Poland 1700: strategic situation

What and where is "Poland":

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth or the Serene Republic of Both Nations, is a dual state consisting of the kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.  

The Commonwealth's political system is difficult to fit into a simple category, but we will talk about this later.

In the west it borders upon various German Speaking nations of the Holy Roman Empire. Most of the 360¡ states have no great interest in Poland, but some of  the most eastern states have a vested interest in Poland. Brandenburg Prussia is split in two by Poland. the area named the Danzig Corridor, is one the the economically potent of the Republic and also sports a sizable German minority.

Saxony, and Augustus in particular sees Poland as a means to achieve Great Power Status and seeks election as the next Polish king. Union between the resources of Poland and Saxon know-how, would make Saxony Poland into a Great Power in Europe.
Austria-Hungary is at the moment an ally of Poland in it's struggle against the Ottoman Empire, yet at the same time jealous of it's influence in Moldavia and Wallachia.

 In the east, it is facing the rapidly expanding Tsardom of Muscovy, which recently has proclaimed itself the Ruler of all Rus and guardian of the Orthodox Christian Faith. The Rus is an ancient name for a number of slavic kingdoms based around Kiev. About half of this territory is now part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, causing a "slight" conflict of interests. Also the Lithuanian part of the commonwealth is predominantly Orthodox. It's Tsar, Peter the Great is marching the country inexorably towards modernism, absolutism and to it's "rightful status" of great power, and for this looks to gain trade ports on the Baltic and Black Seas.

Also in the east as well and claimed by both sides is the Cossack Hetmanate, a Cossack nation that would prefer to stay independent and keep its very democratic if very anarchic democracy. Religiously they lean to Muscovy, but politically they prefer the democratic Commonwealth, if these would allow them equal status.  In the past there was talk of a Commonwealth of Three Nations, including the Cossack as the Ruthenian Duchy within the Commonwealth.

To the South of the Commonwealth, lies the Ottoman Empire, a vast and exotic conglomeration of Nations of Muslims (be it believing or forced to believe)

In the North, it is faced with the mighty beyond it's population Kingdom of Sweden, who has claimed the Baltic as it's own mare Nostrum.

Historically, the early years of the eighteenth century were a time of great, and long lasting, changes in Eastern Europe. It saw two former ‘Great’ powers decline; for Sweden it was a cataclysmic experience as they were reduced to a small or medium power. While Poland-Lithuania started on the path that would lead to extinction later in the century. It saw two medium sized powers, Denmark and Saxony, fail in their bid to gain, or regain, ‘Great’ powers status. It saw two powers rise; for Brandenburg-Prussia it was an important stepping stone to Great power status later in the century. While for Russia went from being ‘an obscure barbarous nation’ to a Great power thanks to its victories.

Lets see what will come to be in my own imagi-nation.