AHC: Frequent royal inter-marriage between Europe & East or S. Asia

Shah Reza Pahlavi did propose to a European Catholic royal, but I can't remember who or where from. He also proposed to Grace Kelly. Either way, both rejected him.

I can't really see European royal families or even noble families inter-marrying non-European (or non-European-American) royals. Racism is too rampant, and the majority of European royals would look down upon mixed-raced children.

This said, I think Prince Joachim of Denmark, second inline to the throne, had two children with his first wife, who was of partial Chinese origin.

Racism eventually, from both sides, but earlier on I think the biggest barrier would be cultural and religious.

I think you'd need (1) a religiously compatible marriage and (2) some kind of financial or military benefit to it.
 
Speaking of religion- how much did this impede intermarriage between eastern orthodox and western christian royals in Europe-

I know that the Ruriks monarchs intermarried with West Europeans up until at least the time of Yaroslav in the 11th century. Otto married a Byzantine Princess in the 10th century.

And by the 18th century it was no problem for a Protestant German princess to convert and marry into the Romanovs.

Were east-west intermarriages taboo for any substantial period of time between the 12th century and 17th century?

There's the tale of Ivan the Terrible's proposal to Elizabeth I, but of course that's a marriage that didn't happen.

The Schism between Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholicism only happened in 1054, there were differences before that, but up to that neither had drifted that far apart that they wanted it to get too far out of hand.

By the point of Catherine of Anhalt-Zerbst (later of Russia) and later, that also wasn't unheard of between Protestants and Catholics, though still not too common.

Taboo, no the Byzantine Imperial families married into Europe way past 1054.
 
I have a question related to this thread, what about relations between African countries on the Indian Ocean and SE Asia?

Faced with increasing European encroachment, could Siam for example seek an alliance with Ethiopia, a country with similar problems? It would not obviously lead to big benefits but could be symbolic as the two non-colonised countries in the two most disputed regions. A kind of "we will not back down" scenario, prior to 1900.

This could lead to more legitimacy for Menelik II and successors and access to more minerals for them. Ethiopia had been armed by the British against the Mahdi, maybe they could send some weapons that way? Would be an interesting situation, if it's vaguely plausible of course

See it's not as if it's a computer game where you get points for royal marriages or whatever. There's no common interest or tangible benefit.
 
See it's not as if it's a computer game where you get points for royal marriages or whatever. There's no common interest or tangible benefit.

I do agree, but I was wondering if there would be a tangible benefit, similar to the non-aligned movement of the 60's with Nasser maybe?
 
Some ATL where the British Empire (say) was more influence than control (for instance, say they own Bengal and Bombay and a few other states, have 'advisors' in several princely states, but e.g. the Punjab and Hyderabad were allied to, but not run by, the British). You could get British governors/viceroys/whatever marrying local princesses and Rajahs' sons marrying aristocratic English girls during their education at Eton and Oxford (or wherever).

Given a generation of this, it wouldn't be at all improbable for a younger son of the British king to marry into an Indian royal house (especially if he was placed in India as a Viceroy or some such).

Another generation or two, and such royal matches could be 'normal'. (Not 'common', but barely newsworthy.)

Similar processes could happen with Portuguese and French royals.

Of course, any Indian wife would be expected to be, or convert to, the appropriate form of Christianity (Anglicanism/Catholicism depending on which European nation). Some of the Indian princes might convert to Christianity, too, some of the European princesses would have their own chaplains. How the kids are raised would be ... interesting.

European Princesses converting to Islam to marry an Indian prince would be a brief sensation, but little else. Those converting to Hinduism would be a more lasting scandal.

IMO.
 
I really think only monarchies could afford to cross-pollinate over as large a continent as Asia.
If the Ming Emperor in the early 1500s had sought to have one of his sons marry Catherine of Aragon before she OTL married Henry VIII (thus leaving him open to marry Anne Boleyn), or if the Emperor of Japan offered to marry his oldest sister or daughter (depending on the age of the princess in question) to King Charles V, or if, well, you get the idea.
One Mongol Khan (IOTL as well!) and one Japanese Emperor could each theoretically considered the 'Grandfather of Eurasia'.
Then the Personal Unions get crazy!
 
The Schism between Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholicism only happened in 1054, there were differences before that, but up to that neither had drifted that far apart that they wanted it to get too far out of hand.

By the point of Catherine of Anhalt-Zerbst (later of Russia) and later, that also wasn't unheard of between Protestants and Catholics, though still not too common.

Taboo, no the Byzantine Imperial families married into Europe way past 1054.
This is completely wrong.The Angelos had princesses marry to the ruling families of Western Europe.The daughter of Manuel I was married to the brother of the Boniface of Montferrat.

One thing though is that if the power of Imperial China continued and there's no sick man of Asia,I think eventually,the Europeans might try to marry their princesses over disregarding a difference in religion.
 
Last edited:
Top