a Balkan based East Roman empire

After reading many Byzantine continuation TL I've noticed that all seem to involve either a no Manzikert and no resulting loss of Anatolia OR a reconquista of Anatolia by a later dynasty. Let's change this a little bit.
WI the East Romans lose Anatolia earlier but hang onto the Balkans, which becomes the heart of their Empire. This maybe ASB. I'm thinking of an
Empire consisting of the Balkans, maybe the Nicaean area and maybe some land north of the Danube. Let's discuss!
 
I doubt that the Byzantines would be able to maintain an empire north of the Danube. I think at the most, in its later period, the Byzantine Empire would have been able to control Thrace, Greece, Macedonia, part of Anatolia, and a good part of Illyria.
 

DusanUros

Banned
There is no "Balkans" above Danube, the Balkans end at the Dunav-Drina rivers.

Thing is that a Balkan based Roman Empire can last, if you get rid of the Crusaders. Without them, you dont have a fragmented empire, nor a wartorn Balkan peninsula, and thus they can provide in both production and manpower.
 
Actuallly, that was sort of the state of things under the Komneni-they had a fairly firm grip over the Balkans, and went to great pains to defend it.
 
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