Alternate history
Things went down as usual, until December 1700. Sweden, at war with an alliance of (at that point, Denmark-Norway had been forced to leave the alliance earlier) Russia and Poland-Lithuania-Saxony, won a decisive battle and then made a decision that would change European history, even though neither she nor anyone else could know that. Though on a more personal level, the decision had been made a few decades earlier - there simply is a difference between "territory that I like to be around" and "lover".
As things were, Sweden was in the following situation:
1) She could either let the badly beaten and retreating Russia go and head South to kick Poland-Lithuania out of Latvia, whom they had invaded while Sweden was busy...
2) Or she could try to negotiate the Southern nations into keeping quiet and follow Russia to ensure that the Slav would not recover from the defeat, which in the end would meant almost perfect safety for Estonia, but also a definite loss of Latvia, while the first option would have had a chance of keeping both territories.
Bengta, being in love with Estonia and not wanting to lose her no matter what, and knowing that Lithuania would treat Latvia well, decided to try the second option. Negotiations happened, and Latvia was ceded to Poland-Lithuania step by step over the next five years to make sure that both sides would keep their promises. Sweden was now free to follow Russia and invade her, kick the other woman that was already down some more and occupy her for the next few decades. She also gave some of Russia's lands to Finland and Estonia, and when the occupation ended, Russia still had to pay tribute to the older woman.
Do you notice what did not happen? Yes, correct. Peter the Great did not successfully reform the army; Russia did not beat Sweden; Russia did not rise to be a major European player, at least not yet. Estonia stayed with Sweden, Latvia got to live with a recovering, reforming and still strong Poland-Lithuania again, and Sweden could go back to throwing things at Denmark normalcy.
This would, of course, affect the future. (A couple of things, like for example Charles XII dying in battle against Denmark-Norway, slavery being abolished in Russia, and any nearer future happenings that hadn't involved Eastern Europe/Scandinavia did not change, either.) The first time when it really showed was the War of Austrian Succession. Sweden and Poland-Lithuania, having been in secret talks about teaming up on Prussia for a while, jumped at the chance to maybe get a chunk out of the German nation's land, while Russia was not involved at all. The outcome of the war was not very different, as both nations had their own trouble and could not dispatch as many troops as they would have needed to really make a difference, and also withdrew too early, but this should be the start of a wonderful friendship. Or something along those lines.
Then, 1745-1763, the first world war, or, in other words, the 7 Years War/French and Indian War/Third Carnatic War, happened. And now the differences came to show effect: With Sweden and Poland-Lithuania being very interested and in an okay shape to influence the outcome of the war in Europe, Prussia had a huge problem on his hands.
From here on, his lands step by step om nom nommed by his Northern and Eastern neighbours (and Saxony probably got a bit, too).
Austria became the major German player, and when a "Germany" founded, it was with a moved South territory with only access to a bit of the North Sea, and dominated by Austria. Our world's First World War never happened, partly because the belligerent Prussia was not there to give England and France all the reasons to form an alliance... but towards the end of the first half of the 20th century, a crazy lunatic showed up and used the internal trouble that the German and Austrian lands had at that time, and there we have World War II.
Short fun bits:
Russia, being unable to move East, put more effort into South-Eastern expansion, and was more involved in the Pacific war as a result.
Norway, with imperial Sweden remaining a while longer while Denmark remained the way it is in our timeline, came under Swedish control a bit earlier. He got his independence at about the same time as Estonia and Finland.
France: That short man would have happened too, but.... talking of General Winter, two thirds of the Swedish empire seem to be nations that the General favors over Russia if he has to decide... And Poland-Lithuania was still strong, and all the other nations were still all up in that war, too. It was not easier, but not harder either to kick Napoleon to Corsica than it was in our world.
Lithuania
Sweden Headcanon
Estonia
Assigned genders
As things were, Sweden was in the following situation:
1) She could either let the badly beaten and retreating Russia go and head South to kick Poland-Lithuania out of Latvia, whom they had invaded while Sweden was busy...
2) Or she could try to negotiate the Southern nations into keeping quiet and follow Russia to ensure that the Slav would not recover from the defeat, which in the end would meant almost perfect safety for Estonia, but also a definite loss of Latvia, while the first option would have had a chance of keeping both territories.
Bengta, being in love with Estonia and not wanting to lose her no matter what, and knowing that Lithuania would treat Latvia well, decided to try the second option. Negotiations happened, and Latvia was ceded to Poland-Lithuania step by step over the next five years to make sure that both sides would keep their promises. Sweden was now free to follow Russia and invade her, kick the other woman that was already down some more and occupy her for the next few decades. She also gave some of Russia's lands to Finland and Estonia, and when the occupation ended, Russia still had to pay tribute to the older woman.
Do you notice what did not happen? Yes, correct. Peter the Great did not successfully reform the army; Russia did not beat Sweden; Russia did not rise to be a major European player, at least not yet. Estonia stayed with Sweden, Latvia got to live with a recovering, reforming and still strong Poland-Lithuania again, and Sweden could go back to throwing things at Denmark normalcy.
This would, of course, affect the future. (A couple of things, like for example Charles XII dying in battle against Denmark-Norway, slavery being abolished in Russia, and any nearer future happenings that hadn't involved Eastern Europe/Scandinavia did not change, either.) The first time when it really showed was the War of Austrian Succession. Sweden and Poland-Lithuania, having been in secret talks about teaming up on Prussia for a while, jumped at the chance to maybe get a chunk out of the German nation's land, while Russia was not involved at all. The outcome of the war was not very different, as both nations had their own trouble and could not dispatch as many troops as they would have needed to really make a difference, and also withdrew too early, but this should be the start of a wonderful friendship. Or something along those lines.
Then, 1745-1763, the first world war, or, in other words, the 7 Years War/French and Indian War/Third Carnatic War, happened. And now the differences came to show effect: With Sweden and Poland-Lithuania being very interested and in an okay shape to influence the outcome of the war in Europe, Prussia had a huge problem on his hands.
From here on, his lands step by step om nom nommed by his Northern and Eastern neighbours (and Saxony probably got a bit, too).
Austria became the major German player, and when a "Germany" founded, it was with a moved South territory with only access to a bit of the North Sea, and dominated by Austria. Our world's First World War never happened, partly because the belligerent Prussia was not there to give England and France all the reasons to form an alliance... but towards the end of the first half of the 20th century, a crazy lunatic showed up and used the internal trouble that the German and Austrian lands had at that time, and there we have World War II.
Short fun bits:
Russia, being unable to move East, put more effort into South-Eastern expansion, and was more involved in the Pacific war as a result.
Norway, with imperial Sweden remaining a while longer while Denmark remained the way it is in our timeline, came under Swedish control a bit earlier. He got his independence at about the same time as Estonia and Finland.
France: That short man would have happened too, but.... talking of General Winter, two thirds of the Swedish empire seem to be nations that the General favors over Russia if he has to decide... And Poland-Lithuania was still strong, and all the other nations were still all up in that war, too. It was not easier, but not harder either to kick Napoleon to Corsica than it was in our world.
Lithuania
Sweden Headcanon
Estonia
Assigned genders