Constantine XI accepts Mehmet II's ultimatum - to abandon Constantinople in return for being permitted to reign as Emperor in the Morea. By restraining his brothers and with a bit of luck, he manages to establish a stable dynasty ruling from Mystras. He and his successors are able to carefully restore the defences of the peninsula previously damaged by Ottoman attacks. The price of continued freedom is Ottoman suzerainty - either Mehmet or a later Sultan makes makes Morea's vassalage explicit. Tribute is heavy, but the statelet endures. When war breaks out between the Ottomans and the Venetians, the Moreots are rewarded for their services against the Serene Republic with some of the cities and islands close to their little realm, although Konstaniniyye takes the big prizes like Crete and Euboea for itself.
The history of the Morea - still considering themselves the last remnant of Rome (although this is downplayed whenever a Sultan, bearers of the title 'Kayser-i Rum', show an interest) - follows a course similar to that of the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. Ottoman influence in Mystras waxes and wanes, but the dynasty and Rhoman autonomy ultimately survive. The change likely does little to alter the wider course of European history.
Using a somewhat generous butterfly net, as the fortunes of the Ottomans begin to decline, the emperors (or, perhaps,
despotes) in the Morea begin to have a stronger hand. Powers from western Europe begin to assert themselves in the eastern Mediterranean. Communication with Russia becomes easier and more important - once almost exclusively ecclesiastical in nature, now the correspondence between the two Orthodox realms begins to become more political.
In time, ideas of nationalism (or TTL's equivalent) emerge and spread into the Balkans. In the Morea, visions of a restored Rhomania enter into the discourse. Mystras also begins to play on its ancient Greek past to win favour with westerners, and the city of Sparta close to the Moreot capital becomes a magnet for European philhellenes. As the Republic of Venice weakens, the island of Kythira falls under Morea's control, to be followed by the other Ionian islands as the decades wear on.
The dawn of the 19th century sees an upswing in Rhomaic nationalism and a further weakening of the Turks, as Russia and the western powers begin to weaken the Porte's grip on the Balkans. Finally, the tensions become too great, and an uprising of Rhomans in Rumelia and the isles - in 1821, say - breaks out. Unlike the Greek War of Independence IOTL, this rebellion is guided by a single authority in Mystras, who officially renounces Ottoman suzerainty and styles himself 'Emperor of Rhomania'. It is better organised and better led than IOTL, and thus finds more success. Attica, Boeotia, Phocia and Aetolia quickly fall under Moreot control. A pro-Moreot revolt in Crete is crushed by the Ottomans, but Euboea and the Cyclades also fall under the control of the rebels. The Moreots begin to make inroads into Thessaly and southern Epirus.
The rebellion sparks off a diplomatic crisis. Russia begins to plot war against the Porte in the defence of their Orthodox brethren, whilst the westerners fear a possible Turkish collapse. A conference is called to discuss the revolt, but the Moreots press their advantage in the meantime, taking all of Thessaly and even planning an advance against Thessaloniki. Meanwhile, Rhomans elsewhere in the Ottoman Empire begin to face suppression and violence as the Porte begins to suspect their Rhomaic subjects of disloyalty. Their actions only increase sympathy for Mystras amongst Rhomans under Ottoman rule, but uprisings in Thrace, Constantinople and Smyrna are put down.
The conference sets the peace terms, and imposes them upon both Mystras and Constantinople. Morea will recieve all of mainland Greece up to Thessaly and the southern half of Epirus, including Arta but not Ioannina. Euboea and the Cyclades are also gained. Crete will remain under Ottoman rule, but will receive autonomy under an Orthodox ruler. The Moreots accept the terms, knowing that they are unready to absorb more - the terms as they are see their little realm effectively triple in size. The Porte does too, with a little more western encouragement.
From then on the state is renamed 'Rhomania', its bounds now extending far beyond the Morea. It possesses from its inception territories equivalent to or slightly in excess of those of OTL's 1881 Greece, but several decades early. It is also more politically stable than OTL Greece, having a native-born monarchy of the 'right' faith and with great - and now, because of the war, greater - prestige. It's rulers retain the Rhomaic title
basileus, which in their minds means 'emperor', but the westerners generally prefer to translate it as 'king'.
In the decades that follow an equivalent to the OTL 'Megali Idea' springs up in Rhomania, seeking the annexation of ethnically Rhomaic lands into a single state. Other Balkan peoples begin to revolt against their Ottoman overlords as well, with Serbia and Bulgaria reappearing on the map of Europe after centuries of Turkish rule. The Danubian Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia eventually unite as the Kingdom of Dacia, enjoying Russian sponsorship.
Further wars eventually break out between Rhomania and the Ottomans. In one such war, the Rhomanians successfully capture northern Epirus, Thessaloniki and Crete, but are prevented from going further by stiff Ottoman resistance in Thrace and western intervention. The capital thereafter moves from Mystras to Thessaloniki, most prestigious of all the cities of the realm. Athens remains a relatively small city, albeit with a thriving tourist industry. Serbia and Bulgaria also begin to expand further. The Rhomanian conquest of Macedonia (in the 1850s-60s, say) sees the first influx of significant non-Rhomaic populations into the realm, with large populations of Turks, Bulgars and Jews falling under Rhomanian rule.
Despite encountering some Bulgarian objections, Thrace also eventually falls under the rule of Thessaloniki, although Constantinople remains in Ottoman hands thanks to their stubborn resistance and the desire of the Russians to reserve the city for themselves. A rapprochement between the Ottomans and the Bulgars blossoms as each seeks to gain an advantage over the Rhomanians. In turn, Thessaloniki looks to Serbia and Dacia for support. The westerners look on in disquiet, desiring to keep the Russians away from the Straits but not trusting the Orthodox Rhomanians to keep them out if Constantinople fell into their hands.
Who can tell what might happen after that? Perhaps the Rhomanians will successfully claim Constantinople, or perhaps the Bulgars and Turks will push them back to Thessaloniki or beyond. What we can say is that such a state would indisputably be in direct continuity with the mediaeval and ancient Roman Empire.
The Empire of Rhomania, circa 1880.
View attachment 826541
There are obviously other cities that could be labelled on here, I just went with three that might be most helpful to include given the scenario.
Now wondering whether I should've done the map in purple rather than blue, to make it clearer this is Rome and not Greece!
Also, the transition from 'Rhoman' to 'Rhomanian' was deliberate - I envisaged 'Rhoman' and 'Rhomaic' as ethnic/linguistic terms, whereas 'Rhomanian' is a nationality ' of or pertaining to the state of Rhomania'. This is, of course, not to be confused with OTL's Romania - ITTL, its equivalent revives and assumes the name 'Dacia' instead.
I would've liked to have gone into more detail about the Phanariotes and the Eastern Orthodox Church in this mini scenario, but I felt there wasn't enough time or space!
- Ilu
