Bulgaroktonos Married?

[Midgard]

Even at Kalka, the Rus used auxillary regiments of steppe warriors of various Polovets and Pecheneg tribes - whose going to the Mongol side contributed to the Russian defeat. I would imagine that with centuries of warfare against the steppe people would have made the Russians potentially better suited than their Western neighbors to resist the Mongols. Then again, I am not too much of an expert in methods of warfare employed by the Russian princes at the time except for the fact that the focus (main strength of the army) seems to have shifted from heavy and medium infantry (peshtsi) to light and medium cavalry over the two hundred years after the Mongol invasion.

Originally Posted by Faeelin

But the Golden Horde of 1380 was not the army it wonce was. And by that point, the Rus had adapted the tactics of the horde; they fought them in a position where they couldn't be outflanked, for instance.

There's no reason to assume that even united, the Rus would do better than at Kalka, or the Poles or Hungarians did.

[Midgard]

1191 AD - As Constantine's drinking problems worsen, Logothete Chtoniates succeeds in having Constantine's brother Stephen crowned co-Emperor. Since Constantine is rapidly drinking himself to death as well as indulging in various excesses, his chances of legitimate progeny appear rather slim. Stephen is quickly married to Chtoniates' niece Eudocia.

1193 AD - Constantine dies of complications due to venereal disease he contracted several years earlier. Fifteen-year old Stephen is the sole Emperor, however, the real power behind the throne is his Logothete of the Course. The general course of government stays relatively unchanged, with the shaky alliance between the military elite and the Trade Union cemented primarily by Chtoniates' personal influence.

1194 AD - Bardas Chtoniates dies, with a possibility of foul play suspected, as the old aristocracy's resentment of his policies grew. The aristocracy raises one Andronicus Ducas to be proclaimed basileus in Nicomedia. Ducas hesitates to move on the capital, knowing that the armies loyal to Stephen will make the direct assault next to impossible.

1195 AD - While the rebel Ducas is in control of much of Asia Minor and Anatolia, the royalist forces keep the Empire's Western possessions and North Africa, as well as the control of Imperial Fleet. Stephen's advisors recruit a force of mostly Italian mercenaries, who augment the Imperial army and the Varangian Guard, which itself is mostly made up of Danes, Scots, Swedes, and Russians. The rest of the year is spent on training this new army, which is then given to general Alexius Maniakes to command.

1196 AD - Maniakes crosses the Hellespont and invades Anatolia, while the Imperial fleet keeps blockade of the coast. In a meanwhile, Ducas has been murdered by a rival aristocrat Romanus Macrembolitissa, who then proclaims himself Emperor and marches to meet the main Imperial force near Nicaea. He is too late, as Nicaea's enormous walls hide thousands of Imperial troops, who hold out long enough for the main body of Maniakes' army to arrive and smash the rebel troops to pieces. Macrembolitissa flees, however, is captured and brought to Constantinople, where he is paraded in chains through the main streets and then publicly executed.

1197 AD - While the Emperor Stephen is not particularly distinguished in any single field, his new Grand Domestic John of Cappadocia is a worthy successor to Bardas Chtoniates, keeping the old aristocracy under the tightest of reins while managing to keep both the Senate and the church under control. The Land Laws, similar to those of Basil II two centuries ago are effected again, designed to limit the power of aristocracy to the minimum. In a meanwhile, the Trade Union takes over much of the lands formerly owned by Anatolian barons, and distributes them amongst the smaller landholders in return for portion of their harvest and hereditary military service. In effect, the control of the army is passed once again directly into the hands of the state, preventing future insurrections by members of aristocracy simply due to the lack of funds and manpower they can call upon.

1199 AD - Stephen's son Alexander is born.

1203 AD - Byzantine forces in North Africa attack the Almohad and Almoravid armies, destroying the long-moribund Almohad Khalifate in process. In Spain, Christian kingdoms of Leon and Aragon are gaining power, and are in the process of pushing the last of the Moors from the peninsula. The smaller kingdom of Navarre accepts the Byzantine suzerainty in return for protection.

1205 AD - The Moslem prince of Granada, faced with almost inevitable destruction at the Spanish hands, delivers himself to the Byzantine governor of North Africa, offering to become the Emperor's vassal in return for protection.

1206 AD - The Byzantine garrizon is permanently stationed in Granada, with the Prince of Granada given the title of Exarch of Iberia, with control over the Muslim populations of southern Spain and parts of North Africa. While the Byzantine troops quartered in the major population centers provide a degree of insurance against any insurrections, a Muslim Exarch does much to calm down the Iberian Moslems against any potential rebellions.

More is to come...

[Bulgaroktonos]

I could see serious problems for the Byzantines. Seems to me that they have a great number of seasoned veterans in North Africa and Spain. If the Mongol invasion plays out like it always does in Medieval Total War, with the Mongols attacking me and me alone, then the Byzantines could face a serious crisis regarding holding on to NA and Spain and saving the rest of the Empire....

[Midgard]

Realistically I do not foresee the Byzantines keeping much besides the Balkans, Greece, Asia Minor, and Italy, with some of the other territories either being overran by Mongols, Western Europeans, or declaring independence, which the Byzantines might be willing to grant when it becomes too hard to raise manpower sufficient to maintain such borders. In those circumstances, the Byzantines might become more of a commercial power than military one, with the military still having reasonable strength.

BTW, M:TW rules. Have you ever played Europa Universalis series?

[Bulgaroktonos]

No I haven't.

What would be interesting is if the Mongols actually manage to decimate much of Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire, and having the Byzantines more or less forced out of their historical lands into the more recently acquired ones so as to continue their Empire; centered perhaps in Sicily or Venice...

[Vulpes82]

Just a quick clarification question: does Portugal exist in the Iberia of your timeline? It doesn't really matter, really, but it popped into my head. Keep up the good work!

[Midgard]

This might create an interesting situation, a XIIIth century Manzikert that results in loss of Asia Minor and much of Anatolia. It would still be hard to imagine Byzantine Empire without Constantinople though, as IMO the city was central to Byzantine psyche, and the Empire, however diminished, would put every resource under its control into its defense.

A more likely development would have been the breakup of the Empire, with the North African/Spanish dominions declaring independence as a predominantly Muslim khalifate, Middle East and Egypt overran by Mongols, Turks, and whatever other semi-nomadic people that could have been displaced by the Mongols, with parts of North Africa and Egypt still controlled by some sort of semi-Byzantine/semi-Fatimid successor states.

Anatolia and Asia Minor are likely to have been taken over by the Mongols due to them being dependent on nomadic lifestyle, with plains of Anatolia providing plenty of space for such. Byzantines are likely to be able to hold on to parts of coastal Asia Minor, Smyrna, Greece, Balkans, and Italy (due to Italians major part in the Empire's government and commerce in ATL, there would be less of a secessionist feeling). It is possible that Carthage (and the Exarchate thereof) still remains in Byzantine hands though due to its strategic position being fairly important.

There might be some pressure to move the capital to Rome or Ravenna, due to Italy's better defensive position, however, due to the immense emotional attachment of the Byzantines to Constantinople the official capital would have probably stayed there, although an Italian city could have become a practical second capital for all purposes. Unlike OTL, where the loss of Anatolia and Asia Minor deprived the Byzantines of their manpower and economic strength, the Italian provinces are likely to at least partially compensate for that, and make sure that the Empire could still survive and maybe even thrive.

[Midgard]

Originally Posted by Vulpes82

Just a quick clarification question: does Portugal exist in the Iberia of your timeline? It doesn't really matter, really, but it popped into my head. Keep up the good work!

I do not believe it would be very feasible with the stronger Leon, Castille, and Aragon, and an earlier drive for Spanish reunification... they would have been probably gobbled up by Leon, even if some form of Portuguese state existed for a relatively short time. I am not very familiar with the history of the area other than in more general terms though, so any information on the beginnings of Portugal and the situation in Spain, say, in the late XIIth or early XIIIth centuries would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for the feedback!

[Midgard]

Here is the rough map of what year 1200 or so would look like in this ATL. Any comments and suggestions are quite welcome.

[Vulpes82]

Looks pretty good, though did I miss something that DENMARK extends into the Low Countries and Northern France????

[G.Bone]

That was my question as well...also, how come Byzantium didn't get the western coast of the Crimean Sea?

[Midgard]

Originally Posted by G.Bone

That was my question as well...also, how come Byzantium didn't get the western coast of the Crimean Sea?

As for Denmark, I would imagine that being the country that was least involved in the different wars against Byzantium that had destroyed many German and French armies, they were able to expand somewhat into the areas adjacent to their homeland, considering the potential lack of French and German resistance.

The Western coast of the Crimean Sea would probably not be truly in the area of Byzantine interest, as in my understanding for them the borders of what Byzantium could truly claim stopped at the Danube (as this was pretty much the extent of the original Roman Empire, save for the conquest of Dacia by Trajan - which did not last beyond Vth century anyway, and was not included in most of the Byzantine territorial claims). Dobrudja was about as far north on the Western coast of the Black Sea as the Byzantines would go, and Trans-Danubian areas would be considered outside of what they considered they natural homeland and would have bothered conquering if they had a chance.

Move north in the Crimea, however, might have been dictated by strategic need, as the north of the peninsula (Perekop) provides a perfect bottleneck from any land-based invasion, and the peninsula's mountainous landscapes provide for many defencive positions should anyone decide to invade. Byzantium that was at war with the Rus' and capable to expand in that direction would have been very likely to take over the rest of Crimea, although further move north would have not likely been even considered.

[Midgard]

1207 AD - Stephen's second son, John is born. The Empire is enjoying peace on most borders, save for skirmishes on the Danube border against Pecheneg tribes, and in North Africa against the Berber nomads.

1208 AD - Reports trickle West about the new power arising in the faraway Eastern lands. Considering the distance involved, most Byzantines simply disregard them.

1210 AD - A Hungarian incursion into the Byzantine territory is used as a pretext for war. After a few pitched battles, the outcome is not clear, and soon thereafter peace is signed on terms of return to status quo.

1213 AD - Kievan Prince Svyatoslav requests a Byzantine wife of Emperor Stephen. Stephen's oldest daughter Anna is accordingly sent to Kiev, in return for increased trading privileges and a large dowry payment. With the northern border thus secured, Stephen's government is looking towards further reorganization of the Empire in order to further centralize its rule in the areas it controls.

1215 AD - A monumental step is taken by the Emperor and his chief minister, as due to the pressure from the Italian and Greek merchants trying to limit competition, the Moslem traders from the Imperial dominions are forced to pay additional taxes. This results in rioting in Alexandria, and in parts of Iberia, and only with great difficulty order is restored. Nevertheless, the popularity of the Empire among its non-Christian citizens is at the all-time low.

1216 AD - The Exarchate system is reorganized, with new Exarchates being established. The Exarchates now are:

Thrace (including the capital, and controlled directly by the Emperor)
Bulgaria (practically the exact areas conquered by Basil II)
Greece (including Macedonia, Greece, Epirus, and Morea)
Dalmatia (including the rest of the Balkan peninsula and coastal Dalmatia)
Veneto (including Venice and Northern Italy)
Rome (over the Southern Italy)
Carthage (including Sicily and Central North Africa)
Palestine (including Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon)
Egypt (including Sinai and Egypt)
Anatolia (over the Western half of Asia Minor)
Colchis (over Georgia, Armenia, and Imperial possessions in the Caucasus)
Antioch (the Eastern part of Asia Minor and parts of the Holy Lands)
Iberia (Westernmost parts of North Africa and Southern Spain)
Cherson (over Crimea)


1217 AD - A reorganization of the Senate takes place. As the Emperor and his chief advisors are aware that the old landed aristocracy and senatorial families reached nadir of their power, the Senate is broken into two houses, the house still comprised from the old senatorial families, and that the contents of which are supplied by representatives from each of the Exarchates. This is done because the Byzantines find it increasingly difficult to maintain direct control over their possessions, and as a result, many of the central government's functions in the outlying Exarchates are given to the Exarchs themselves. An important note, however, is that the non-Christian citizens of the Empire are not given the same rights, and, with the exception of Iberia, all Exarchs and most members of their governments are either Greeks or Italians.

1218 AD - A son is born to Svyatoslav of Kiev, named Andrei. Due to influence from his mother, Byzantine princess Anna, Andrei is subsequently being raised in the Byzantine mold, to where the contemporaries note that Andrei is more of a Greek than a Russian.

1220 AD - John of Cappadocia dies of old age, succeeded by an Italian named Lorenzo Orsini. Many more Italians are promoted to the key positions within the Empire. Stephen's son Alexander marries Orsini's daughter Lodovica.

1223 AD - A dynastic struggle in France results in a civil war between brothers Louis and Henry of Anjou. With German support, Louis defeats Henry in the first series of engagements. In a meanwhile, a son is born to Alexander and Lodovica, named Manuel.

1225 AD - Seeing his support evaporate and armies beaten, pretender to the French throne Henry flees for the relative safety of Italy, where he requests Byzantine help. The Emperor Stephen is reluctant to give help, however, under pressure from his Italian advisors, agrees to send an army of Italian troops under command of Exarch of Veneto, Giovanni Dandolo northwest to establish Henry on the French throne.

1226 AD - Having easily defeated the forces of French barons, the Byzantine army draws closer to Paris, where it is standing against the mixed French-German force, commander in person by King Louis. The battle is long and bloody, however, the Byzantine forces are eventually defeated. Despite his victory, King Louis' losses are enormous, and he is obliged to seek terms of peace due to not being able to follow up on his win.

1227 AD - Peace between the French and the Byzantines is signed, proclaiming an alliance between the two, with the pretender Henry safely imprisoned in the Aegean isles. The peace is cemented by the marriage of another of Stephen's daughters to Louis' son Charles, with the large payment of money disguised as dowry being in fact a payoff to the French. The Germans are not happy about this, however, with the French potentially switching allegiances, there is not much they can do about it.

1229 AD - A steppe tribe of Polovets approaches the Kievan prince Svyatoslav for help after they had been raided by the nomads from the east, the Mongols. Since there is no direct threat to his borders, and the various Russian princelings are still at odds with each other and not willing to work together, Svyatoslav grants refuge to the Polovets people, but does not offer direct military help.

1230 AD - Alexander and Lodovica's second son, Alexius, is born. Unfortunately, Alexius is mentally incapacitated, and as such barred from the possibility of obtaining the throne.

1231 AD - The Mongol horde approaches Russian lands from the East, pillaging several outlying towns. Svyatoslav and several of his vassals take to the field, only to be defeated by the Mongol force. Moreover, Svyatoslav is taken captive and, after days of torture, is killed. Once the news reach Kiev, the Russians are horrified, and quickly elect Svyatoslav's cousin Igor as the new Grand Prince, on the grounds that Andrei is still too young for the throne. Igor's first action is to send envoys to the court of Emperor Stephen, knowing fully well that the Russian princes, though nominally vassals to the Grand Prince of Kiev, are not to be depended on, and could very well work with the invaders to unseat him from his throne.

1232 AD - While the Emperor Stephen was originally inclined to provide military assistance to the Russians, Chief Minister Orsini is strongly against it, as the enemy facing them is still an unknown quality; in addition, he argues, there is no direct threat to Imperial lands, and the elimination of potentially strong and aggressive rival up north could suit the Imperial interests quite well. With his council prevailing, Byzantium refuses direct military help, although the patrols on Eastern borders are increased, and new armies are raised in Anatolia in expectations of them being needed soon.

1233 AD - With no new incursions of the Mongols, the Russians and the Byzantines are now breathing a bit easier. Prince Igor, fairly secure now on his throne in Kiev, turns his mind to commerce and economic development of the cities, as well as to bringing his direct control to more of the Russian lands. In response, a semi-formal coalition forms, led by Vladislav of Vladimir, bent on curbing the power of the Kievans.

1235 AD - A rebellion of Moslems in North Africa is subdued, resulting in even stricter penalties on the Muslim citizens of the Empire. Tensions between the Muslims and Christians in Iberia, Egypt, and the Holy Lands reach a near-boiling point.

1236 AD - Stephen's second son John is sent to Egypt as an Exarch. On his arrival, he scandalizes the court by marrying a daughter of a Moslem noble, who takes the name Helena upon marriage. A direct consequence is that the religious tensions in the area are somewhat relaxed, and many of the Muslim merchants' former privileges are reinstated, if only in Egypt.

1238 AD - John and Eudocia's son Constantine is born.

1240 AD - A major force of Mongols, led by Chenghiz Khan's grandson Batu appears on the Russian borders. They defeat the Russian army in a pitched battle, and march for Kiev.

1241 AD - After months of determined resistance, Kiev falls to the Mongols. Stunned by the visual beauty of the city, Batu gives orders to take it with as little damage to the city as possible (similar to OTL). Once the gates are breached, however, the defenders pay the price, with most of the city's population being massacred on the spot. Andrei, heir-apparent to the Kievan throne, escapes with his life, and seeks asylum in Constantinople.

1242 AD - Convinced at last by Andrei (who now goes by the Greek name of Andreas, and who, in deference to his Imperial heritage, takes the Comnenus surname of his grandfather) that the Mongols are a real threat to Byzantium, sixty-four-year-old Stephen assembles an army that is led in person by him and his oldest son Alexander. This grand army arrives to Ancyra by the end of the year, numbering, as some say, over sixty thousand troops, mostly from Anatolia and Macedonia.

1243 AD - Early in the year the lookouts post reports of the first signs of approaching Mongols. Stephen's army follows them further east to Armenia. Only then Stephen realizes that he is cut off from his main support bases, and that since he is effectively landlocked, supplying his army by sea is not an option. With morale rather low, he attempts to force battle upon the Mongols, who use their superior speed to avoid engagement. Finally, in Winter 1243 AD, the battle is joined. The subsequent battle of Ani is a disaster, resulting in near-annihilation of the Imperial army, with Stephen himself captured and his son Alexander killed on the field of battle. The disaster is primarily due to Stephen's rash cataphract charge against the Mongol center, which the Mongols were easily able to avoid, resulting in encirclement of the Byzantines.

1244 AD - As the news reach Constantinople, panic ensues. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that there are now three pretenders to the Imperial throne - Stephen's younger son John, Stephen's grandson Manuel, and Stephen's grandson Andreas. Since neither one of them was ever crowned co-Emperor, and the Byzantine law does not have a strictly defined rule of succession, the situation seems as uncertain as ever. With the Patriarch throwing his weight in, John is eliminated from consideration, as his marriage to a Muslim does not sit well with the masses. In a meanwhile, even though Andreas is technically a Russian, he is well liked in the capital, proving himself in a short time to be a born leader of men, as well as capable administrator of the areas he was given to administer during his grandfather's reign. Manuel is rather weak-willed and not particularly competent in any one area, although this is seen as a distinct advantage by those around the throne. After three months of interregnum, Andreas takes matters into his own hands. He forces Manuel to sign the deed of abdication, and is shortly thereafter crowned in St. Sophia as Andreas I. Despite this, the Italian aristocracy is strongly behind Manuel, and after only four months of Andreas' reign they engineer a counter-coup, with Andreas fleeing for his life to Crimea. Manuel II is crowned Emperor in St. Sophia.

1245 AD - Furious at being passed over for the throne, John declares himself basileus in Alexandria, the capital of his Exarchate. While lacking effective power to be exercised beyong Egypt and Holy Lands, he effectively secedes from the Empire, claiming himself the true Roman Emperor. In a meanwhile, the Muslim Exarch of Iberia declares himself Caliph of Granada, with the Muslim Spanish and North African possessions of the Empire rallying enthusiastically behind him. Finally, Andreas, still technically a crowned Roman Emperor, sets up a state in Crimea, where he is successful at holding the Mongols in check, partially due to his excellent military tactics, and partially due to the easily defendable nature of the peninsula. In a meanwhile, the Mongols advance through Anatolia, almost without a struggle, sacking cities and taking prisoners along the way.

1246 AD - The Mongol host draws close to Constantinople, however, the capital holds firm, with the Byzantine navy preventing the Mongols from crossing over. Seeing that the capital is impregnable, the Mongol leader Subotai is prepared to discuss the peace terms. Under those, besides the payment of a large tribute, the Mongols get major parts of Anatolia and Asia Minor, with only the coast still remaining in the Greek hands.

1247 AD - Despairing to bring Egypt and Holy Lands back to the direct Imperial control, Manuel II recruits the Mongol host to reconquer them back for the Empire. While the Mongols are able to pass through Palestine without much struggle, they are stopped at Sinai, where, unable to advance further, they halt their advance. This move is extremely unpopular in the capital, with Manuel II shortly thereafter assassinated by the group of disgruntled senators. With no obvious candidate for the throne, the tensions are high, and the rival factions battle throughout the city with thousands of casualties.

1248 AD - After much struggle, a half-Greek, half-Italian senator named Michele Dandolo wins support of the merchant party, as well as that of the Patriarchate, and is crowned in St. Sophia as Michael V. He inherits a dismal situation:

[chrispi]

I like the map! One suggestion: replace the "Byzantium" tag with the name the Byzantines called themselves:

ROMANIA.

[Vulpes82]

I think the Byzantines actually called themselves "Romanoi" or something like that, but I may be wrong.

I love the timeline, as usual, midgard, but I'm not too sure about the timing of the Mongol invasions and the Byzantine knowledge thereof. Didn't the Mongols invade Iran (not really all that far from Byzantine territory) much earlier than Russia? And the trade routes through Central Asia, specifically places like Samarkand which was conquered by Genghis, would have given them definite knowledge of the Mongols. Unless the butterflies have had the Mongols concentrate more on China and/or the Muslim rulers of Central Asia weren't as stupid as they were in OTL, in which case the Mongols wouldn't have ripped through Central Asia and Persia the way they did in OTL and Batu would have headed with his horde West to "unexplored" lands to conquer.

We should really draw up a family tree for this timeline. I might attempt that if its okay.

[Vulpes82]

Random thoughts:

John and Helena's son Constantine could convert to Islam and the Empire of Egypt could become a Byzantine-Islamic hybrid state.

Andrei/Andreas could return to Russia at the invitation of the Mongols to be their middle man overlord.

Michele Dandolo could marry yet another daughter of Stephen and consolidate his hold on the throne.

Alexander's son Alexius, though mentally incapacitated, is put on the throne anyway. OR Alexius, though mentally incapacitated, has children, including daughters, than can figure into the succession and/or reunification of the dynasty.

[chrispi]

Originally Posted by Vulpes82

I think the Byzantines actually called themselves "Romanoi" or something like that, but I may be wrong.

Very close. The Mediaeval Greeks called themselves "Romaioi" and called their Empire "Romania."

[G.Bone]

oi. Michael V certainly has his work cut out for him. Keep up the good work!

[Midgard]

Originally Posted by Vulpes82

I think the Byzantines actually called themselves "Romanoi" or something like that, but I may be wrong.

I love the timeline, as usual, midgard, but I'm not too sure about the timing of the Mongol invasions and the Byzantine knowledge thereof. Didn't the Mongols invade Iran (not really all that far from Byzantine territory) much earlier than Russia? And the trade routes through Central Asia, specifically places like Samarkand which was conquered by Genghis, would have given them definite knowledge of the Mongols. Unless the butterflies have had the Mongols concentrate more on China and/or the Muslim rulers of Central Asia weren't as stupid as they were in OTL, in which case the Mongols wouldn't have ripped through Central Asia and Persia the way they did in OTL and Batu would have headed with his horde West to "unexplored" lands to conquer.

We should really draw up a family tree for this timeline. I might attempt that if its okay.

The term used by the Byzantines themselves, if I am not mistaken, was Basileia ton Romaion, which pretty much meant Empire of the Romans... for the historical accuracy it definitely could make more sense to call it that - I used Byzantium mostly for continuity reasons.

As for the Mongols, they captured Kiev in OTL in 1241 AD, and in 1243 AD at Kosedag (not sure if the spelling is correct) destroyed a Turkish army, so the timing of the invasion would have been fairly similar to OTL.

The premise here IMO would be that the Byzantines kept to the general opinion that if this is going outside of their borders, they would not be too concerned, as in their opinion the civilized world ended outside of Constantinople (or, in ATL, I would imagine this including the more sophisticated parts of the Empire such as Italy and potentially Egypt), and as long as whatever disasters befell other nations, the Byzantines did not care too much. In other words, the Byzantines did not care who ruled Samarkand, Bukhara, or China, as long as it had no direct effect on them - in fact, someone conquering the "heathen" Muslims could have been seen as a will of God (in fact, for some time before they started feeling the heat themselves in OTL, the Western Europeans thought the Mongols were God's salvation against the heathens and heretics).

I'd be totally cool with the family tree(s) for the main dynasties involved, if you would like to draw one. The dynastic ties, interestingly enough, make Andrei/Andreas a descendant of Macedonian and Comnenian dynasties... somewhat like what the Russian royalty claimed with OTL's Ivan the Terrible claiming descent from both the Macedonian as well as the Paleologan houses.

[Midgard]

Originally Posted by Vulpes82

Random thoughts:

John and Helena's son Constantine could convert to Islam and the Empire of Egypt could become a Byzantine-Islamic hybrid state.

Andrei/Andreas could return to Russia at the invitation of the Mongols to be their middle man overlord.

Michele Dandolo could marry yet another daughter of Stephen and consolidate his hold on the throne.

Alexander's son Alexius, though mentally incapacitated, is put on the throne anyway. OR Alexius, though mentally incapacitated, has children, including daughters, than can figure into the succession and/or reunification of the dynasty.

On John and Helena's son, while his conversion to Islam would have practically terminated his possible claim to the throne of Constantinople, it is definitely likely that a better balance of Greek and Arabic cultures is achieved in the Empire of Egypt than elsewhere.

Andrei/Andreas definitely has the opportunity for that, especially considering that he is relatively safe from the Mongols who lack navy to mount an effective assault on his strongholds in Crimea.

Michael Vth's marriage to Stephen's daughter (or, to be precise, granddaughter) is coming up in the next installment. As for Alexius, he is definitely a good potential figurehead... more might come out of it soon.