Underused 1000-1900 PODs

  I think your bound to have some problems plus such a prolonged move would be costly and politically unpopular in much of the north, not only because of the racism there as well.  However if prolong, say for a generation or more and with a lot of effort on education its possible that you might get a fair number of southern whites to accept free and empowered blacks.  Probably not as equals for a long while but as fellow citizens.  [Actually thinking about it a prolonged occupation that's seen as economically damaging and affects the welfare of the blacks as well might actually mean something of a coming together of the two against the common 'enemy' but I must admit such a scenario would be unlikely].

  Another option, although it could be explosive might be if the victorious union set aside a 'homeland' for the freed blacks, to geographically separate them from the whites.  Where this would be, probably in one or more southern states, I don't know.  Or just possibly, as some northerners had I think suggested a 'return to Africa' movement but less brutal than what a resentful south might impose.

  Basically I doubt there's any way to significant reduce either the duration or depth of the period of race hatred, possibly especially in the south.  Human nature unfortunately doesn't seem to work that way.   Racism and the fact the blacks will be a fairly obvious target for southern whites resentful of their defeat and determined to regain their power, at least in their our states seems to make it a certainty there will be some sort of repression when the whites regain full political power.  Especially since by this time Darwin and Wallace had made public their ideas on evolution and it was so quickly perverted by assorted evil groups.  Ironic in that the white south was such an hostile opponent of an idea that they actually based their world view on.

  Well as usual it would probably depend on the circumstances.  However a quick look at his wiki entry, see Alexander_II_of_Russia, it might not be too great an affect.  He was 62 so might not have lasted much longer and seems to have become more reactionary after an earlier assassination attempt in 1866 so another one could push him a bit further towards reaction.  Possibly an intreresting butterfly might be if the 1866 attempt hadn't occurred for some reason.  Although seeing the section titled "reaction after 1866" there were a number of such attempts. 

  Also it mentions that he was going for some more reforms when he was killed in 1881 to be replaced by his reactionary son.  As such possibly his last years if the 1881 attack had failed/not occurred there would have been a relaxation of the autocracy, albeit probably only until he's succeeded by his son.

  Anyway an interesting idea.  If he lasted longer you could see some relatively minor changes but they could have larger impacts further down the line.

    I don't know about common a TL as never really knew much about him before.  Checking his Wiki entry, Christian_II_of_Denmark, it seems unlikely.  For one thing he seemed rather erratic, including switching between Catholic and Lutheran and back again.  Also his desire to have a more centralised power, albeit with more support for common people and bourgeoise, if only as a counter to the aristocracy and higher clerics seems like a recipe for conflict and disaster even if he had avoided his errors in Sweden for instance.  If his long time lover, Dyveke Sigbritsdatter hadn't died it 1517 she might have moderated his behaviour somewhat but her continued influence would have caused a serious split with Charles V as Christian was married to an Hapsburg princess and his continuation of his relationship with Dyyeke was already souring this marriage.

  As such he would have had to move a lot more carefully I suspect to maintain the Kalmar Union without a lot of continued conflict and I doubt if he would have been in a position to make a serious challenge for the HRE title.  Were you thinking of him getting it instead of Charles V or at some later stage?  The Hapsburg's were already gripping the title quite firmly and I suspect, even with an Hapsburg wife he would have been seen as too much of a rival while becoming HRE when the vast bulk of his territories were outside its boundaries could have also caused tensions, both within the empire and Scandinavia.

  I suspect the best bet might be for him being willing to compromise and rule within the traditional constrains of the limited monarchies that existed in Scandinavia at that time.  It would have left him weaker in terms of being reliant on the good rule of the assorted ruling elites but without the continued unrest that marked his reign,  Probably still some problems in Sweden because of the latter's national identity but should have a decent chance of winning the majority of Swedes over to the continuation of the Kalmar Union.  Unrest there, especially if led by assorted nobles with claims to the throne could give him a good excuse for political and economic reform there, which with skilled handling might also be spread over time over the rest of the greater kingdom.  This might give a power base to undermine the nobles, although whether it would still lead to he making a push for absolute monarchy or he goes for something like the system that emerged in Britain after 1688 - using that as the example I know best - but with more actual power for the monarch.

  Frankly I can't see him becoming HRE unless you manage to butterfly the rise of the Hapsburg's to such a level of dominance inside Germany - which could cause other problems with the Turks driving up through Hungary.  Scandinavia if stabalised and prosperous would be a good power base but its almost totally outside the HRE.  Plus there is the question of the Reformation that starts in 1517.  Which way does Charles go?  If he goes Protestant and supports those nobles in Germany taking that stance and can take his people with him then he could emerge as the leading power in N Germany but would that then mean seeking to include Scandinavia inside the HRE or some northern successor?  This might be better for developing its commercial and economic power and would fit in with support of a growing merchant class.  However its likely to split the HRE permanently.  If he goes Catholic and makes it stick he could emerge as the defender of the church and Papacy and gain a lot of power but its likely to be very bloody suppressing the assorted reformers and even if he manages to supplant the Hapsburgs he's going to replace them pretty quickly as well in terms of being the prime rival of the Papacy.  Also its likely to slow economic development while those unhappy with his rule are going to look toward Lutheran ideas as an argument to centralise around.