the sea. Also keep in mind that most of his conquests in the region had a practical meaning which, as I understand, would be almost completely absent in the case of the Duchy of Prussia. He was grabbing the places/areas through which Lithuanian and Russian goods had been shipped in Europe (aka, sources of the revenue) and later he annexed Pomerania because it was a convenient landing base for his operations in Germany. As I understand, the Duchy of Prussia did not serve any of these purposes (Polish grain had been exported through Danzig).
Most of Lithuanian goods were exported via Riga, but significant part was also exported through Königsberg and Memel. Prussians get money from dues from Lithuanian trade, so it was not that unimportant area.
 
Most of Lithuanian goods were exported via Riga, but significant part was also exported through Königsberg and Memel. Prussians get money from dues from Lithuanian trade, so it was not that unimportant area.

Well, Riga was by far the biggest port on the Baltic but you are basically confirming what I said: GA was not looking for ALL coast and if he left the Ducal Prussia unoccupied in OTL, why would not he give it to the allied Brandenburg as an award for help against the PLC? After all, the ruler of Brandenburg did have some rights to the area and could be useful in the future.
 
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