Did anyone ever do a timeline where Isabella marries the King of Poturgal instead of Ferdinand? Seems like an obvious POD to explore.
Permanently. It's only marginally less easy than merging the Castillians and the Aragonese/Catalans.
Originally posted by AHFanatic
The colonization era of this TL will also be interesting, considering Aragon is probably going to be a rump state of OTL Spain and Portugal/Castile is going to be an uber-Portugal. Add England's treaty with Portugal and you've got a mighty interesting prospect.
In the Middle Ages Spain and Iberian Peninsula were the same thing, only since the portuguese separation from Castille in 1640 has Portugal been regarded as non-Spain and Castille-Aragon became known only as Spain.That may or may not be true. The reason Ferdinand and Isabella so succesfully united Spain was the civil war with Juana.
Castile and Aragon had always been known as Spain in general, so that explains why that name sprung up in OTL. But Portugal has always been regarded as non-Spanish. Could this change?
But what would happen to the Turks and their domain of the Mediterranean?
And what happens to the Habsburgs? does this idea eliminate the House of Austria?
This world could either see a strong coalition of Aragon-Venice and the Pope or a Mediterranean dominated by the Ottoman Empire...
In the Middle Ages Spain and Iberian Peninsula were the same thing, only since the portuguese separation from Castille in 1640 has Portugal been regarded as non-Spain and Castille-Aragon became known only as Spain.
Would/could Aragon try to rebuild a Mediterranean empire in the mold of ancient Rome?
Actually, I do not really see much of an american presense with Castille being in on the Portugese route and thier conquistadors used as extra manpower on that route (a Spanish Cape perhaps?). Indeed without the Mesoamerican influx Castille is far more a junior partner here.I've thought of that once, with an joined empire at Africa and America while the Mediterranean is left to the Turks, Venice and Aragon, which could still join some sort of Iberian Union later on.
With a somewhat weaker and rather less cash-flushed rival? They could either be rather stronger or considerably weaker as the North African states find themselves better able to fend off Aragon on thier own.But what would happen to the Turks and their domain of the Mediterranean?
In Iberia? Depends on who weds what heir.And what happens to the Habsburgs? does this idea eliminate the House of Austria?
With a somewhat weaker and rather less cash-flushed rival? They could either be rather stronger or considerably weaker as the North African states find themselves better able to fend off Aragon on thier own.
France, Castile-Portugal and Venice teaming together against Aragon and the Turks.
With France and Castile-Portugal as buddies, England would go Aragon-friendly and broke the old Anglo-Portuguese alliance, which in OTL was in danger at the end of the 15th century precisely because the Franco-Portuguese approach signed above.
I wonder if an Anglo-Aragonese alliance'll result in TTL equivalent of the Spanish Armada, but slightly earlier. What if it pulls off? Then you have one OTL colonial power fragmented with one half fused with another colonial power, another colonial power allied with it, and yet another colonial power under the fist of the first one (that's confusing. I need a nap.).
Actually, I do not really see much of an american presense with Castille being in on the Portugese route and thier conquistadors used as extra manpower on that route (a Spanish Cape perhaps?). Indeed without the Mesoamerican influx Castille is far more a junior partner here.
Columbus may sail for Navarre, France, or England and lead one or more of them to the West Indies. If that is butterflied Colonization is far slower and more haphazard, with Newfoundland and Brazil being used as dumping grounds or agricultural supply points.
HTG
An interesting question that nags me is what the union of Castile and Portugal will be called. Castile and Aragon had always been known as Spain in general, so that explains why that name sprung up in OTL. But Portugal has always been regarded as non-Spanish. Could this change?
Would anyone mind if I wrote a TL based on this idea and your input so far? 'Cause this is an awesome idea and I've already got ideas for maps of the next coupla centuries of it.
Bingo. Noone but a few crackpots thought the globe was small enough to survive a westbound journy to the Indies.I see your point. I don't believe France or England had the religious fervor of Spain. But there isn't a big reason why Columbus should end up in Spain, if Bartolomeu Dias goes on his voyage as scheduled. It convinced King Joao II of Portugal that the eastern route was better, even though he had never thought a western route was good anyway.
But where is said Colonization?I do think though, that without the resources of Aragon, colonization might go a little slower, but Portugal would mostly make up for it.