Reading into Russian History. Russia's existence itself is lucky. Completely lucky.
1. Sviatoslav Igorevich was assassinated on retreat back from Bulgaria by the Byzantines. Had they been at the peak of their power, they would have destroyed that nascent kingdom of Kiev.
1. Sviatoslav Igorevich was assassinated on retreat back from Bulgaria by the Byzantines. Had they been at the peak of their power, they would have destroyed that nascent kingdom of Kiev.
2. Uzbeg Khan of the Golden Horde got lazy and made the Grand Prince of Vladimir his chief tax collector in Russia. With that, the fear of Mongols started to
disappear.
3. Golden Horde's Time of Troubles was fully used by Moscow to flex it's muscles.
disappear.
3. Golden Horde's Time of Troubles was fully used by Moscow to flex it's muscles.
4. Tokhtamysh's stupidity broke the back of Golden Horde. Had he not messed up with Timur, the Empire would have lasted a few centuries more.
5. Sigismund of Poland rejected his son to be the king of Russia because Russia is Orthodox and he is a uber Catholic.
5. Sigismund of Poland rejected his son to be the king of Russia because Russia is Orthodox and he is a uber Catholic.
Had that happened, Russia would have been a part of the Commonwealth. With the sort of mess Ivan the Terrible created, logically, Russia would have been crushed out of existence during the chaos preceding his death. But, stupidity and wrong priorities.
6. Ottomans focussed on Hungary theatre, Crimean Khans focussed on Russia theatre. Ottomans didn't bother about Crimean concerns and sacked many capable rulers for raising that point.
Had the same waves which were launched on the Balkans been launched against Russia through Crimea, things would have been far different. Ottomans wanted a pliant vassal in Bakshisarai, not a strong and independent minded power node.
In fact, when Ottomans tried to take Astrakhan, Crimeans were cool. What was the need to offend your main point man by encroaching on his turf?
7. When Charles of Sweden fled to Turkey after Poltava, Peter the Great invaded Turkey in retaliation. He was almost captured and sued for peace. Had the Ottomans decided to still go ahead with the war?
8. The way Peter destroyed the Swedes in the Northern War, Europe woke up rudely at this new power. It tried to create a grand coalition(Ottomans included?) against Peter but the coalition didn't materialize because the British and the French bickered on potential spoils.
No other country would have received those many opportunities for it's survival. But, it received.
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