byzantine empire

The Fourth Crusade is generally regarded as a disaster, since rather than completing its intended objectives, it ended up dramatically weakening and dividing Christendom. The basic plan of the Crusade went something like this: the Republic of Venice would build a fleet to transport a crusader...

John Kourkouas was a more-or-less popular but definitely underrated Byzantine nobleman and general notable for his campaigns in Armenia and northern Syria, securing the empire's eastern border and extending its influence towards the Euphrates, and even beyond. At one point, his political schemes...

Let us imagine a modern Romanía. One that has endured the ages, yet commands not the world's stage. Let us imagine the Romans as a people stretching from Azerbaijan to Serbia. Let us imagine that much of history is similar to ours; the Turks, the crusades, the rise of Europe, the Renaissance...

Hey, I just finished reading the book “A Turkish Delight”, and it made me wonder, what if the events in the book actually took happened? I know it sounds ASB, but what if one of the Turkish tribes that migrated to eastern Anatolia managed to unify the rest of them, and take over the Byzantine...

I’m new at writing timelines, and this is my first major attempt. I appreciate any feedback. I decided to write this timeline when I read the preface for the game Europa Universalis IV, which begins almost immediately after the Battle of Varna. This timeline focuses on what would happen if the...

IOTL, Miaphysite Christianity was (and still is) the primary sect followed by early medieval Christians located in Egypt and Syria, and eventually formed the basis of Coptic theological belief. It was part of significant political plays within the Byzantine Empire prior to the Muslim conquests...

After Judea was depopulated of Jews following the Jewish-Roman Wars, the vaccuum for the following few centuries was filled by Christians and Samaritans. Apparently, the Samaritans executed a number of revolts against the Eastern Roman Empire between the late 5th and late 6th centuries. One of...

The Turul on the Bosporus 1169 Constantinople The Avtokrator had desired a son for his adult life, and been denied again and again. For all of that he had mentored a boy, raised him up right, a smart lad. A lad engaged to his daughter Maria Porphyrogennete, a keen and dangerous...

The Seljuk Turks took Anatolia after the Battle of Manzikert and it was partially recovered by the Komnenoi. This recovery stagnated after the Komnenoi were deposed. Let's say a new emperor comes along in the 1200's and retakes Anatolia. In this POD the Venetians fail in taking Constantinople...

Say the empire somehow remained stable throughout the 11th century and began to look to recover the old imperial heartland. How would the west react to a Byzantine invasion of central and northern Italy? How comfortable would Italians feel about the return of Eastern Roman rule after five...

What if Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor, doesn't die in a riding accident in 450? I'm envisioning a scenario in which the results of the "Robber Council" (Second Council of Ephesus) in 449 are not overturned immediately. If Theodosius lives longer, Marcian has no way to the throne and...

Surely this is a common topic here but I thought I would take a crack at it. The divergent point for this alternate universe from our own occurs much later than most Byzantine survival scenarios. I like the idea of Alternate history running parallel to our own almost as if this scenario is the...

I am not an expert on this era, but imagine a world where the Sasanian Empire of Persia had defeated the Byzantine Empire at some point during the later stages of their final war from 602 to 628 - that is, at some point in the 620s. I am sure that there are any number of points of divergence...

A few months ago, i made a thread on a hypothetical victory for Saladin against the Third Crusade's forces at the Battle of Arsuf in 1191. I wanted to bump it, but, because of the red warning, i ultimately decided not to. I originally thought Saladin would support the Seljuks of Rum due to...

The supposing is straightforward. Iraklios, or Heraclius, the former the name that he probably formally preferred, is present at that decisive battle and is either killed or captured as his army is routed by one of the greatest generals in history, Ibn al-Walid. Please, this is not about the...

So, around a year ago, i made a thread with the intent to discuss the effects of a longer-living Byzantine emperor Leo IV, The Khazar. Sadly, it only got one reply, and it's too old to bump, so i decided to create a new thread instead. What are your thoughts? (And yes, i am now aware that the...

I'm currently reading a book titled "The Formation of Christendom" by Judith Herrin and in it she describes how in the 660s (East) Roman Emperor Constans II, father of Constantine IV, chose Syracuse as his imperial residence and even considered making it the formal capital of the Empire (pp...

Actually, my best timeline will get running soon... The Eagle and the Knight or How could I learn to save Byzantium Part I - Splintering Troubles and the Rebuild In the beginning, Ottoman Interregnum began to splinter apart as it starts to rip apart with Musa Çelebi's forces began to win in...

The Romans had superior men and more experienced forces (Roman-Persian Wars). What if the Roman forced annihilated the Rashidun forces at Yarmouk. Would they be able to mount an invasion of Arabia?

Hello, this is my first post here, so please, bear with me, If I mess few words up. I'm new to the genre of alternate history, so I'm not very well familiar with the popular tropes or authors but what I'm very familiar with is science-both Natural and Humanities and would like to construct an...