Hello All,
I am recently logged in this Forum and I am quite new in alternative history and therefore thanks for your understanding if I made any format or technical mistakes while posting. I scanned the forum and the discussions and I think I am in the right place!
By way of introduction, I am writing from Istanbul, Turkey and I am an attorney working on international business.
Let me give you an intro prior to posting my ideas on a certain TL and a certain scenario but please consider that I am mentioning briefly main events only in order to keep my first post short.
In the Ottoman Empire History, before Fatih Sultan Mehmed, who conquered Constantinople in 1453, Ottomans actually attacked and besieged Constantinople at the time of I. Bayezid (4th. Padişah (Sultan) of Ottoman Empire who ruled between 1389-1402) periodically and several times in between 1391 and 1400; more than 50 years from the conquest of Fatih Sultan Mehmet.
However, due to various reasons including but not limited to the rising danger in east (Timur who has a vast army coming from the territory of Iran in OT who later won the Ankara (current capital of Turkey) war in 1402 against Ottoman Empire and took I. Bayezid prisoner) and Hungarian and more importantly Crusader threats from west, I. Bayezid raised the siege. In my opinion, such besiege will never be successful since at that time, Ottoman Empire did not possess cannons that may give harm to the walls of Constantinople.
I always wondered, what would change in OT if I. Bayezid somehow invented the great cannons that Fatih Sultan Mehmet used in his conquest by some chance due to arrival (or capture) of an engineer and approached to Timur peacefully and preferred to make a mutual agreement instead of threatening each other. Since it is well known that Timur is not actually looking for domination in Anatolia, certain other facts and aggressive attitude of Ottoman Empire give rise to Ankara war, it may be possible that I. Bayezid may strengthen his back (Anatolia) and focus on west and the problematic Constantinople which will always be a handicap for Ottoman Empire until 1453 due to its location and political importance.
In such case, if Constantinople was conquered in 1391, Ottoman Empire may reach to Vienna earlier and may be Fatih Sultan Mehmet may conquer Vienna (instead of Constantinople) and further strengthen and settle Ottoman Empire in the east Europe and almost nearby the central Europe.
Also, possessing Constantinople as a capital, and Balkans and east Europe as a strong buffer zone earlier than OT may give rise to expansion of Ottoman Empire in North Africa and Middle East earlier, which may lead to better improvement in naval forces and commercial income and cultural development of Ottoman Empire. Whereas, Ottoman Empire may become a tough enemy against Spain in Europe etc.
Such developments may also change South America history due to major wars in Europe, which may prevent Europe to concentrate and finance any explorers etc.
Also, in detail, it was always discussed and accepted that various artists and scientist from Constantinople escaped to Italy during or after the conquest of Ottoman Empire and such migration led to a sharp increase in the exodus of Greek scholars to Italy which give rise to Renaissance. What if I. Bayezid somehow prevented such migration either peacefully by way of granting scholars, artists with incentives and privileges or by way of forcing them to stay in Constantinople and work for Ottoman Empire. In such case maybe Renaissance may not occur but also another kind of renaissance may occur in Ottoman Empire, which may led to various other unexpected and major changes in OT.
I may continue on several other scenarios or ideas which I am not focused on yet but I would be pleased if I could have your ideas and opinions on the above. I would be glad if you could continue above from any of the scenario or by way of adding your input or opposite ideas which may led to another story other than mentioned above.
Many thanks for your attention and it is a pleasure to share my ideas here even though I am quite an amateur.
Regards,
TimeTraveler
I am recently logged in this Forum and I am quite new in alternative history and therefore thanks for your understanding if I made any format or technical mistakes while posting. I scanned the forum and the discussions and I think I am in the right place!
Let me give you an intro prior to posting my ideas on a certain TL and a certain scenario but please consider that I am mentioning briefly main events only in order to keep my first post short.
In the Ottoman Empire History, before Fatih Sultan Mehmed, who conquered Constantinople in 1453, Ottomans actually attacked and besieged Constantinople at the time of I. Bayezid (4th. Padişah (Sultan) of Ottoman Empire who ruled between 1389-1402) periodically and several times in between 1391 and 1400; more than 50 years from the conquest of Fatih Sultan Mehmet.
However, due to various reasons including but not limited to the rising danger in east (Timur who has a vast army coming from the territory of Iran in OT who later won the Ankara (current capital of Turkey) war in 1402 against Ottoman Empire and took I. Bayezid prisoner) and Hungarian and more importantly Crusader threats from west, I. Bayezid raised the siege. In my opinion, such besiege will never be successful since at that time, Ottoman Empire did not possess cannons that may give harm to the walls of Constantinople.
I always wondered, what would change in OT if I. Bayezid somehow invented the great cannons that Fatih Sultan Mehmet used in his conquest by some chance due to arrival (or capture) of an engineer and approached to Timur peacefully and preferred to make a mutual agreement instead of threatening each other. Since it is well known that Timur is not actually looking for domination in Anatolia, certain other facts and aggressive attitude of Ottoman Empire give rise to Ankara war, it may be possible that I. Bayezid may strengthen his back (Anatolia) and focus on west and the problematic Constantinople which will always be a handicap for Ottoman Empire until 1453 due to its location and political importance.
In such case, if Constantinople was conquered in 1391, Ottoman Empire may reach to Vienna earlier and may be Fatih Sultan Mehmet may conquer Vienna (instead of Constantinople) and further strengthen and settle Ottoman Empire in the east Europe and almost nearby the central Europe.
Also, possessing Constantinople as a capital, and Balkans and east Europe as a strong buffer zone earlier than OT may give rise to expansion of Ottoman Empire in North Africa and Middle East earlier, which may lead to better improvement in naval forces and commercial income and cultural development of Ottoman Empire. Whereas, Ottoman Empire may become a tough enemy against Spain in Europe etc.
Such developments may also change South America history due to major wars in Europe, which may prevent Europe to concentrate and finance any explorers etc.
Also, in detail, it was always discussed and accepted that various artists and scientist from Constantinople escaped to Italy during or after the conquest of Ottoman Empire and such migration led to a sharp increase in the exodus of Greek scholars to Italy which give rise to Renaissance. What if I. Bayezid somehow prevented such migration either peacefully by way of granting scholars, artists with incentives and privileges or by way of forcing them to stay in Constantinople and work for Ottoman Empire. In such case maybe Renaissance may not occur but also another kind of renaissance may occur in Ottoman Empire, which may led to various other unexpected and major changes in OT.
I may continue on several other scenarios or ideas which I am not focused on yet but I would be pleased if I could have your ideas and opinions on the above. I would be glad if you could continue above from any of the scenario or by way of adding your input or opposite ideas which may led to another story other than mentioned above.
Many thanks for your attention and it is a pleasure to share my ideas here even though I am quite an amateur.
Regards,
TimeTraveler