What do you think about the following idea.
As Mongols take over Europe reaching to France and Italy, looking like locust of the End Time one knowledgeble but religious bishop from Vatican recalls the myth of Vinland and does find the map showing the land beyond the sea.
Finding a young and charismatic priest who preaches about the End of Days, the bishop convices the priest that God has damned the lands of Europe for sin, and that chosen will have to take a journey across the sea to find a new land for his chosen.
As Mongols invade Italy the bishop, the priest and their first followers flee to Iberia. There they gather support and following of some minor lords, and population. Soon a small fleet of ships is being assembled for the journey.
Meanwhile the pope in Italy declares an oath of loyalty to the Khan, resulting in establishing of an anti-Pope in France which so far has not been conquered.
The priest and his followers do make contact with the English barons and Henry III preaching their message. While not all accept it, some do establish connection to those people. At the same time some knights and lords from England go to France to confront the coming invasion of the Mongols there.
Needless to say that France is defeated and its king as well declares loyalty to Khan, while the anti-pope is killed.
At this time the barons and some at the court are ready to listen to the bishop, and as Henry III prepares to defend his country from the Antichrist, he turns a blind eye to the assembly of ships and visitors landing in England from Iberia.
With the Mongols gathering a fleet against England situation looks dire, and finally Henry accepts that as he might fall in the last battle against the Horde, he prepares his son Edmund to take refugee aboard the fleet.
It is during the invasion as Henry falls, that Edmund is taken to the fleet and as the hordes overrun the country the fleet of around 100 ships sails West.
Desperate religious refugees from Iberia, France and England sail to the lands beyond the sea away from the lands that God damned.
Out of 8,000 or so only half survive the journey as they reach Caribbean months later, with the land in sight the worst seems over as there was even talk of turning back among some of the desperate survivors.
By the time the first foot sets on this new land, the bishop has proclaimed himself the last Pope and a new gathering of priests has been gathered that will keep the christian tradition alive.
The refugees decide to survey the islands and before making permenent settlement with their children, women and what livestock and horses they have left.
In the end they land on the West coast of what we know as America, and divide into three groups and settlements led by English, Iberian and French nobles, all under supervision of the new pope.
As Europe crumbles under the opressive yoke for centuries and late losts its timhee in legacy wars, as well as Plague the refugees start a new civilization beyond, seeing the lands beyond the Ocean as damned and inhabited by devil worshippers.
It would take three and half centuries before there would be contact between the two divided peoples.
So what do you think ?
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=2641992