luis3007: Pretty much. By themselves the Serbians and Bulgarians can't take Constantinople, but if they cooperate with the Venetian fleet to take out the European forts guarding the Dardanelles and Bosphorous first so the Venetians can blockade the city, then Constantinople is in big trouble.
thekingsguard: Thanks!
There hasn't been one...yet. With Denmark's German appetite whetted, it is focusing more on Scandanavia. They played a big role in engineering the fall of King Olaf (Tordsson) so that Sweden would have a weaker king. Russia moving on Perm is a matter of when, not if.
As for the Ottomans and Orthodox Alliance, that's complicated. Even if the Turks wanted to help (which is very very debateable) they can't. They got gutted by the Timurid invasion, and all their strength is needed rebuilding and keeping the Shah from getting any idea. As for the Alliance, unlike the Blue Horde and Shah Rukh, this doesn't present a clear opportunity/danger to the majority of the members. So individual members might join in, but not the Alliance as a whole.
Tongera: Thanks. The problem with the Romans focusing their efforts on the Europeans is that the Mamelukes haven't been beaten, just pushed back. If the tagmata concentrate on Europe, they leave Asia exposed. It's the classic dilemna of a state in a two (in this case more like three) front war.
A new crusade could be called although this isn't one, mainly because the three likeliest participants are busy at the moment. The possible participants, in order of likelihood are Bavaria, England-France, Lotharingia, Saxony (we're not going to let those damn Bavarians get all the glory, are we?), Poland (way to solidify royal authority by exporting violent nobles), and Florence (Theodoros has been upping transit tolls on flocks of livestock on their way to winter pasture in Apulia).
5000 Cows: That's a really good analogy that I hadn't thought of. I can't think of anything particular, but I just read that OTL Pope Pius II referred to the Venetians as fish.
Derekc2: I wouldn't be so sure. I'm not done throwing things at the Romans yet.
Dragos Cel Mare: Arles' fortunes and might is indeed rising. I was actually thinking, if it takes a long enough time, an Arletian monarch ruling all of OTL France might actually refer to himself as King of Arles and France.
It's been pointed out but a Hungary-Vlachia alliance is unlikely. Byzantium allying both though is possible.
Mathalamus: If Constantinople fell, we'd see a repeat of 1204 and aftermath. The Empire would break up, quite possibly on theme boundaries as local governors and strategoi asserted their authority in the vacuum. Whether or not the Empire would re-coalesce is debateable.
eliphas8: Taking Constantinople would be difficult, and would require a combined Slav-Venetian effort. To take the City requires a fleet, and at the moment the Venetians would have to run the forts in the Dardanelles and Bosphorous, all of which mount multiple bombards capable of ripping a galley in half with a single shot (they were built with the specific intention of keeping hostile-Venetian-fleets out of the Marmara).
Evilprodigy: Spot-on analysis. And the Black Day hasn't even started yet.
brokenman: An Andalusi-Roman alliance I think is the dream of almost
everyone reading this thread.
Elfwine: Neither Venice or Serbia can take the city by themselves. Together they do have a chance, but it'll be extremely difficult for them to set up that chance.
frozenpredator: I like it. Although for the record, I have another LOTR reference in mind.
And the end of the Middle Ages is scheduled for the 1470s, which is the source of the 'still a generation left in Europe' remark.
Arrix85: In TTL, the term 'Black Day' will actually be a literal statement, which the next update, which will be entirely devoted to the day in question, should make clear. Of course, the days and years afterwards will also be quite dark.
I really like the idea of the Middle Ages ending in 1476 (right now I've just narrowed down the event date to the 1470s), and from a storytelling point of view, the symmetry is really neat. But history is never that tidy; I'll have to think about it.
As for Greek-Italian relations, I do think with without Venice and the Papacy poisoning the well, reconciliation is possible. There have been some signs of that, with the ties with Genoa, Ancona, and Urbino. The painting I used for the update on Empress Helena was done by an Urbinese artist who used the Empress as a model for the Madonna.
And with Russia and Perm, that I think I'll save that for a slow year in Constantinople, so probably in a decade-ish. Novgorod does have Sweden, the Teutonic Order, and Poland to watch after all.
MerryPrankster: Roman Italy is in definite danger of extinction. However years of immigration has succeeded in Romanizing Bari, Taranto, and some of the Apulian towns. They're still loyal. Of course ninety five percent of the territory and two thirds of the population is in revolt so the odds are really bad.
Louyan: Or a terribly glorious draw.
Artemetis: That's how I envision Hungarian or Vlachian intervention unfolding. One of the titles Andrew III of Hungary aimed at was King of Italy after all.
t0m1991: Right now it's Constantinople (good), Antioch (good), Alexandria (only occupied and Sunni), Jerusalem (besieged and Sunni), and Rome (Catholic and the forces in between us and it outnumber us over 3 to 1, and we're not counting the rebels).
Avitus: Glad you liked it. It was definitely a very busy update. Julius definitely wants Cyprus wrecked, but he's smart enough to save his personal vendetta until it won't affect the war effort. Right now, trashing the Aegean so that it can't support a Roman fleet trying to defend Constantinople is the highest priority. That is why right now the Venetian armada is currently not off the Dardanelles.
Tyg: Theodoros would like you. The temporary loss of the Silk Road isn't fatal by any stretch, but it is enough to push the penny-pinching Theodoros to look for more sources of revenues. And Egypt can offer that in spades. And I must thank you; your post has given me a really good idea for a scene in a later update.
elkarlo: The Romans are going to concentrate their efforts on knocking off the Mamelukes, while gritting their teeth but taking the inevitably nasty losses in Europe. Taking out the Mamelukes will free up the best organized and led part of the army, their fleet, and completely eliminate the largest and most isolated front.
rbarata: My thanks. Welcome to the forum. As for your questions:
1) Yes, although these are not as developed and hence not as profitable as the Cypriot plantations.
2) No, because TTL Portuguese haven't reached there yet. They're just now pushing beyond the Canary Islands.
3) See above. The primary slave providers are either the Marinids (through the trans-Saharan route) or Mamelukes (access to the Sudanese market-big with the Romans because it usually is cheaper).