Denmark-Hanover and Sweden-Brandenburg

[arctic warrior]

Denmark was THE senior partner, yes indeed. To a point were Norway actualy should be considered only a colony.

But you failed to grasp AW's point:
Norway was EXTREMELY important to the King of Denmark, because his heir would automaticaly became King in Norway as Norway was a heriditary kingdom. This was then heavily used to persuade the Danish nobility to elect him king in Denmark (an elective monarcy) also

Thus the incistence of the Danish kings on the name Denmark-Norway

Actually so important that Norwegians were often made excempt from taxes levied in Denmark and the Duchies as it was feared that it might provoke a Norwegian revolt.
That would remove the possiblity of a peaceful succession in Denmark due to it being a hereditary kingdom with a nobility that wasn't afraid of dethroning the King by renouncing its allegiance.

 

[Boto von Ageduch]

That's probably my best bet, then.

But note that the Grand Elector might not become a grand one,
dependent on Swedish nobility and with a Swedish rather than Dutch background
an connections. Sweden is definitely the senior in this union,
although the electoral vote of Brandenburg is an important additional moment of power.

On an unrelated note, the elector and the princess were already related.
Their common descendants would have had only 3 pairs of grandparents instead of 4.
Thus they, or _their_ descendants, might have had .... issues.

Not so uncommon in European nobility, though.

What will you do with Prussia?

Brandenburg was feoffed with Prussia by the Polish king.
Later, Sweden temporarily claimed to be the feud lord.
Hence a united Sweden-Brandenburg would claim Prussia as a intrinsic part of
the union - if they have the power to enforce it (rather likely).

 

[Burton K Wheeler]

What will you do with Prussia?

Brandenburg was feoffed with Prussia by the Polish king.
Later, Sweden temporarily claimed to be the feud lord.
Hence a united Sweden-Brandenburg would claim Prussia as a intrinsic part of
the union - if they have the power to enforce it (rather likely).

Argh, you're right. Never mind Frederick William, I'll have to go back to the idea of letting John Sigismund's son by a Swedish princess take the Swedish throne.

Just another idea that might help you to have a Denmark-Hannover (or Brunswick, or whatever): the king Frederick II of Denmark (1543 - 1588) had three sons, but only his successor Christian IV had children to continue his line. If Christian IV had died childless then his nearest relatives would be the Dukes of Brunswick-Luneburg, because Frederick's eldest daughter (Elizabeth) married the Duke Henry Julius of Brunswick-Luneburg. IOTL Henry and Elizabeth's male heirs died childless, but that doesn't mean it would happen ITTL given the circunstances of their deaths (especially the one of Christian the Younger).

But note that the Grand Elector might not become a grand one,
dependent on Swedish nobility and with a Swedish rather than Dutch background
an connections. Sweden is definitely the senior in this union,
although the electoral vote of Brandenburg is an important additional moment of power.

I can handwave that out of the way, certainly, especially as Sweden probably will do better in this TL's version of the Thirty Year's War.

 

[Valdemar II]

We should look it up then, and see whose memory is best

You're right, I found why I made the mistake, on page 90 of volume 4, it tell that Norway had a surplus on the Balance of payments, while Denmark had a deficit. But at the same time Denmark and the German possesions paid more in taxes to the regime than precent of the population.