Possible Colonial Power: Moorish Empire?

Is it possible at all for a state that controls both Al-Andalus and the Maghreb, along with a chunk of West Africa (the Ghana) and the Balearic Isles to hold onto power into the 15th century and become an important part of the development of the colonial and imperial eras?

Such a Moorish Empire would have to be able to fend off anything the Spanish states can throw at them, which is easiest if they're kept small and poor. France will probably become a powerful and dangerous rival.

Remember, this Moorish Empire doesn't have to last until modern day, and neither does the concept of a European power being Muslim. It can collapse and/or wane in importance well after establishing a visible presence in the New World and around the African Coast (although the latter may be more enduring and convert a very many peoples to Islam). Hell, that would complete the circuit of Islamic trade from the Mediterranean to the Horn of Africa to India to the East Indies, even up into what's left of the Silk Road. Muslim trade networks will never get completely supplanted by the European colonial trade routes, and the settlement of the Americas will be quite separate from the economy of basically everything in the Old World except for parts of Europe. This will be a much poorer and backwards colonization of the New World, so a few Native societies may stand a chance in resisting early settlements. A few Mexican groups will achieve statehood, as will the Andean confederation and maybe a few of the larger tribal federations in North America. If the relative importance and power of the natives and the settlers are reversed compared to OTL, the colonial societies will be a decidedly more integrated and mixed than OTL, even more so than Mexico and the Andean republics today.
 

Deleted member 67076

Yes. However, you're going to need a POD that increases the military power and centralization of the country, especially in the European territories.

In OTL, Al Andalus was often hampered by its inability to raise armies against its Christian enemies and by various rebellions that were embarrassingly frequent.

Second you're going to have to build up a better naval tradition than OTL. A state that has the Maghreb, West Africa and Al Andalus is mainly going to focus on the Trans-Saharan trade, so you need a reason to explore.

Perhaps they get shut out by the Saharan trade for a time and are forced to explore alternate sea routes to compensate for the lack of income?
 
Frankly, that's going to be difficult. You obviously need to have a militarily powerful state with a stable structure of government (emphatically not the berber dynasties) to stop the reconquista.

You also need a good reason for them to go around Africa or across the Atlantic. By definition, they have access to the Islamic trade and therefore no incentive to engage into such a risky journey.

A solution would be to cut them off from the wider Islamic word. The easiest way wold be for Tunisia to fall into christian hands. The so-called Norman kingdom of Africa could work, but it (around 1140 - 1150) but it was just during the Almohad expansion, and it is a tribal, desert empire, unlikely to go west or south.

Another solution would be a successful invasion of Egypt by Christian nubians associated with a Coptic revolt, say around 950 (historically, the Abbassids lost Egypt to the Fatimids in 969). The Fatimids, then centered on Tunisia are forced to go around Africa to trade with India and will inevitably stumble on Brazil.

Expect MASSIVE butterflies
 
Moroccan-based Barbary pirates raid the New World? That's not exactly what you're looking for, but close. One of the early treasure ships from the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs somehow ends up on the Moroccan coast. Not sure Morocco would be capable of acting on the "Gosh there is a lot of treasure to be had in this world" hint at that stage though.
 
This was the first thought that sprang to my mind. What if there is a POD where the Al Andalus are cut off from a trade route, thus setting up an impetus to look for a trade detour?

Personally I love any scenario involving an Islamic American colony.

You also need a good reason for them to go around Africa or across the Atlantic. By definition, they have access to the Islamic trade and therefore no incentive to engage into such a risky journey.

A solution would be to cut them off from the wider Islamic word. The easiest way wold be for Tunisia to fall into christian hands. The so-called Norman kingdom of Africa could work, but it (around 1140 - 1150) but it was just during the Almohad expansion, and it is a tribal, desert empire, unlikely to go west or south.
 
In such a scenario, such a colony would be located in Brazil. When you sail south along the African coast, you're almost sure to stumble on Brazil. On the other hand, you have no reason to go west.

Another interesting point is that both Portugal and Spain are butterflied away, so the pattern of European will be totally different, centered upon North America and the Great Banks.

The great rivals of this islamic colonial power would be France and England, and whatever holds the Netherland.
 
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