Italian Crimea

Develope a scenario, where the Crimean peninsula (or parts of it) is in possession of an unified Italian Empire.

Maybe if Genoa really expands in the area and then becomes part of a earlier unified Italy.

To keep a hold of this any Italian Empire would need to hold the neck. Genoa has a strong fleet, but to hold more than a few coastal enclaves, they need to prevent the hordes from assailing the Crimean Peninsula by land. This requires guarding that lagoon-filled neck. Eww.

Perhaps if they decide that it would be worth holding, they could use the natives, and any immigrant Italians as future manpower. But they need resources, something to make defending the neck worthwhile.

Any significant natural resources on the peninsula that would entice Genoa to stay? I can imagine they may exploit the land for farming if that is within their means, but you're looking at a merchant republic becoming very territorial, which may end up leading to a duke or count or titular leader.

Though that would make sense if they genuinely sought to unite Italy.

Problem is for Genoa is they would rely on good relations with whoever controls the dardanelles. Which if they are defending against and fighting the tartars, means they become very tightly involved with the Byzantines.

In addition, the Byzantines would be very unhappy with someone empire building in their backyard. Especially someone who is rightfully a Roman vassal.

Perhaps we have a Genoa that becomes a co-operative "Capetanate of Italia and Taurica (Crimea)". I'd love to see an Italian Empire that essentially usurped the Greco-Roman byzantines and made it Italo-Greco-Roman Empire, but I'd more likely expect a Byzantine-Endorsed Italian power growing and eventually asserting their independence.

But without access to those straits, the Italians (Regardless of who) are going to find it impossible.

Crimea is quite fertile, and there are iron ores in Kerch, but I don't know if they are worthwhile or not.

Italian pavise-with-crossbow tactic is very efficient against nomads, and Hungarian mercenaries can serve as cavalry auxiliaries if needed. Once colonized, the grain can then be sold to Byzantium or Trebizond, and some battle-hardened Italians might choose to continue fighting, and seek employment under either to fight the Turks.

I think an Italian Crimea that held the whole peninsula, if successful in establishing grain exports and defending itself, would probably become independent from Genoa quickly and, so far from the Italian heartland, would in time drift away culturally, being influenced (even if it avoids conquest) by the various Nomads to the North and the Romans and Ottomans to the south.

For them to participate in a unified Italy centuries later is extremely unlikely.

rottenvenetic said:

I think an Italian Crimea that held the whole peninsula, if successful in establishing grain exports and defending itself, would probably become independent from Genoa quickly and, so far from the Italian heartland, would in time drift away culturally, being influenced (even if it avoids conquest) by the various Nomads to the North and the Romans and Ottomans to the south.

For them to participate in a unified Italy centuries later is extremely unlikely.

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Interesting point. Even today there is a very small, nearly forgotten minority of ethnic Italians on the Crimea. Until the 20th century, they were quite numerous.

It seems to me that this is most likely to happen in the 19th century as some part of a bigger peace settlement after Ialian cooperation in some kind of invasion of Russia. You have Sardinia in the Crimean War, but I think probably the POD would need to be before then, perhaps even back into the 18th century.