Miscellaneous <1900 (Alternate) History Thread

Why was the Austro-Hungarian Army so inept at handling a multi-ethnic army (Battle of Karansebes was especially terrible), when other cultures such as the Romans or Mongols could successfully use a multi-ethnic army?
 

Grey Wolf

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Why was the Austro-Hungarian Army so inept at handling a multi-ethnic army (Battle of Karansebes was especially terrible), when other cultures such as the Romans or Mongols could successfully use a multi-ethnic army?
I always viewed that one as a victim of the class divide not the ethnic divide
 
Why was the Austro-Hungarian Army so inept at handling a multi-ethnic army (Battle of Karansebes was especially terrible), when other cultures such as the Romans or Mongols could successfully use a multi-ethnic army?
The battle of Karansebes is mostly a widly exaggerated myth created by later publications, and at the time Austria-Hungary didn't exist anyway, which brings to the next point that the Habsburg Monarchy was indeed successful in using a multi-ethnic army in several occasions.
However Austria-Hungary had to deal with other underlying issues, particularly living in a age of rising nationalism, a questionable foreign policy and the whole hungarian parliament being adamant in mantaining the status quo.
 
The battle of Karansebes is mostly a widly exaggerated myth created by later publications, and at the time Austria-Hungary didn't exist anyway, which brings to the next point that the Habsburg Monarchy was indeed successful in using a multi-ethnic army in several occasions.
However Austria-Hungary had to deal with other underlying issues, particularly living in a age of rising nationalism, a questionable foreign policy and the whole hungarian parliament being adamant in mantaining the status quo.
Oh right. I forgot the Dual Monarchy wasn't a thing back then.
 
How many Maori first arrived in New Zealand, and if I were wanting them to have a larger starting population what is the maximum amount of Polynesians I could have go to New Zealand at once? So, I suppose this question is more of "What was the maximum number of people in Polynesian settlement fleets?"
 
What would be the demographic impact of a country reliant on slavery killing 50% of their black population due to a civil war, and abolishing slavery on top of that? I suppose white people would come to replace them, but many areas are very hot, and whites will end up being treated like slaves, so I wouldn't say it's the most attractive place to emigrate. So, were would they get their labor force? This is not a colony of the british empire, but can they use indian labor? If yes, can they get indentured servants from other parts of the world controlled by europeans, such as Angola, indonesia and the philippines? Or would european labor be their only choice?
 
The Spanish Armada: doomed to fail?
I read a few years ago a French history magazine that did a special episode on alternative history.
One of the scenarios was the Invincible Armada. If I remember correctly, the Invincible Armada managed to reach the ports of the Netherlands, and then an agreement was made with England: in exchange for the Spanish giving up their support to the Catholics in Great Britain, the English also gave up their support to the Dutch rebels.
So no, the Invincible Armada was not necessarily doomed, it would have needed much more luck.
(If you are interested I will try to find the review and the scenario in more detail).
You should make a thread about it I think, it could be interesting for some people.
 
What if 100% proof was found that St. Brendan reached America in his leather boat in AD 512–530?

Say the evidence turns up during the Age of Exploration, or perhaps during the Victoria 19thC?

Any effect on the world?
 
Has anyone read the Edmund Tudor fic on FanFiction? It's getting pretty good though it is technically a fanfic for the show Tudors, it's about an OC brother of Henry VIII, not a Mary Sue. Anyone reading it?
 
When prince Afonzo of Portugal died, the dowry of Isabella of "Spain" was returned to the catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella. I believe by 1491.

If Afonzo lives, how would spanish finances be affected? Would the reconquist take longer? Obviously Columbus leaves empty handed,
 
Has anyone read the Edmund Tudor fic on FanFiction? It's getting pretty good though it is technically a fanfic for the show Tudors, it's about an OC brother of Henry VIII, not a Mary Sue. Anyone reading it?
Okay, sorry, this is a somewhat unrelated question and I can't answer yours: How did you learn about the Tudors? Like what kind of material did you peruse to learn more about them? How did you learn about them in the first place? Books, games, shows...


So I don't really know much, if anything about dynastic history and politics, sure, I've heard of names like the Habsburgs, the Bourbons, the Tudors, but I don't really know anything about them. My breadth of knowledge is spread very thin; the Tudors were an English faction in the Wars of the Roses or something which inspired ASOIAF, the Bourbons was a dynasty which controlled France, the Habsburgs were the rulers of Spain and Austria or something. Browsing AH.com, I've seen lots of Marys, Henrys, James, Isabellas, Charles, and Louis... but I don't really who the person is. Generally, I'm more into political and cultural history, and I'm still pretty young, so what I know is already lacking in many aspects. Again, sorry for not being able to answer your question.
 
Okay, sorry, this is a somewhat unrelated question and I can't answer yours: How did you learn about the Tudors? Like what kind of material did you peruse to learn more about them? How did you learn about them in the first place? Books, games, shows...


So I don't really know much, if anything about dynastic history and politics, sure, I've heard of names like the Habsburgs, the Bourbons, the Tudors, but I don't really know anything about them. My breadth of knowledge is spread very thin; the Tudors were an English faction in the Wars of the Roses or something which inspired ASOIAF, the Bourbons was a dynasty which controlled France, the Habsburgs were the rulers of Spain and Austria or something. Browsing AH.com, I've seen lots of Marys, Henrys, James, Isabellas, Charles, and Louis... but I don't really who the person is. Generally, I'm more into political and cultural history, and I'm still pretty young, so what I know is already lacking in many aspects. Again, sorry for not being able to answer your question.
Ok wow. The Tudors were a powerful political family in England during the War of the Roses. Henry VII won his throne by being a badass and brought peace to the realm. His son, Henry VIII was known for making England protestant because the Pope wouldn't grant him a divorce, he's famous for having six wives. His son Edward, forget the number, died early into his reign and the throne passed to Henry VIII first daughter Mary, known as Bloody Mary. Mary tried to restore Catholicism and basically turned the ruling of England over to Spain since her husband was the king of Spain. Since she had no children, after her death the throne passed to her sister Elizabeth I , the Virgin Queen. Liz1 did tons of awesome stuff like kicking Spain's ass and saw England become the dominant naval power, she was the ruling monarch when the first English colonies in America were founded.

After Elizabeth the Tudor line ended and the throne passed to the Stewarts, the ruling family of Scotland, because they had Tudor blood through Mary Tudor the sister of Henry VIII (not Bloody Mary). That united the thrones of England and Scotland.

And that's the basic history of the House of Tudor. Anything anyone wants to correct?
 
Ok wow. The Tudors were a powerful political family in England during the War of the Roses. Henry VII won his throne by being a badass and brought peace to the realm. His son, Henry VIII was known for making England protestant because the Pope wouldn't grant him a divorce, he's famous for having six wives. His son Edward, forget the number, died early into his reign and the throne passed to Henry VIII first daughter Mary, known as Bloody Mary. Mary tried to restore Catholicism and basically turned the ruling of England over to Spain since her husband was the king of Spain. Since she had no children, after her death the throne passed to her sister Elizabeth I , the Virgin Queen. Liz1 did tons of awesome stuff like kicking Spain's ass and saw England become the dominant naval power, she was the ruling monarch when the first English colonies in America were founded.

After Elizabeth the Tudor line ended and the throne passed to the Stewarts, the ruling family of Scotland, because they had Tudor blood through Mary Tudor the sister of Henry VIII (not Bloody Mary). That united the thrones of England and Scotland.

And that's the basic history of the House of Tudor. Anything anyone wants to correct?
Wow, I never knew Spain, or the ruling dynasty of Spain, anyways, once came close to controlling England... some history I need to brush up on on.
 
Two questions:

1) Does anyone know why John I of Aragon agreed to open negotiations to wed his daughter Yolande to Richard II? John was a noted Francophile and Yolande was already betrothed to Louis II of Anjou as part of a broad alliance between Anjou and Aragon with regard to the two Sicilys. John drops the negotiations when the French protest, but there has to have been some event that would cause John to threaten reorienting Aragonese foreign policy so drastically and I've never seen it explained. (I am a big fan of Jonathan Sumption's masterwork on the Hundred Years War, but he doesn't go into detail here.)

2) Does anyone have any idea of the relative value of a Milanese ducat to an English pound in the late-medieval era? Or, if not, the relative value of a Milanese ducat to a Venetian ducat? (Was a ducat a ducat no matter where it was minted?)
 
Wow, I never knew Spain, or the ruling dynasty of Spain, anyways, once came close to controlling England... some history I need to brush up on on.
Yes, if Mary and Phillip? had had a son things might have gone very different, thankfully Henry VIII was a bit of a bastard and never let his daughters marry so he could use them basically as chess pieces, by the time Mary married the Spanish king her best childbearing years were behind her.
 
Yes, if Mary and Phillip? had had a son things might have gone very different, thankfully Henry VIII was a bit of a bastard and never let his daughters marry so he could use them basically as chess pieces, by the time Mary married the Spanish king her best childbearing years were behind her.
Could you recommend any books on the House of Tudor? Something for a total beginner?
 
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