A bit of fun with the High Middle Ages; advice needed

I've always been fond of the High Middle Ages. (1) I've thus been working on a TL with a few PODs scattered around the 11th-12th centuries.

Lesser points of departure:
1. No invention of gunpowder.
I like this one perhaps a little too much, but as far as butterflies go it doesn't have much effect on the West until after my main POD.
2. More successful Vinland.
I think I've worked out the logistics necessary for this with a slower Christianization of Scandinavia and an extra, dedicated colony of Norse pagans.
3. Norway balkanizes during the Civil Wars Era.
With Magnus V and Haakon IV dying early or never being born, claims to the throne are weak, and the country dissolves into a number of petty kingdoms. (2)

Major POD: Frederick Barbarossa lives to 75, dying in 1200.
He has a stabilizing influence between Philip and Richard during the Third Crusade, and they eventually win, with Saladin dying as in our timeline. Richard convinces them to press on into Egypt, and they succeed there as well.
Richard returns to England, and is not captured and held for ransom; this leads to Sicily remaining independent and Richard's nephew Arthur taking the throne.
Meanwhile in the Holy Roman Empire, Henry (Barbarossa's son) dies in 1198, two years before his father; upon Barbarossa's death, Otto IV takes the throne. (3)
Philip Augustus' son Louis marries Eleanor of Brittany, and takes the throne after him.
I also have a different papal succession; due to no Fourth Crusade, Innocent III is succeeded by OTL Gregory IX (4) as Celestine IV. Due to butterflies, Celestine does not demonize black cats in Vox in Rama, meaning more cats in Europe and about 10% fewer casualties from the Black Death. This extends feudalism's longevity.


Unfortunately, my knowledge of Europe mostly ends there. If anyone has any criticism, or ideas for what to do with eastern Europe and the rest of Scandinavia between 1200 and the Mongol invasion, it would be much appreciated. Also ideas on how to get John Lackland out of the way, so that there's no chance of him succeeding Richard.



(1) I also read too much fantasy.
(2) I confess that this is mostly to satisfy my inner Disney fan; the notion of Frozen's Arendelle being based on a real-world pre-Norwegian petty kingdom tickled my tastebuds, so to speak, though obviously this timeline has rather less magic.
(3) Philip of Swabia is unable to take over, as in this timeline he's married princess Isabella of Jerusalem.
(4) A.k.a. Ugolino di Conti, which is somewhat harder to remember.
 
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No clue overall because not my expertise, but a few thoughts: Balkanised Norway / Scandinavia sounds cool, but may require stronge PoD unless you want it t turn into a Danewank.
More black cats because of a different papal succession is hilarious but why not. I just don't think it would lessen the plague impact. Cats don't take on rät regularly. Less mice might easily mean more rats who are their immediate food rivals.
 
No clue overall because not my expertise, but a few thoughts: Balkanised Norway / Scandinavia sounds cool, but may require stronge PoD unless you want it t turn into a Danewank.
Aah, the Danes! I'd forgotten. Thank you, this is why I need outside opinion.

More black cats because of a different papal succession is hilarious but why not. I just don't think it would lessen the plague impact. Cats don't take on rät regularly. Less mice might easily mean more rats who are their immediate food rivals.
Hmm, good point about the rats, I'll think on it.


EDIT: Hmm... maybe I can get the HRE to absorb Denmark?
I'll need to figure out what's going on in Iberia, too.
 
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I specialise a couple of centuries earlier, but I can offer the following:

Gunpowder: it was invented by the Chinese some time before 1000 AD, so was going to reach Europe eventually. In OTL it was brought by the Mongols, but its passage along the Silk road could have occurred at some point as well. I would consider it reasonable if it doesn't reach Europe until 1400, but any later may be stretching it. Of course, that doesn't mean it has to become widespread (especially if chivalry and stuff decides it isn't a noble way to fight, which would have a lot of effect for a long time).

Vinland: this was, at best, only a couple of hundred settlers. It was simply too far away from the Viking homeland to be supplied to any great extent, and there wasn't the wealth to fund a proper settling expedition that could send off enough people to create a stable population. At best, I think a Norse village could stay there, although one heavily influenced by the native customs and probably filled with a lot of native blood too.

Norway: nations weren't stable in the feudal age, so if enough minor lords (dukes or counts etc) decide they don't like the king it is easy enough to break them apart. Given you have butterflies from the 10th century, a fictional lord or two can be introduced as the reason of balkanisation.

3rd Crusade and related events: I think the Ayyubids were in a bit of a golden age around this time, so while I can see them getting Jerusalem back, and possibly 1099 borders, I don't think Egypt could fall as well. Of course, a quick victory, possibly aided by an event that could be interpreted as luck, could force the Arabs to the negotiating table before they can harness their superior wealth and manpower to its full worth.

John Lackland: he falls off his horse at the age of 7 while practising to become a knight. Or smallpox.

Eastern Europe or Scandinavia: just don't focus your story on them, although a couple of vague references may be needed. The way I understand it is that there was a bunch of city states (primarily ones like Kiev, Pskov, Novgorod) that argued with each other a bit but would band together against an outside threat like the Mongols. There isn't a lot of written records to say specifics, but a quick wiki search will give you what you would need.

Mongols: Seeing as your PoD must be in the 10th century for Vinland to be there, the Mongols may be butterflied entirely, although I see you are murdering a lot of these butterflies. 'Between 1200 and the Mongol invasion' is only 23 years, so probably not much happens at all. Certainly nothing worth mentioning.

- BNC
 
I cannot see how a longer living Barbarossa would makes his dynasty less powerful than OTL. The Henry (VI)-Constance of Sicily match was made before the PoD, so I see no reason why the Hohenstaufen should allow the bastard Trancrede to take the crown in Sicily. Even if Henry VI died earlier than his father and his son is too young to become emperor, he has two brothers, Philip and Otto. If the first is King of Jerusalem, the second one could take the imperial crown.

About the Vox in Rama-black cats thing, I would avise great caution. The bull in itself contain no order of extermination of the black cats, only a very thwarted interpretation of the ritual described (the heretics "kissing the genitals of a dog-sized black cat") have led some to think the Church advised extermination of black cats. Many Inquistor's manuals described the adoration of a goat by the devil-worshippers, but never were goats slaughtered in the name of Christ.
 
Gotcha. I must have mis-tracked the timeframe on that.

Well, if Otto Hohenstaufen takes over, I guess he'd still take the crown as Otto IV, right?

Mmkay, so maybe Vox in Rama isn't the way to go. Maybe I could just have his successor be a cat-lover. If the pope has ten cats, 'Henri le peasant' might be more reluctant to kill the cat in the barn.
 
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Gotcha. I must have mis-tracked the timeframe on that.

Well, if Otto Hohenstaufen takes over, I guess he'd still take the crown as Otto IV, right?

Mmkay, so maybe Vox in Rama isn't the way to go. Maybe I could just have his successor be a cat-lover. If the pope has ten cats, 'Henri le peasant' might be more reluctant to kill the cat in the barn.

That Otto IV, of course. Too many alternates is confusing. About the cat, I am not sure there ever was an hostile mentality against cats, as they were needed. Perhaps a more efficient way to fight the Plague would be to have more ratter dogs, who were introduced, AFAIK, in the early modern era.
 
I think it's likely that someone is going to come stomping west, re. Mongols. Just open to interpretation whether or not it's the freakin' Mongols or some other party. Maybe only one of the Mongol clans, at a different time.
 
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