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Woah look, another TL about the Byzantines. We all know how we're lacking in those :rolleyes: . But hopefully, this one will at least be a good one. It's hard to stand up to masterpieces on this site like An Age of Miracles, I admit, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

The basic gist of Restoration, Exile, Rebirth is a longer and more complete Komnenid Restoration, which extends Rome's borders well beyond their pre-Manzikert lines. The PoD is one that I've never seen used before: the survival of Alexios Komnenos, son of Emperor John Komnenos. This immediately will lead to a whole nest of fun butterflies, that we'll go over very soon.

I hope you enjoy yourselves reading this at least half as much as I've enjoyed researching and writing it.



After Manzikert, the Roman Empire was shattered. Civil War, Turkish invasions, and endless corruption run rampant, and the empire, which had once been the reigning superpower of the Eastern Mediteranean, had been reduced to a second-tier shadow of its former self.

It was in this mess that the Komnenoi dynasty first came to the forefront. The General Alexios Komnenos seized the throne in 1834 AUC. He and his descendants would then go on to reverse all of Rome's losses since Manzikert and even go farther. Indeed, near the end of the Komnenid Restoration, Roman armies marched to places not tread since the days of Justinian.

Most modern (Western) scholars agree that the early Komnenid Restoration ended in 1144 AD, when the city of Antioch fell to Roman soldiers. The first third of this timeline will deal with the second part of the Komnenid Restoration, where the star of Rome stood brightly for all to see. The next third will take on a more somber tone, depicting the period known as The Exile. Riding on the back of the Black plague and an over overextended Rome, The Exile is a tale of how for almost two centuries Rome stood divided, brother against brother, city against city. Finally, the last section will talk of the Roman Rebirth, when The Exile drew to a close and the soldiers and artisans of Rome once again dominated the mediteranean.

Restoration, Exile, Rebirth. Only a family like the Komnenos could rule over all three. When their rule as Emperors of Rome and Byzantium finally ended in the 15th century, they left a legacy that would not be forgotten, by the east or west.
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