The Middle East (incl. Byzantium, the Caucasus and Egypt) 1200-60
1204 (as OTL): Fourth Crusade. Byzantine Empire conquered, Constantinople plundered, Latin Empire founded, which gets one quarter of the lands of the old Empire. Other parts go to Venice or Genoa or become independent. One of the new states is the Empire of Nikaia, which ruler Theodor Laskaris wants to throw out the invaders.
1213 (as OTL): Queen Tamara of Georgia dies. During her reign, capital punishment and dismemberment were abolished.
1223: (Armenia desn't secede from Georgia. No Battle on the river Kalka. Kipchaks / Kumans / Polovtzy still rule the steppes in Southern Russia.)
1224 (as OTL): Kingdom Thessaloniki conquered by Epirus.
1225 (as OTL): Latin Empire cedes almost all of Asia Minor and some islands in the Aegean Sea to Nikaia. Rum-Seljuks conquer Crimea.
Early 13th century: (OTL Mamluk sultan Baibars isn't captured by the Mongols, stays Kipchak.)
1227 (as OTL): Theodore of Epirus and Thessalonica drives the Nikaian garrison out of Adrianople and annexes much of Thrace. Bulgaria and Nikaia ally against the crusaders.
1230s: (The Choresmians under Jalal-ad-Din who fled from the Mongols don't confuse the Middle East.)
1239-42 Kay Khusrau II has to quell an upspring led by the popular preacher Baba Ishaq.
1240 (as OTL): Latin Empire meanwhile almost reduced to the capital. Choresm learns the secret of blackpowder (we remember).
1242: (Armenia not conquered by Mongols.)
1243: (Mongols don't attack Rum-Seljuks.)
1244 (as OTL): Jerusalem conquered by sultan as-Salih of Egypt. This was expectable, since the city lacked the hinterland for a better defense. Only difference to OTL: He uses Mamluk soldiers for the attack instead of hired Choresmians. The city is damaged less than IOTL.
1245: Nikaia makes a peace treaty with the Rum-Seljuks (as OTL); but since the latter aren't threatened by the Mongols, Nikaia has to pay a tribute.
1246: Little countries of the Zangids conquered by Choresm. Bulgaria defends better than OTL against Nikaia, keeps most of the conquered (former Byzantine) areas, has to cede only Adrianople and Athos.
1248-54 (as OTL): Sixth Crusade against Egypt stays without success.
1250 (as OTL): Mamluks under Aybak take power in Egypt. At the moment, he shares power with the widow of the last Ayyubid sultan, Shajar ad-Durr.
1253 (as OTL): Nikaia attacks Epiros / Thessalia. After hard fights they conquer Thessaloniki.
1254 (as OTL): After the death of Ioannis III. Vatatzes, Michael VIII. Palaiologos comes to power in Nikaia by a coup.
1255: Shah Jalal-ad-Din of Choresm dies. Some areas of his empire (Kara-Kitai, Afghanistan) break away. Kara-Kitai stay independent, but Afghanistan is pacified in the following years and stays in the fold.
1257 (as OTL): Shajar ad-Durr murdered after she has Aybak murdered. Qutuz becomes new sultan of Egypt.
1260: (Baibars I. does not become ruler of Egypt.) Mamluks attack Crusader states, conquer Gaza, Askalon and Jaffa (earlier than OTL).
Ah, and here's a map of the Middle East in 1260. The small states at the left side are the Crusader states.
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