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  1. Maintenance of Roman roads after collapse of western empire?

    As far as I know, maintenance of Roman roads in western Europe virtual ceased after the disappearance of the empire, especially in Britain. What would it take to maintain at least sections of the road network and which sections would provide the best return on investment? Once the knowledge of...

  2. Charlemagne dies in first war with the Saxons, effects in France and beyond

    Let's assume that the Franks suffer a Teutoburg Forest level defeat during the First Saxon War and Charlemagne is killed. Within France, who inherits the kingdom and how is the balance of power shifted between the king and his vassals in the wake of such a disaster? How long before we see a...

  3. Orthodox 'Grand Duchy' of Old Prussia that preserves much of the pagan religion's customs?

    With a POD of 900 AD or later, how could we get get an Orthodox conversion of the pagan Baltic Prussians that preserves much of the old pagan customs as possible? Using what we know of the Lithuanian pantheon as a template, which gods could have their attributes transfer to Orthodox saints...

  4. Royal Newfoundland Regiment not decimated in WWI, effects on Dominion of Newfoundland?

    From what I have read, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment suffered staggering losses during WWI, including a 90% casual rate during the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Over the course of the war, over 1200 fatalities and over 2200 wounded were recorded, a heavy blow to a dominion with a low...

  5. How did the great houses of 15th century England 'manage their assets'?

    How did the noble houses of England extract wealth from their holdings? What sort of 'bureaucracy' existed within these noble houses to manage their wealth? Which houses seemed to most effectively leverage what they owned? From an althistory perspective, what sort of 'bookkeeping' or...

  6. Sedentary non-agricultural civilization in Europe?

    Are there any regions in Europe that were so blessed with food resources that they can support a sedentary society without the need for agriculture? One example from the Americas would be the Tlingit in the Alaskan Panhandle that could support permanent settlements based on the harvesting of...

  7. Prince-bishoprics in the HRE, how did they operate?

    One of the peculiar features of the HRE seems to be the large number of prince-bishoprics, where the top religious official also was the chief secular power of a given principality (for example, the archbishopric of Cologne). How were these bishops chosen? Was this purely an internal matter for...

  8. Pan-Andean drive becomes a major force over the 19th century

    Inspired by the thread about 'derailing' German nationalism, I was wondering how we might get the reverse in the Andean region in South America. It seems to me the Peru-Bolivian Confederation was an abortive expression of this drive, but it was a little too 'autocratic' for the purposes of this...

  9. Too big to succeed? 'Rightsize' an overextended nation or empire

    Some nations were simply too big to effectively manage with the communications systems of the times. Others included restive minorities that cost too much in blood and treasure to subdue over the long term. Choose a nation you think grew beyond its means and specify which parts you would remove...

  10. How can kingdom of Northumbria survive the Viking onslaught?

    OTL the greater part of Northumbria was incorporated into the Danelaw, leaving only a rump state north of the river Tyne. What needs to be done to maintain the territorial integrity of the kingdom? Does Northumbria have the material and technological ability to create a defensive battle fleet...

  11. Was the Emperor of Japan truly powerless prior to the Meiji Restoration?

    It seems to me that the Emperor is often written off as a figurehead once the Kamakura Shogunate is established in 1185, only to regain relevance with the Meiji Restoration. But it's not as if the imperial court at Kyoto disappeared once the Shoguns came on the scene. As I understand it, they...

  12. Make the kingdom of Strathclyde the foundation of a third kingdom between Scotland and England

    Strathclyde is one of those 'almost made it' nations that seemed to be on upward trajectory shortly before it was absorbed by Alba, the OTL predecessor to Scotland. Arising out of the sack of Dumbarton by the Norse kingdom of Dublin in 870, this last remnant of the British kingdoms of the 'Old...

  13. African nationalism and decolonization in a world without WW2?

    How do you see the trajectory of nationalist movements being affected in this ATL? I imaging the pace of decolonization would be slower but which colonies do you see as being most likely to achieve independence as IOTL? Which ideologies do you see having the most prominence in this situation...

  14. Why no "Vlad the Impaler" types in Western Europe?

    Maybe I'm wrong in my impression, but there doesn't seem to be a close analog to Vlad Tepes in Western Europe during the late medieval period. Vlad had his "Easter Massacre" of those boyars and their wives and children who attended a feast he hosted. Contrast this to Richard II of England, who...

  15. Henry IV dead at Shrewsbury, 1403: What's next?

    I have questions about the outcomes for three Houses in the aftermath of a victory for Percy in the Battle of Shrewsbury: Percy: This House rebelled against Henry IV for a laundry list of grievances, among them land promised to them in Cumberland being given to a rival (House Neville?) and...

  16. 'The King is busy now': Regents, Viziers, and other 'real' powers

    In the Heian period (794-1185) of Japan, there was a period during which the Emperor was not actually the strongest executive power, but rather his Regent, drawn exclusively from the powerful Fujiwara clan. The mundane details of rulership were taken on by the Regent while the Emperor busied...

  17. No 'third phase' of Hundred Years War: Effects on France?

    Let's assume by whatever mechanism there is no 'third phase' of the HYW, meaning no conquests by Henry V. How does this affect French political, social, and military developments? Does the French nobility remain more 'autonomous' compared to OTL? Do some duchies become de facto, possibly...

  18. Questions about medieval land ownership

    During the High and Late Middle Ages, was it a common practice for the nobles of one nation to have land holdings and other property in foreign nations? If so, how was this land taxed and what typically happened to a noble's foreign land holdings after a war between his home nation and a foreign...

  19. France, Scotland and the Tripartite Indenture, 1405

    Some time ago I posted a thread about the Tripartite Indenture, and asked what would have happened to the constituent parts (Wales, "Northumbria", and southern England) in the event that Henry IV had been defeated and killed by the allied factions of the Glyndwr Rising. The most reasoned...

  20. Opiates for the masses: government booze and drugs for social control

    This thread is inspired by two videos stating that government nationalization of vodka production in Russia, started by the czars and continued by succeeding autocrats, was not only meant to raise revenue but also to lessen the incidence of popular revolt. Apparently the reasoning was that the...
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