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Deathblow to Western Roman Empire? I've been reading about Rome lately and I'm curious at what point the Western Roman Empire became beyond saving? What was the death blow that led to its destruction? What is the latest date for it being able to survive intact? I'll pick the execution of...

What if Vought XF5U "Flying Pancake" In WWII? I fine the Flying Pancake or Flapjack to be a very interesting plane. I'm curious to know what would have happen had the project worked out? So the US manages to get the Flying Pancake in working order by 1943-44 and it is deployed in some numbers...

Frederick Barbarossa, Richard the Lionheart or Philip Augustus? Three leaders of the Third Crusade most experienced Western commanders of their age. All three showed themselves skilled on the battlefield, in siege warfare, in the management of logistics and military strategy. Which of these...

What if Richard the Lionheart besieged Jerusalem, Success or Failure? Richard's decision not to attack Jerusalem has always been a controversial one. Any attempt to take the city would have been difficult and the arrival of a relief army likely. In OTL Richard valuing the lives of his soldiers...

Bohemian Dominated Holy Roman Empire, Effect on Hussite Wars I was thinking of a scenario where Bohemia becomes the dominate power in the Holy Roman Empire. Victory at the Battle of the Marchfeld and a collapse of Hapsburg power seems like the best opportunity. I'm also curious how this would...

What if Simon de Montfort Defeats Edward Longshanks? In OTL the Battle of Evesham was a very one sided victory for Edward Longshanks. What if instead Edward Longshanks had of been defeated, captured and or killed? What would de Montfort do going forward? Could any of his reforms last?

Hattin Campaign Options and Possibility of Victory? The Battle of Hattin was an unprecedented defeat for the Crusader states and broke their military power. My question is could this defeat have been avoided? What could have been done differently to achieve victory? How should the Crusaders...

2nd Crusade Alternative Targets? Recently I put up a thread on WI the 2nd Crusade attacked Constantinople but I was also thinking about other alternative targets. In OTL they went for Damascus and retreated after hearing about the approach of relief armies. I've listed few alternative targets...

What if 2nd Crusade Sacks Constantinople? So instead of the 4th Crusade we have the 2nd Crusade sack Constantinople. Results? Impact on the Crusader states and Byzantine Empire? "A siege mentality developed. One member of the King's (Louis VII) closest circle recalled that, a day out side of...

What If Alfonso the Battler More Successful? Alfonso the Battler was of Aragon's greatest kings and spearheaded the early stage of the Reconquista. He had a good run of victories against Islamic forces and at one point even reached Spain's southern coast. Alfonso was ultimately defeated at...

What if France Incorporates Aragon? Curious as to the potential of a union between Aragon and France. What are some possibilities of when and how this could occur? How would the balance of power shift if this occurred? I think a good POD would be a successful Aragonese Crusade that deposes King...

IIghazi, Nur ad Din, Saladin or Baibars? These four Islamic leaders achieved the most success in combating the Crusades. Ilghazi wiped out Antioch's army during the Battle of the Field of Blood. Nur ad Din outnumbered 3 to 1 crushed a Crusader force at the Battle of Harim and saved Damascus...

Most Decisive Battle of the Middle Ages 500-1500 What was the most decisive battle of the Middle Ages? By decisive I mean a significant victory on the battlefield that also led to strategic results. My pick is the Battle of Didgori, it was a bloodbath and saved Georgia...

Best Medieval European Commander? I've been focused on Medieval History lately and was wondering who was the best European commander of the era? In the wider world Khalid bin al Walid and Subutai seem to be the best but among Europeans I'm unsure. My best guess would be perhaps Robert Guiscard...

What if Norwegian Crusader States? Vikings in Jerusalem.:p The first European King to lead a crusade was in fact King Sigurd of Norway yet the Norwegians played very little role in OTL Crusader States. What if instead the Norwegians put greater effort into crusading and establishing a...

What if Bohemond Married Anna Komnene? Based on how badly relations between Bohemond and Byzantium turned out in OTL I thought this would be an interesting divergence. The unmarried Bohemond spent more time in Constantinople then any other Crusader leader and is said to have met Anna who was...

Frankokratia: Louis IX,Charles of Anjou and the Crusades Alternate Time Line King Louis IX: "The will of God has sent us here. I am not King of France. You, all of you, are king. I am but one man, whose life, if God pleases, will be spent like any other. We are safe in any event, either we...

Surviving Khwarezmian Empire Impact on Crusader States? The fall of the Khwarezmian Empire to the Mongols had a significant impact on the Crusader states. Many Khwarezmian warriors fleeing the destruction of their homeland served as mercenaries for the Ayyubid Sultanate. The Khwarezmians in...

Who won the Third Crusade? Watched a video recently on the Third Crusade and it had me rethinking my opinion of the topic. I have myself have always viewed it as a Muslim victory based on the fact that Saladin held Jerusalem. A good opposing argument however can be made that the Third Crusade...

Who Could Have Stopped the Mongols Prior to Ain Jalut? Under the leadership of Genghis Khan and Subutai the Mongols conquered nation after nation winning dozens of massive battles. The Mongols, until 1260 when they were defeated by the Mamluks at Ain Jalut, they looked unstoppable. I'm curious...