An Age of Miracles Continues: The Empire of Rhomania

[Denliner]

A Tsardom of Russia that's a constitutional monarchy? Now that's gonna send shockwaves across the world, especially the Orthodox East.

 

[Donald Reaver]

Russia i.t.t.l. is truly building up to be the European power earlier that it could have been.

 

[penquista]

the TSAR!!!!

 

[Vitalis]

Amazing update, although I was a little bit dissapointed by Moscow being the capital, would've liked something more original for a change. Oh well, at least they are democratic!

 

[Vince]

Remind me again, why is Moscow a small, non-important city in TTL?

 

[Cryostorm]

Remind me again, why is Moscow a small, non-important city in TTL?

I think a mix of the rivals not being destroyed/decimated and the rulers of Moscow not becoming the head representative and tax collector for the Golden Horde. That being said it's central position deep inside Russia and access to the rivers makes it an attractive choice. Especially now since you want a city not associated with any of the main principalities.

 

[Babyrage]

Russia is almost definitively going to be a superpower TTL and soon. That huge demographic pool and far superior institutions, securer borders and development relative to OTL is a powerful mix.

 

[JohnSmith]

There is an appropriate title, one the Russians have bestowed on only two rulers throughout history. The first was the Roman Emperors, the second the Khans of the Golden Horde. These were both mighty and powerful rulers, but Boris sees no reason why the Russians should shirk placing themselves in such august company

What do the Russians call the HRE and the Triune Emperor?

Also appreciate that the Laskaris are now back on a throne with seemingly unlimited potential, whilst the Romans are very much capped in expansion avenues (aside from their colonies).

 

[emperor joe]

I think the romans should consider investing massively in the agricultural sector of the empire with more swamp draining, introducing more crops, crop rotation, improving crops, better tools and so forth.
The reason is now with russia United there a possibility of the russians using the crop exports to the empire as a means of political influence and so forth after all is not the first time that russia marched on rome. And of course now with the little ice age coming it would make sense to invest in agriculture...well of course the romans are not going to know the reason behind the falling agricultural production but the could improve as Much as possible

 

[Stark]

Russia is almost definitively going to be a superpower TTL and soon. That huge demographic pool and far superior institutions, securer borders and development relative to OTL is a powerful mix.

Zemsky's Sobor holding the purse bag should do great things for accountability of monarch, similar to England.

 

[pls don't ban me]

​

Boris Morozov, the former Pronsky ambassador to Rhomania and one of the Pronsky delegates who writes the Constitution, proposes the solution. There is an appropriate title, one the Russians have bestowed on only two rulers throughout history. The first was the Roman Emperors, the second the Khans of the Golden Horde. These were both mighty and powerful rulers, but Boris sees no reason why the Russians should shirk placing themselves in such august company. His arguments carry the day, and thus it is decided that the monarchs of the reunified Russia shall be styled as Tsar. (This is also the impetus behind the Russian demand that the Metropolitan of Kiev be promoted to the rank of Patriarch. A true Tsar would accept nothing less.)

There is some debate, but the constitution, while developed by the special committee, had already been examined by their colleagues in the regular Zemsky Sobor, and so it passes there rather quickly. Basil and the regional Veches also give their approval as well.

The official start of the new Russia is typically given as Christmas Day, 1642. After Basil swears an oath to uphold the constitution and to protect and defend the freedoms of the Russian peoples, the Metropolitan of Kiev, in the Church of Holy Wisdom, crowns him as Tsar. The title is a rejection of a Roman title, and a new insistence on equality with the ancient empire to the south, but Roman influence is still clear (Tsar is a variant of Caesar after all), particularly in the way the Metropolitan introduces the just-anointed monarch to his people, in a formulation that has stood to this day.

“By the Grace of God, and by the will of the Senate and People of the Rus, I present to you the Tsar of All the Russians!”

Well, it's not the first Tsar.
The title was already used by the Bulgarians with Simeon the Great as first Tsar almost 800 years ago.

 

[Chernabog90]

He is a Laskarid after all, a scion of the dynasty that took Rhomania from the brink of death and restored it to glory. And yet there is no Laskarid on the throne in Constantinople, and with one brief exception there has not been for over two centuries. He could bring such glory to his hallowed family name by restoring it to rule, albeit in partial fashion, over another great empire, especially one already much larger and populous than Rhomania, and with so much potential. Basil finds the irony too delicious to abstain.

Well that kinda ominous

 

[Arrix85]

This is awesome. I got chills on the last line. Go Russia!

 

[RogueTraderEnthusiast]

I wonder if the rise of this model of Russia (if it goes well) might lead to a Roman movement to mimic it, could be cool if the Post-Sideros period is a move to a constitutional system in a similar vein, potentially even inviting in Despotates and allies.

To potentially even say sacrilege, whilst I wouldn't want the Romans to join the Russian system as is (especially since the Emperors are different and various other issues) it could be cool if in the long run they both become federal republics that merge in the modern era.

Though the idea of a Russian Republic dominating outside the Alp-Carpathians and the Romans as their southern allies is terrifying. Western/Latin Europe would be hard pressed to face that bloc.

(also, with the Saturn and Jupiter metaphors, does this make Russia the bloody sun?)

 

[Βοανηργές]

And so begins the Federal Tsardom of these United Russian States on this hallowed Christmas of 1642.

 

[E_x_c_u_b_i_t_o_r_e]

I wonder if the rise of this model of Russia (if it goes well) might lead to a Roman movement to mimic it, could be cool if the Post-Sideros period is a move to a constitutional system in a similar vein, potentially even inviting in Despotates and allies.

To potentially even say sacrilege, whilst I wouldn't want the Romans to join the Russian system as is (especially since the Emperors are different and various other issues) it could be cool if in the long run they both become federal republics that merge in the modern era.

Though the idea of a Russian Republic dominating outside the Alp-Carpathians and the Romans as their southern allies is terrifying. Western/Latin Europe would be hard pressed to face that bloc.

(also, with the Saturn and Jupiter metaphors, does this make Russia the bloody sun?)

Bah let the Romans and Russians be unique. If the Russians are the epitome of a democratic state with all its good and bad things just like our world. Then let the Romans be the epitome of the best of an Authoritarian state, with all the wrongs and good ofcourse.

 

[Curtain Jerker]

Bah let the Romans and Russians be unique. If the Russians are the epitome of a democratic state with all its good and bad things just like our world. Then let the Romans be the epitome of the best of an Authoritarian state, with all the wrongs and good ofcourse.

Good point - it would create a cool dichotomy. Two Orthodox states, at times friendly, each doing their own thing politically as the foil to the other.

 

[Denliner]

I wonder if the rise of this model of Russia (if it goes well) might lead to a Roman movement to mimic it, could be cool if the Post-Sideros period is a move to a constitutional system in a similar vein, potentially even inviting in Despotates and allies.

Perhaps, but I think Russia and Rhomania will have some major differences if both adopt constitutional monarchies, due to their differing cultures and circumstances. Russia might lean towards a more democratic model where individual peoples and states enjoy autonomy and freedom under the Tsar (how ironic...) like in the OTL West while the Romans will become more authoritarian/centralized with a much stronger Basileus (like the OTL German Empire) out of a prevailing fear for rampant liberal elements in the Empire.

 

[Chernabog90]

Perhaps, but I think Russia and Rhomania will have some major differences if both adopt constitutional monarchies, due to their differing cultures and circumstances. Russia might lean towards a more democratic model where individual peoples and states enjoy autonomy and freedom under the Tsar (how ironic...) like in the OTL West while the Romans will become more authoritarian/centralized with a much stronger Basileus (like the OTL German Empire) out of a prevailing fear for rampant liberal elements in the Empire

don't forget also because their history with the west being that the west trying to destroyed them, would make them also dislike western ideals

 

[Curtain Jerker]

"Republic" is basically a slur in Rhomania. Genoa and especially Venice, two states who held the Romans down for centuries were Republics. Just like free trade is anathema to all good and proper Romans so to is any hint of republicanism above the local level. One of the past updates mentioned village/city councils but that's probably as far as Rhomania will go to have any true republicanism as we know it OTL.