Southeast Asia, 900 - 1680: Potential PODs?

If not the Spanish, then maybe the Dutch or British may colonize the Philippine archipelago.

But what if it's the French?
 
1403: The Yongle emperor doesn't succeed his uncle in China. He falls on the battlefield, his rebellion a footnote.

A "calmer" Emperor takes the throne and focuses inwardly. No Zheng He, no re-establishment of Chinese preeminence. Ho Qui Ly becomes King of Vietnam and establishes a stable dynasty. Spared the 25 years of constant warfare, Vietnam becomes THE major power of the area, absorbing Champa and creating tributary kingdoms in the Philippinnes, Indonesia and Siam.

After 30 years of slow encroachment to the North, the grandson of Ho Qui Ly goes for the big prize and absorbs Guangxi and Hainan as the Chinese are busy with deliquescence and nomadic invasion.

By the time the Europeans arrive, the Chinese sea is both more fragmented and better connected to the rest of the Indian ocean while Vietnam is a big player but doesn't have the same hegemon status as China had.
You mean nephew.Yongle usurped the throne from his nephew.

By the way,how exactly is no Zheng He a major impact?I do agree though that there will probably be no conquest of Vietnam if Zhu Di failed to be emperor.
 
how exactly is no Zheng He a major impact?
Zheng He integrated places like Sumatra closer to the Indian Ocean (as I said upthread, he introduced some sort of Indian spice to Sumatra so that Chinese could have easier access). He also overthrew the rulers of Sri Lanka and Semudera. I don't know much about the politics of these two countries, but doubtlessly Zheng He totally transformed the area. Similar story in Palembang.

Zheng He was absolutely a major figure.
 
You mean nephew.Yongle usurped the throne from his nephew.

By the way,how exactly is no Zheng He a major impact?I do agree though that there will probably be no conquest of Vietnam if Zhu Di failed to be emperor.

Eh, my bad, I always make the same mistake about him being the nephew or the son...

That said, Zheng He was a major show of force to get tributes and recognition from all the nearbys states. It cemented China's place as top dog of the Indian Ocean for a century, as well as being quite an interesting example of projection of naval power
 
Luzon in Majapahit dominion... in late 15th century?
Even our domains in Java was seceding that late. Demak was started in 1475 after all.

No, Luzon was dominated by the Tondo dynasty, vassals of Brunei, with its capital in Seludong (Manila).

Without Spanish, "Philippines" would probably look like, say, northern Sumatra or Celebes, with Muslim majority and remnant tribals in the jungles and swamps. Only with islands.
Okay, so probably more like the Moluccas.

But not all, the Pagan/Hindu nobles from Majapahit are still revolting and plotting at that time, Tondo dynasty, a Majapahit vassal no longer exist when the Spanish are invading but their polity still exists and ruled by a cadet Bolkiah and there are Bornean nobles installed by Bolkiah and the Pagan nobles, however, the pagan/hindu nobles fight at that time was a lost cause, so you are right it would end just like Northern Sumatra..alternatively, the highlands can become/remain hindu.


If the Bruneians did not sack Tondo, Luzon will be a Majapahit Trebizond..
 
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Also interested--could a Mon state in Burma like Pegu defeat the Burmese and culturally assimilate the Burmese to Mon culture like the Mon were assimilated to Burmese culture? Looking at southeast Asian history, it seems like if you placed a skilled enough ruler and the other side had bad enough luck, you could accomplish HUGE results.
 
Also interested--could a Mon state in Burma like Pegu defeat the Burmese and culturally assimilate the Burmese to Mon culture like the Mon were assimilated to Burmese culture?
Well, the Mon was the people behind the Dvarvati confederation, which was now present-day Thailand?
 
Well, the Mon was the people behind the Dvarvati confederation, which was now present-day Thailand?

Didn't it fall to the people who became the Thai? It does suggest the Mon were much more powerful (or at least more widespread) at one point. Were they a case where you'd probably bet on them to dominate at least modern day Burma if you looked at the situation 1,000 years ago? But moving on, let's say you nerf Taungoo somehow with a few untimely deaths of the rulers who brought them to power. Since a lot of Southeast Asian monarchies gained power based on the skill and strength of their ruler, this could end really bad for Taungoo and result in a good situation for Hanthawaddy--if Hanthawaddy had as good of leadership as Taungoo did, and the leadership Taungoo had OTL is suddenly cut off from its full potential, what happens next?
 
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