AHC/WI: Greater Serbia-Montenegro.

[The Uchronian]

With a POD at any time after 1600, and before 1900, let's find a way to create the country of Serbia-Montenegro(like Bosnia-Herzegovina, IOTL). (I recommend a POD between 1740 and 1880, personally.)

This country must, by 1950, also include at least portions of Bosnia, mainly places such as Sarajevo, and Tuzla, but going as far west as Travnik or even Banja Luka will be even better. As for Croatia, you may choose to either allow for an independent nation, or nations, or divided up between the powers(Austro-Hungarian Croatia may also be used, if one so desires). You may even create one or two rump western *Bosnian states, if you desire. And the country must exist to at least the start of the 1990s.

The country must also be at least a semi-democracy by 1950.

Bonus points are awarded, if:

1. Serbia-Montenegro is a republic, perhaps along the lines of OTL Yugoslavia(but without Tito), by 1950, and has never undergone a *fascist coup. Double the points, if it was a republic to begin with(Communism is optional)
2. S-M has great foreign relations with Greece, and/or decent relations with Germany and/or Austria-Hungary, if the latter still exists, by 1950. Good relations with the Turks(Ottoman or not) by 1990 earn you double the bonus.
3. Croatia, if independent, has good relations with S-M, and Italy.
4. S-M has a standard of living approximately at least as good as the equivalent of a Human Development Index of .80 or greater, by the 1980s.

Okay, so have fun, then.

 

[Nagisaki]

With a POD at any time after 1600, and before 1900, let's find a way to create the country of Serbia-Montenegro(like Bosnia-Herzegovina, IOTL). (I recommend a POD between 1740 and 1880, personally.)

This country must, by 1950, also include at least portions of Bosnia, mainly places such as Sarajevo, and Tuzla, but going as far west as Travnik or even Banja Luka will be even better. As for Croatia, you may choose to either allow for an independent nation, or nations, or divided up between the powers(Austro-Hungarian Croatia may also be used, if one so desires). You may even create one or two rump western *Bosnian states, if you desire. And the country must exist to at least the start of the 1990s.

The country must also be at least a semi-democracy by 1950.

Bonus points are awarded, if:

1. Serbia-Montenegro is a republic, perhaps along the lines of OTL Yugoslavia(but without Tito), by 1950, and has never undergone a *fascist coup. Double the points, if it was a republic to begin with(Communism is optional)
2. S-M has great foreign relations with Greece, and/or decent relations with Germany and/or Austria-Hungary, if the latter still exists, by 1950. Good relations with the Turks(Ottoman or not) by 1990 earn you double the bonus.
3. Croatia, if independent, has good relations with S-M, and Italy.
4. S-M has a standard of living approximately at least as good as the equivalent of a Human Development Index of .80 or greater, by the 1980s.

Okay, so have fun, then.

A Yugoslavia type nation is formed after an alt-conference of Berlin. Relations with Greece will improve one day, since you can just say Yugoslav or Greek Macedonia now.

 

[Halagaz]

Prince Nicholas I of Montenegro wanted to place himself on the Serbian throne as well and join the two countries through a personal union. In OTL this didn't happen, but there were one or two moments where it might have plausibly succeeded - for example, in 1868.

Let's say Serbia and Montenegro form a personal union in 1868. One of the immediate consequences of this personal union will be better relations and coordination with Russia (OTL's pro-Austrian hijacking of the Serbian government is avoided). So, after the very likely Russo-Turkish war a few years later, the Russian government will probably insist on incorporating some eastern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina to her ally Serbia-Montenegro. This will also remove the geographic obstacles and transform Nicholas I's personal union into a single state.

Now that Serbia-Montenegro is a single state from the Danube to the Adriatic sea, and has parts of the regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the rest is presumably annexed to Austria-Hungary), internal development comes to the fore. Nicholas I wasn't a very progressive person, but he was not stupid - he'll almost certainly be better than OTL's Milan Obrenović. Economically, the state has much better prospects than Serbia (or Montenegro) had in OTL. The coastline, small as it is, offers various new opportunities for trade and development. As relations with Austria-Hungary will be mediocre at best, this avoids the unfavorable trade agreement of 1881 and its cousins; Serbia-Montenegro will start developing its industry much earlier than in OTL. All in all, as of 1880 Serbia-Montenegro contains the specified territories and there is some reason for optimism regarding economic development.

 

[The Uchronian]

Prince Nicholas I of Montenegro wanted to place himself on the Serbian throne as well and join the two countries through a personal union. In OTL this didn't happen, but there were one or two moments where it might have plausibly succeeded - for example, in 1868.

Let's say Serbia and Montenegro form a personal union in 1868. One of the immediate consequences of this personal union will be better relations and coordination with Russia (OTL's pro-Austrian hijacking of the Serbian government is avoided). So, after the very likely Russo-Turkish war a few years later, the Russian government will probably insist on incorporating some eastern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina to her ally Serbia-Montenegro. This will also remove the geographic obstacles and transform Nicholas I's personal union into a single state.

Now that Serbia-Montenegro is a single state from the Danube to the Adriatic sea, and has parts of the regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the rest is presumably annexed to Austria-Hungary), internal development comes to the fore. Nicholas I wasn't a very progressive person, but he was not stupid - he'll almost certainly be better than OTL's Milan Obrenović. Economically, the state has much better prospects than Serbia (or Montenegro) had in OTL. The coastline, small as it is, offers various new opportunities for trade and development. As relations with Austria-Hungary will be mediocre at best, this avoids the unfavorable trade agreement of 1881 and its cousins; Serbia-Montenegro will start developing its industry much earlier than in OTL. All in all, as of 1880 Serbia-Montenegro contains the specified territories and there is some reason for optimism regarding economic development.

I like this one! It's a well-thought out start for sure.