WI the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were created as the Polish-Lithuanian-Cossack Commonwealth?

It's not going to be created in that manner for the simple reason that Cossackdom emerged as part of a settlement effort by Polish and Lithuanian and Polonized-Ruthenian nobles to settle the lands that faced the Crimean Khanate. A separate, powerful Cossack estate did not exist circa 1573. Creating a Cossack estate in the country would require a modification to the Union of Lublin. The Treaty of Hadiach was such a proposed modification, but it foundered on the Russian invasion. Perhaps it might have stuck if the Poles could have decisively beaten the Russians, if there had been no Swedish invasion at the same time.

But supposing that a strong Polish-Lithuanian-Cossack Republic had formed some time in the early 17th century--maybe some other King than a Vasa is elected, or the Vasas are less energetic on the Counter-Reformation and so we get an alt-Hadiach instead of a Union of Brest, circa 1630...

Cossack noblemen might have more success in blocking the Tatar slave raids, enabling a more rapid settlement of the Wild Fields by Ruthenian peasants rather than Muscovite ones, and the establishment of a string of fortresses in southern Ukraine. Ideally, for Poland, that would result in more Tatar slave raids against Muscovy. With the southern flank secure, the Commonwealth might have more success against Muscovy during this century, or against Sweden. Potentially, they could keep Muscovy landlocked perpetually.
 
I see a possibility for an autonomous Cossack region to emerge inside the Commonwealth. Or rather outside the PLC because the szlachta will never autorize the Cossacks to be anything inside the Commonwealth except a small border army "the registered cossacks".

The PoD is that the plans to attack the Crimean Khanate are successfull and an semi autonomous Cossack region is established here as a buffer between the Ottoman Empire and the Commonwealth.

The possible period is between 1621 and 1648 or a little later if the King Wladyslaw IV lived a little more.

Better will be during the Ottoman-Persian war of 1623-1639.

The Cossacks could accept to go to war even if they are not paid (because the Sejm will refuse to go to war if it cost too much) with the possibilities for them to continue their naval expeditions against the coast of the OE from a semi-autonomous region they will control.

The problem is for the King to have the Sejm vote for the war and the Sejm being blind, deaf and mute to see established a Cossack region with specials priviledges for the Cossacks. And you need a charismatic and powerful Cossack leader that will have both the Cossacks and the King support and whose leadership on the Cossack state will not be a challenge for the Szlachta.

If somebody as Samuel Zborowski, Dimitri Wisniowiecki or Petro Konaszewicz-Sahajdaczny was the Hetman of the Cossacks, the PLC szlachta could accept him.

Another possibility is to have the Cossacks planning this invasion of the Crimean Khanate as a kind of private war, not funded or voted by the Sejm but with only the support of the powerfull ukrainian magnates that the Cossacks hated. But the end of the Tatar raid could be a sufficient motivation for such a support.

Maybe a Hieronim Wisniowiecki not converted to catholicism and wanting to established his own private kingdom on the left bank of the Dniepr. His leadership and his money could be accepted by the Cossacks...
 
What are the long-term impacts?

Cossack noblemen might have more success in blocking the Tatar slave raids, enabling a more rapid settlement of the Wild Fields by Ruthenian peasants rather than Muscovite ones, and the establishment of a string of fortresses in southern Ukraine. Ideally, for Poland, that would result in more Tatar slave raids against Muscovy. With the southern flank secure, the Commonwealth might have more success against Muscovy during this century, or against Sweden. Potentially, they could keep Muscovy landlocked perpetually.

I will not answer how, even if it is the most interresting part, but I need time to study the OTL before thinking about a good ATL.

But I imagine that between 1621 and 165X..., the Cossacks with or without the direct armed intervention of the Commonwealth armies managed to invade and conquer the Crimean Khanate, while staying subjects or rather good allies of the PLC.

So what after :

Did the Tatars slavery raids are stopped ?
I doubt because even if Crimea is conquered, the surviving Tatars can raided the PLC left bank (of Dniepr) from their territories north of Azov Sea, and from Ottoman territories of Jedisan, the Nogai Hord can raid Braclaw and Podolia, the Nogai can even penetrated in Red Ruthenia by following the Dniestr...

Next problem :
A cossack semi-autonomous region in Crimea and near the mouths of the Dniepr still represent a magnet for every ruthenian peasants fleeing the oppression of the servage... It also represent a major social headache for the PLC social order.

So next :
What prevent the hate and the hostilities between the Polish magnates in south-eastern Ruthenia and the Cossacks to engage in politicals or even military struggles. The Cossacks can still decide to attack the magnates (privates wars between PLC magnates was maybe uncommon but still possible) while still respecting their oath of alliance or loyalty to the King.

Next :
The Cossacks will be even more willing to attack by sea the coastal Ottoman territories so the Commonwealth will have a never ending series of diplomatic troubles or wars with the OE...

Next :
What prevent Russia to ally with the semi-autonomous Cossacks champion of the Orthodox Faith in the PLC in a major war against this country ? The Cossacks being able to gain a full independance and territories populated by orthodox ruthenians peasants for whom they are heroes.

And it is only the beginning of my brainstorming.
 
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I stop writing because I didn't want this thread to become only my thread.

But maybe some polish history specialists could answer this question :

Were all the peasants in the Commonwealth living in servage status ? Because I found the possibility for rural population to live under the Oledry status, first given to Menonnites colonists from the Netherlands and later to polish peasants. It seems in "bad" lands that the new settlers need to improve

Could this status be given to the Cossacks to give them personal freedom and the possibility to local self-governance. For example on lands belonging to the Crown and conquered on the Crimean Khanate.

A second question about conquered lands, did they become the properties of the Crown ? How there were privatise and given to a polish nobleman ? Crown lands seems to be often put under individual ward as some kind of reward. And it seems to be difficult to retake crownland often occupied illegally by powerful szlachta members.

I read about the Execution Movement who help the royal finances and finance on the long term the Kwarciane Army...
 
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