AHC and PC: Making a legislature (Zemsky Sobor, a Zemstvo) an active and regular branch of Russian government by the 18th century

[raharris1973]

Here's the challenge and plausibility check: If one wanted to achieve a Muscovite state by the 18th century that was legislature dominated (and its legislature, for example, that picked the new Tsar when the old dynasty died out was called the Zemsky Sobor) in a way comparable to any of the legislature dominated governments of Europe at the time – for example, the Sejm-dominated Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth post Union of Lublin, or the Parliamentary dominated Britain post-Glorious Revolution, or the Estates-dominated Dutch Republic post 80 years war, how far back in Muscovite/Vladimir-Suzdalite/Russian history would you need to start radically changing the political culture?

 

[Buba]

I see two routes.
One is the Zemsky Sobor not relinquishing power in the 1st half of the XVIIth century. Different personalities, Alexei dies young and there is a regency etc.

Another is Muscovy getting hamstrung by a Golden Horde which stays powerful for longer, Lithuanians getting lucky, a plague or something, as well as having different people running Novgorod. In this case - 2nd half of XIVth or 1st half of XVth centuries.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

I see two routes.
One is the Zemsky Sobor not relinquishing power in the 1st half of the XVIIth century. Different personalities, Alexei dies young and there is a regency etc.

Another is Muscovy getting hamstrung by a Golden Horde which stays powerful for longer, Lithuanians getting lucky, a plague or something, as well as having different people running Novgorod. In this case - 2nd half of XIVth or 1st half of XVth centuries.

Did someone say creating Legislative branch? 😃

 

[TheRomanSlayer]

If Aleksei died young, then the succession would be in question, as he had younger brothers that died in infancy. His successor would have to be the possible husband of Tsarevna Irina (Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein), but his refusal to convert to Orthodoxy led him to being locked up.