AH Challenge: Inverted United Kingdom

[Flocculencio]

With a POD before the Crimean War (The English one not the ACW), present me with a United Kingdom with the capital and centre of political power in Edinburgh. The financial centre can still be in London but higher points if you move it North (e.g. to York or Newcastle). Basically, what I want is for the North and Scotland to become the political and financial centre of the UK as opposed to OTL where everything basically revolves around London.

Try to avoid ASBish scenarios.

Onwards! Onwards I say!

[Archangel Michael]

How would the Crimean War affect were the British capital was?

[MerryPrankster]

There's a theory going around that if the English had won the 100 Years War, the seat of gov't would end up in Paris and eventually the British would revolt against "French" rule. In one of these scenarios, the Scots conquer England; that could lead to Edinburgh or a northern English city being the capital.

Perhaps having Harald Haardrada win in 1066 could lead to a northern capital in England...London is vulnerable to seaborne assault from Normandy, after all.

[DuQuense]

how far before

1-- Authur the Great retreats with the Celts north of Hardians wall, forms a alliance Ireland, his son forms a Scots/Irish union. His Grandson reconquers England.

2-- Robert the Bruce/Willian Wallace same kind of thing.

3-- Mary Queen of Scot has a son, during the trouble with Elizibeth, he ends ups/hides in Ireland. He returns becoming King of Scotland, then is elected king of England keeps capital in Scotland.

4-- 1718 james wins in scotland, 1745 Bonnie Prince conquers England.


I know --No Details-- But these are Possible PODs if not Plausible ones.

[Flocculencio]

Originally Posted by Mikey

How would the Crimean War affect were the British capital was?

Sorry- typo. I meant the Civil War.

[Redbeard]

The Danish settlements/Danelaw in 9/10/11th century were centered around York. Find a PoD and have this entity consolidate into a state and become the core of a United Kingdom, and you might have York as the capital. Is that far enough north?

It could also be the some foreign power more actively supporting the Scots in their strides with the English in order to keep the British occupied. That power could be a consolidated Kalmar Union (15th century) and the result be a Scottish King based in Edinburgh ruling over England and Wales too (but with heavy support from outside?).

I guess a PoD involving the French or Spain getting success with supporting some Scotish pretendant could also be found.

I'll just ask for one thing, and that is that this doesn't end up a Welsh global empire and the best bid for global language being Welsh!

Regards

Steffen Redbeard

[Will Ritson]

The key is the Danelaw and keeping the balance of power with the Norse in York and the northern counties.

Perhaps a more organised and effective Danelaw, that damages the Saxon economy and takes the focus of trade away from London and the south and makes it the north.

To take away the importance that London held by the 9th and 10th centuries though is a big task. I would envisage then that as trade focusses more on the northern counties, that merchants would move northwards. Although several hundred years ahead the industrial revolution would consolidate the power of the north over the agricultural south.

[Tyr]

Well you say a POD before the Crimean war so we can have something slightly different happen there then one thing leads to another and in a big war London gets nuked- Edinburgh would make sense as a second choice for a capital.
This one is just too easy with too many ways to do it.