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Assume that the Book of Esther is (somewhat) accurate, and there was a Persian king with a Jewish queen. What if Esther and Mordechai convinced Achashverosh (Xerxes I or Artaxerxes II, take your pick) to convert to Judaism?* What effect would a Jewish Persia have on Judaism as practiced at the...

What if, after conquering Judea, Alexander (and possibly his inner circle) decides to convert to Judaism? (Imagine this story is true and expanded on) Assuming his conquests continue as OTL, would this create a Jewish/Hellenistic/Persian/Egyptian culture? Would Judaism (at least the form...

What if some or all of the Arab states of Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, Iraq, and/or Egypt were still colonies/mandates/protectorates (basically under European control) by the time of the partition of Palestine? How would this affect the UN vote? The Israeli war of Independence? From what I know...

Simply put, what is the largest territory Israel could have conquered in 1948, during their war of independence? Could they have captured East Jerusalem? Could they have made it all the way to the Jordan River? How would holding all of Jerusalem from the beginning change Israel and its foreign...

At the time of its founding, Israel was led by the socialist Mapai party, which held power (either on its own or in a coalition) until 1977, when a right-wing coalition led by Likud took power. Since then, the country has taken a more right-wing turn. How could this be avoided, or reversed, with...

Having recently started listening to the musical Hamilton, I noticed its storyline (which is for the most part historically accurate) is ripe with opportunities for alternate timelines. Some possible PODs: Alexander Hamilton never leaves Nevis. Burr becomes Washington's right-hand-man instead of...

My dad just texted me with this idea, and it seems rich in possibilities for alternate history. What do you think?

I recently saw the new Mad Max movie, and I loved it. Of course, I immediately started exploring the world. Feel free to join in, comment on my headcanons, and post your own! How did the world get to where it is in Mad Max: Fury Road, and what's going on in the rest of the world? (I forget, is...

Just a thought I had--wouldn't it be cool if there were Yiddish-speaking pirates in the Baltic and thereabouts? What would need to change for this to happen? A more autonomous, but resource-poor, Jewish community on the coast?

Could any people, preferably pre-1500, have set up permanent settlements in Antarctica (they needn't survive to the present day, but extra points if they do)? I imagine technologically they would be somewhat similar to Arctic peoples, living in a similar environment, but they'd probably have...

IOTL, Xiang Yu, leader of the state of Chu, ultimately lost the Chu-Han contention to the Han forces led by Liu Bang (later Emperor Han Gaozu). I don't know all the details of the war, but was there any way the Chu forces could have won? I'm thinking not dismissing Fan Zeng, or maybe staying...

Having just seen Jodorowsky's Dune, I wonder what would have happened if Jodorowsky had gotten the funding for his movie. What would Star Wars look like, if it's still made? What would sci-fi films look like in general?

How does one prevent the Saudis from defeating the Hashemites? Would Arabia today be a Hashemite kingdom or a republic, and would it include any territory besides OTL Saudi Arabia?

What if the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem dies/is removed at some point before 1948? Would this lead to a more peaceful Palestine? Who would be the best to replace him? Could a two-state solution be reached by 1948?

Just what the title says. Find some way to make both superpowers collapse (not necessarily around 1990) within a few years of each other. This is NOT about making a nuclear war--just collapses on the scale of the USSR in the late 80s/early 90s. China may or may not be involved. EDIT: I should...

Preferably with a POD after independence, make the Dutch be called Netherlanders, Netherlandic, Netherlandish, etc. (in English)

How do you ensure a Wallace Presidency (not necessarily via FDR's death)? Would taking Dewey out of the equation for the 1944 election change anything?

Challenge: Through the 19th century, make Britain known for frequent revolutions, while France has a relatively stable government (possibly with an unwritten constitution).

Is there any way for Fascist Spain to take British Gibraltar, either before or during WWII? Could they conceivably starve them out, if Germany kept Britain occupied? (Spain and Germany don't necessarily have to be allies) What effect would this have on the rest of the war? (much harder to enter...

Could there have been a canal built cutting through northern Florida, as a shortcut between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico? What circumstances would ensure this would happen, and why would it be done? (Modernizing the South?) How would this affect the politics and economy of the region...