Boosting the Mediterranean world

Inventions such as the heavy plow, geology (heavier soil, coal deposits), and climate all in the end proved advantageous for northern Europe. For most of history however, the Mediterranean had been the more prosperous region.

What means are there to improve the position of the Mediterranean region compared to northern Europe? What improvements in say agriculture (to boost population) and what kind of utilization of resources could help narrow (though probably not prevent unless you remove the industrial revolution) the gap between the north and the south? How can you make the Mediterranean stronger?
 
Divide the Roman empire politically earlier on. If there are 2-4 independent empires as opposed to one, much of the political problems that greatly accelerated the economic problems of the late empire.
 
Usual answer of mine : butterfly the Arabo-Islamic states off Western mediterranea. Their piracy ravaged in an insane point Spain, southern France, Italy.

It would make us benefit from the absence of counter-attack, as much damaging, of Normans, Spanish, and XVIII/XIX anti-piracy.

Also, make the one that own Egypt (whatever Egyptian, Turks, Byzantines, or Martians) be able to make a Suze canal, or at least to keep control of Red Sea and Indian Sea. It would preserve the old spice way to India, and reaffirm the role of Eastern Mediterranea, economically.
 
Okay, so say that for whatever reason the piracy of the Arab states is limited (reconquest of Spain, no conquest of Spain, whatever). The coasts of Spain, Septimania, Provence, Italy, etc. are sparred a huge upsurge in piracy (there's some but not like it was).

I know that large parts of the region were depopulated as people moved in land but were eventually recolonized. This would remove some population that went north (thus weakening the north) and make urban life more robust in the south (probably generating earlier city-states in some places) and stimulating more trade and demand for goods.

But that was the case in the Early Modern Period as well and the south still fell increasingly behind the northern states. Did this happen only once the industrial revolution began? According to the Rise and Fall of Great Powers, population surpluses were more likely in the north compared to the south and all the benefits that go with them, even in the 1500s. ED: Is this a climate thing (LIA)?
 
But didn't said muslim unity (rougly) help initially the other shore of the mediteranea, maghreb and all?

Well...Which muslim unity? From 740, the whole region was divided as hell, with almost continuous wars, until the coming of Ottomans.

That said, yes you had a revival of mediterranean economy. But it was made from existant features, in Spain or North Africa. It's not at all certain that without Arabo-Islamic invasion, this region wouldn't have develloped roughly as OTL.
 
Well...Which muslim unity? From 740, the whole region was divided as hell, with almost continuous wars, until the coming of Ottomans.

That said, yes you had a revival of mediterranean economy. But it was made from existant features, in Spain or North Africa. It's not at all certain that without Arabo-Islamic invasion, this region wouldn't have develloped roughly as OTL.

Well, there was potential interchristianism issues, from orthodoxy to copts to catholics. It may not changed a lot...

By example, 'proxy war' between Coptic Egypt and Orthodoxes of the Near East, and/or Catholics (maybe) of modern OTL Maghreb...
 
Well, there was potential interchristianism issues, from orthodoxy to copts to catholics. It may not changed a lot...

I don't get it. You talked about muslim unity (religious or political, the same). There wasn't.

For interchristianism, you had to wait post-Carolingian era to have a pope able to do that. Because, before, you had only local churches, united by the king. Nobody cared really if the christians on the other side of sea were such or such, as long the local christian were of the same obedience.
 
I don't get it. You talked about muslim unity (religious or political, the same). There wasn't.

For interchristianism, you had to wait post-Carolingian era to have a pope able to do that. Because, before, you had only local churches, united by the king. Nobody cared really if the christians on the other side of sea were such or such, as long the local christian were of the same obedience.

There was issues in the east around doctrines and all since later roman empire, ya know..

And I meaned for the former, no Islam - Chritstianism would fill the void, copt church in Egypt may remains key, the Maghreb may get catholic across a certain line, etc.
 
There was issues in the east around doctrines and all since later roman empire, ya know..

And, ya know, that these different doctrines only mattered when they were present in the same kingdom/empire. For east, ERE. Nobody cared in Spain that Byzantium was such or such, as long everybody was arian among the elit, or catholic soon after.

I repeat myself, back to Early Middle-Ages, you didn't had the same relation to heresy. As long it wasn't in the kingdom, threatening the power of king that happened to be the head of church as well, nobody really cared.
 
And, ya know, that these different doctrines only mattered when they were present in the same kingdom/empire. For east, ERE. Nobody cared in Spain that Byzantium was such or such, as long everybody was arian among the elit, or catholic soon after.

I repeat myself, back to Early Middle-Ages, you didn't had the same relation to heresy. As long it wasn't in the kingdom, threatening the power of king that happened to be the head of church as well, nobody really cared.

Up to the start of the high middle ages, anway. After the Orthodox-Catholic split in the mid-1000's, there was increasing hostility, and alienage was greatly sharpened by the Latin conquest of Byzantium (although it is noteable that such Orthodox states as Serbia were still relatively "respectable" parts of the Christian world as late as the 14th century).

Bruce
 
I repeat myself, back to Early Middle-Ages, you didn't had the same relation to heresy.

What he said, basically.

Also, Chalcedonian/Monophysite splits in the ERE are greatly over-exaggerated, but I've discussed that enough times here.

As for the OP, I tend to agree that keeping the Mediterranean united in some way is your best way to do it.
 
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