Isaac's Empire

[ByzantineCaesar]

Originally Posted by Megas Dux ton Kypraion

I think Grand Duchies would be rare, created to reward exceptional people. Cyprus is the exception: it was (and stayed) a Grand Duchy because the medieval Head of the Roman Navy (the 'Grand Duke') was given the island as a naval base in the late 12th/early 13th century against the powerful Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt. When Palestine and Egypt were eventually secured by the Empire in the second half of the 13th century, there was no longer any need for the navy to be stationed in Cyprus - so it was redeployed elsewhere - and the title of 'Grand Duke' of the island slowly changed from a military into a civilian office.

It was probably estabilished by Emperor Manuel I, in the early 1170s, when he invaded Palestine. Irene II and Alexander IV lost all of Palestine and were incompetent and tried to centralize power. Do you agree, Grand Duke?

[Megas Dux ton Kypraion]

Originally Posted by ByzantineCaesar

It was probably estabilished by Emperor Manuel I, in the early 1170s, when he invaded Palestine. Irene II and Alexander IV lost all of Palestine and were incompetent and tried to centralize power. Do you agree, Grand Duke?

EDIT: I've put the foundation of the Grand Duchy of Cyprus forward a bit to 1208 (see new country profile on CoJ! ), to the reign of Irene II and Alexander IV, precisely because they lost Palestine and Syria; the coastal ports were held against the Ayyubids - so we can argue that this happened only because the first Grand Duke was appointed, given Cyprus and the Navy, and told to supply and hold the coastal cities at all costs...

The title 'Megas Dux' was introduced in the Byzantine Empire by the early Komnenid emperors, and existed right up to 1453 - although it was more of a (high-ranking) court title in the last centuries of the Empire.

In "Isaac's Empire" the title probably becomes associated with Cyprus, which has a rather unique status within the Empire as BG has described. In turn, this development has apparently led to the promotion of the term 'Drougarios', which we have seen in a recent post (spelled 'Drungarius') is the title which the political head of the Navy has in the Grand Logothete's Symboulion (Cabinet).

As for the Grand Dukes in the Empire, I think now that the one in Lybia has struck black gold, he will rouse the jealousy (and political rivalry) of that proud old family of original Grand Dukes, the Andreou family of Cyprus - so Gregoras should better be careful...

[Basileus Giorgios]

As promised, here's the map of the world in 1800 and a brief summary of changes from the previous map. Enjoy and do comment!

List of Map Changes, 1775-1800.

EUROPE
1. Last of the nominally independent Irish lords subdued in 1778 by the British. Ireland fully re-assimilated into the British Empire in 1783 at the Declaration of Canterbury.

2. Papal occupation of the Continental Counties wound up between 1773 and 1779. Also fully re-assimilated in 1783.

WESTERN ASIA
1. Irak becomes Neo-Spartan in 1777.

2. Turchia partitioned and vassalised between Persia and Russia in 1781.

3. Russian invasion of Azeria in 1784. Expelled by the Persians in 1793. Persian annexation of parts of eastern Azeria in 1794.

4. Direct annexation of southern Turchia into the Persian Khanate in 1798.

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
1. Khandeshi Civil War, 1781-83. Partition of Khandesh, 1784.

2. Beginnings of Rhomanian withdrawal from much of India, 1788.

EASTERN ASIA
1. Surrender of several Nyapanese continental ports to China in 1771, as agreed following the Treaty of Palembang in 1766.

2. Great Eastern War of 1773 leads to the Chinese capture of small parts of Pegu, Khmer and Tibet- client Neo-Spartan rulers are installed in an attempt to destabilise the main states.

3. Advancement of the Russo-Chinese frontier to Russian advantage thanks to the campaigns of Strezhislav Kobylin. 1778.

4. Chinese invasion and occupation of Russia from 1797 onwards.

5. Collapse of Mongolian Neo-Spartan regime, absolute monarchy restored. 1799.

AFRICA
1. Delta War leads to the conquest of Benin by Ibidos. 1771.

2. The Treaty of Tolosa in 1776 leads to territorial exchanges between the United Kingdoms, Alwa, and Aethiopia to form more “rational” and easily governable boundaries, following a series of events that almost led to war between the latter two states.

JOHANNIA
1. Great Plains Confederacy becomes a much more centralised federal Union based at the capital city of Himosuttee. 1772.

2. Tongvan Civil War, 1773-76. Country partitioned following Tayshan intervention in 1776.

3. Tayshan annexation of a small part of eastern Tongva, 1776.

4. Tayshan invasion and annexation of Western Mariana, 1778.

5. Victorious generals fight a brief civil war in Taysha from 1782-83. The Republic is abolished, and the Empire of Taysha is formed.

6. Mayan kingdom of Chacamaiapa invades and successfully conquers her rivals in a series of wars lasting from 1784 to 1788.

7. Establishment of a “Mayan free state” around the island bastion of Cozumel in 1790. This is essentially a Portuguese colony though, and marks the return of Portugal to the international stage after an almost total absence for the past thirty years.

[037771]

Why is the Chinese occupation of part of Russia perfectly rectangular? Seems very arbitrary...

[Basileus Giorgios]

Originally Posted by 037771

Why is the Chinese occupation of part of Russia perfectly rectangular? Seems very arbitrary...

Because it was easy for me to do like that, and I couldn't be bothered messing about on PaintShop. To be honest.

The occupied area is only a rough estimate of the zone of Chinese occupation in any case. Obviously in reality, the frontier is constantly changing with an overriding theme of a slow Chinese advance, so the rectangle represents a basic overview of the sort of region firmly under China's control.

[037771]

Originally Posted by Basileus Giorgios

Because it was easy for me to do like that, and I couldn't be bothered messing about on PaintShop. To be honest.

To be honest thats understandable; I rarely do maps, partly because of the whole 'what if i'm discovered/how can i explain this to someone who doesn't know what AH is' and partly because its just so time-consuming. After Monday it'll get worse as well, what with (probably) our respective courses kick-starting.

[Megas Dux ton Kypraion]

Hey BG,

Very nice map. Good to see a version with all the provinces/territories individually labelled.

Readers should be aware (if not already) that I've done Country Profiles (containing info on population, name of ruler, type of government etc) for all the majority Islamic countries of "Isaac's Empire" in 1800 over on the 'Children of Johan' thread. It would be good to see readers' thoughts on those either there or on here.

Lastly, BG, a question:

You have labelled the Indian States south and east of Khandesh as A-H, but no key is provided in the map, or in the "changes list" above. Can you tell what they are called? I assume they mostly follow the names shown in Ampersand's Indian Ocean map of many, many pages ago...?

[ByzantineCaesar]

Amazing map BG!

Very nice developments in Hesperidia. I'm especially curious about the new state beside Querandin. Oh, and thanks for giving Opará a colour!

PS: Gratz on 400th post Megas!

[DirtyCommie]

Wow. Lemme say that this TL looks bloody amazing, mate! Excellent work!

[Saepe Fidelis]

As always, the map is epic, but I've just got two little things which I think I've mentioned before but I may as well say again.

The northern border of Kongo is exactly the same as OTL's DRC/Zaire/Belgian Congo/Free State of Congo etc. etc. which wasa pretty 'ASB' state, whose borders made little geographic sense. I'd suggest moving the borders of Aethiopia and Alwa south slightly so that they back onto the Congo River, that way they have access to a major communications route and the border's less OTL.

Another is Nubia and Dongola. I know that the sub-Egyptian kingdoms are kind of the Central Asian countries of TTL, with intentionally crazy borders, but I think that it would make good political sense for both the kingdoms if they unified. Nubia's strength lies in its good communications links along the Nile, whereas Congola has access to the sea. If they unified, they'd have a Nile-based kingdom with lots of good agricultural land, as well as access to the Red Sea. Not to mention the oil that's in Dongola.

Also, what's with the Republic of New North Wales? I don't think I've seen that before, but I'm intrigued . . .

Also, is there a chance of the Confederacy of the North buying eastern Siberia off of Russia (the area east of the Chinese-ocupied zone)? The area's useless for Russia and is strategically untenable. I'm sure, however, that the Northerners would like it . . .

Again, very good indeed. Meanwhile, all shall be explained about the mysterious, terrifying Inka in my next update . . .

[037771]

Originally Posted by Saepe Fidelis

The northern border of Kongo is exactly the same as OTL's DRC/Zaire/Belgian Congo/Free State of Congo etc. etc. which wasa pretty 'ASB' state, whose borders made little geographic sense. I'd suggest moving the borders of Aethiopia and Alwa south slightly so that they back onto the Congo River, that way they have access to a major communications route and the border's less OTL.

Yeah i'm gonna agree with this; OTL Congo's borders were pretty arbitrary, and while they could be ITTL, i doubt they'd follow the same borders. In fact, there are a few sources you could have read which would have allowed you to draw the borders on (roughly) ethnic grounds.

[Megas Dux ton Kypraion]

Guys,

For once I'm gonna back up BG on a map feature

I think that what BG has attempted to represent on his map is a frontier that follows the line of the (OTL) Ubangi-Mbomou rivers.

I agree that the north-east frontier looks a little complex, but I think it basically shows that OTL Lake Albert - and a probe of territory on the far side of the White Nile are in Kongo-recognised territory.

Whether Kongo can enforce its claim to these regions - and effectively ward off Aethiopian ambitions to control the upper reaches of the White Nile - is another question.

I'm really not sure what the status of Kongo is in 1800. I think it is a Successor-Monarchy of the former British Empire in Africa (like New Hampshire), with a good deal of German spoken along the lower reaches of the Kongo river from when the area was a German colony. I imagine the German and British colonists (due to the bitterness of the Great War betrayal and the Iron Guard's revenge) do not get on - possibly making this large state a fundamentally weak Kingdom unable to maintain effective authority within the country, let alone able to police distant borders in difficult terrain.

BG can you give us the lowdown on this?

[Saepe Fidelis]

For those who have been following events over on CoJ, you'll be aware that BC's narrative about Opara is reaching a stage where it is becoming locked in a deadly proxy war with the Inka Empire for dominance over Hespederia. In order to flesh this out a little more, I've written a piece on the Inka, that most elusive people from high in the Andes, which can be found on the CoJ thread, here.

[Archangel]

Nice map, BG!

[Megas Dux ton Kypraion]

Dear readers,

As promised, I've posted the first of three 'bonus' stories of that cynical and merciless Spymaster György Horváth over on 'Children of Johan' (see here).

Horváth may have shuffled off his mortal coil in BG's update covering 1788, but what he got up to before then hopefully will still have the capacity to surprise readers...

[Constantinople]

Aw. Leaving India? That's too bad, would be nice to see it absorbed! What is the population of Russia? They havent had crazy world war and all...

What about the United Kingdoms? Mostly Basque? What about its colonies?

[Constantinople]

What is Uniate Christianity like these days? Any way similar to Orthodoxy? Or has it gone through major theological changes?

[The Kiat]

Originally Posted by Basileus Giorgios

Because it was easy for me to do like that, and I couldn't be bothered messing about on PaintShop. To be honest.

It's nice to have a straightforward answer to these questions. Interesting map you have there. It's 1800 and I barely recognize anything.

[Basileus Giorgios]

Originally Posted by Constantinople

Aw. Leaving India? That's too bad, would be nice to see it absorbed! What is the population of Russia? They havent had crazy world war and all...

What about the United Kingdoms? Mostly Basque? What about its colonies?

What is Uniate Christianity like these days? Any way similar to Orthodoxy? Or has it gone through major theological changes?

Neo-Spartan Russia has, in 1800, a population of about 50 million. It's very small compared to some neighbouring states, such as China. This is due to a variety of factors, not least the mass genocide of various ethnic groups within the state during the Renko era, and the constant attrition rate caused by young people dying in war and in the ferocious training programmes that follow army recruitment. Many Russians simply do not live long enough to have children.

The UK is a real mix of cultures, which may be its downfall (though if I'm honest, I haven't properly planned for this, so it may or may not happen). The western part of the country is largely Basque dominated, but the south and east has some strong Occitan elements, together with Catalan, which has only been partly subsumed by the other two. As regards its colonial empire, it is maintained largely for prestige value, and to help "glue" the kingdom together. It will really come into its own in the 19th century.

Uniate Christianity looks at first glance rather similar to Orthodoxy, with mosaics and iconic art, as well as typical domed churches and bearded monks, but theologically, it is very different. The Church is dualistic and scientifically minded, with very little theological conservatism- it recognises that to survive, it has to control scientific advancement and use it for its own ends, hence the theories of natural progression and decay.

Originally Posted by The Kiat

It's nice to have a straightforward answer to these questions. Interesting map you have there. It's 1800 and I barely recognize anything.

Thanks, one does try to be a blunt northerner, even if one now lives Eis Tin Polin, as it were. . Are you still catching up with the TL? If so, where are you?

[The Kiat]

Originally Posted by Basileus Giorgios

Thanks, one does try to be a blunt northerner, even if one now lives Eis Tin Polin, as it were. . Are you still catching up with the TL? If so, where are you?

Argh, catching up. Yeah, I kind of fell behind there. I'm trying to figure out this neo-spartan thing.