Moonlight in a Jar: An Al-Andalus Timeline

By the way, I'll get a new chapter out soon. I've had a bit of a rocky month in terms of mental health, which has made it tough to get a good burst of creativity out. Stay tuned.

Honestly, don't worry and don't stress about this. While your timeline is absolutely spectacular, your mental health comes first. I hope you feel better soon. Please take care.

Still looking forward to your update.
 
Eh, I think this timeline is being very realistic on Anadulsi power for the moment. Remember Imperial Spain had the benefit of Aztec and Incan gold flooding in to buy tons of troops, and their holdings comprised of the entire Iberian Peninsula, Southern Italy, parts of North Africa, and for awhile, parts of Central/Northern Italy and the Netherlands, so they could field huge armies. Not to mention the technology difference in terms of recruiting, arming, and fighting.
Yep, but we're talking about Andalusis finally finishing up eating the peninsula, after all the raids from Santiago will still happen and happen, and now even with primitive gunpowder, they can at least hire tens of thousands of Berbers and Sudanese; and use naval invasions to tie up Santiagans reinforcements.

After all, it's much cheaper and easier to defend a border in the Pyrenees than a border in the Systema Central...
 
Yep, but we're talking about Andalusis finally finishing up eating the peninsula, after all the raids from Santiago will still happen and happen, and now even with primitive gunpowder, they can at least hire tens of thousands of Berbers and Sudanese; and use naval invasions to tie up Santiagans reinforcements.

After all, it's much cheaper and easier to defend a border in the Pyrenees than a border in the Systema Central...
And not deal with a medieaval terror group in your borders daily.
 
that is far different time and with the butterflies and what could come..that could be feasible, specially as Santiago is an awful neighboor have the medieval equivalent of terorist doing raids in Andalusia

And not deal with a medieaval terror group in your borders daily.

To be fair, Andalus launched nearly annual raids into the northern kingdoms as recently as the last century, and I think they might still be doing it. The war on the Douro has never been pretty, and even with the changes the start of Old-New World contact will bring I think both sides will be nursing grievances for quite some time.
 
Andaulsia doesn't seem to be as martial when it comes to armies compared to spain. Again they couldn't decisively defeat a powerful french vassal. Also warfare they rely heavily on crossbows. So when it comes to seige warfare they could be god aweful.
 
Andaulsia doesn't seem to be as martial when it comes to armies compared to spain. Again they couldn't decisively defeat a powerful french vassal. Also warfare they rely heavily on crossbows. So when it comes to seige warfare they could be god aweful.
Crossbows actually are the best pre-gun missile weapons for sieges, just because you can mass them and they can be shot while crouching/prone.
Unlike, say, slings or javelins or normal bows.

IIRC I've read a study that concluded Teutonic colonisation of Prussia was enabled by three factors: forts, horse (as in, shock cavalry), and mainly crossbows. Just because the native Balts and Prussian tribes can't assault a fort full of Germans equipped with crossbows and can fire from almost the smallest nook and cranny.
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Well, on the defense anyway, but yeah on sieging a castle... But that's what the Andalusian money is good for! Sieges are expensive, but what will you use the excess silver and gold anyway?
 
Well, on the defense anyway, but yeah on sieging a castle... But that's what the Andalusian money is good for! Sieges are expensive, but what will you use the excess silver and gold anyway
But you still need manpower and Andalusians armies are very small for the size of the emirate. Again half of southern france is a match for andalusia. They in terms of manpower are lacking.

Andaulsia has some weird relative size issue. I don't know what the right words or definition for this is itd annoying me! They cant raise armies relative to there size why is this.
 
Perhaps the Kingdom of Santiago manages to remain a vassal of Andalusia only to be made a vassal of Francia instead. Honestly, while a full reclamation of the Iberian peninsula by Andalusia would be interesting, I do think that a surviving Iberian kingdom, i.e Santiago, surviving is very interesting indeed and it would be interesting to see how Andalusia might try to influence internal politics within the Kingdom. Perhaps the hajib might try to prop a king who is not as friendly with the Knights of St. James.


What of Pamplona/Navarre ? Are they now Francian vassals ? Do they still exist as an important power within the region?


I think a union either between Navarre and Francia or Navarre and Santiago or Santiago and Francia or an eventually Union of all three would certainly be interesting and certainly not unprecedented when looking at OTL history.
 
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Fantastic timeline. Always a inspiration. Rich with detail, intricate storytelling and a unique approach to alternate events. I wish you nothing but the best in taking care of yourself. I am sure whatever the next update is, will be well worth it.
 
It'll be far easier to fight Santiago with all that fat dosh from all this new trade. Andalusia could one day just muster a big army in response to the next time Santiago annoys them enough. And if they take Leon and Burgo, then the whole Meseta Norte is Andalusian and most of the Christian ability to really fight back is destroyed and Santiago ends up in the same position as Granada OTL.

This is actually really interesting. A resurgent Al-Andalus that takes over all of northern Spain except Santiago would be earth-shattering for both sides. For one, the conception of Spain itself would be radically seen as different to both Europe and the Islamic world, but it would also mean the state housing hundreds of thousands of new Christian citizens whom may or may not be a thorn on Seville's side. For Santiago, the kingdom would see itself in a permanent state of siege. Surrounded by resurgent Moors in almost all sides, the royals there might be forced to enter the European slugfest of diplomacy just to maintain clout and survival.

Plus, I can see a paradoxical literary renaissance on both sides as they document the event(s). The royals of Santiago might pen their "history of true Spain" as a way to ensure some sort of preservation of themselves, kinda what the Malacca court did after the Portuguese attacked their city.
 
This is actually really interesting. A resurgent Al-Andalus that takes over all of northern Spain except Santiago would be earth-shattering for both sides. For one, the conception of Spain itself would be radically seen as different to both Europe and the Islamic world, but it would also mean the state housing hundreds of thousands of new Christian citizens whom may or may not be a thorn on Seville's side. For Santiago, the kingdom would see itself in a permanent state of siege. Surrounded by resurgent Moors in almost all sides, the royals there might be forced to enter the European slugfest of diplomacy just to maintain clout and survival.

Plus, I can see a paradoxical literary renaissance on both sides as they document the event(s). The royals of Santiago might pen their "history of true Spain" as a way to ensure some sort of preservation of themselves, kinda what the Malacca court did after the Portuguese attacked their city.


That would be interesting. I was mainly picturing something like below, where the northern coast remains free in a sense, but definitely cowed, having lost most of their productive plains lands.

Green is the current border as I approximate it, Red would be the border after capturing Leon and Burgos.

M0kE4wm.png
 
come on i just want in the end for andalusia to conquer the north, it kinda gets annoying that they will never just finish them off. Geography, politically it makes sense to conquer them.
 
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