alternatehistory.com

So... I'm trying to make a surviving Al-Andalus timeline. Their culture seems fascinating to me but I'm still in the research stage. I hope people with a bit more knowledge could help me out on some questions...

1: My current POD (based on a very cursory research) is that Caliph Al-Hakam II has a son earlier in his life, and he takes the reins of goverment instead of his Grand Vizier Al-Mansur (Al-Hakam aparently was homosexual, so he had a son late in life. Since his son was 11 at the time of his death in 976, his vizier took power, bringing a civil war and the slow decline of the Umayyad Caliphate). Either that or his vizier never reaches power. Is this plausible? Where other personages or forces wanting power on Al-Andalus or would most people accept this caliph as legitimate?

2: How to deal with the North Africans? Over the history of muslim Spain, they were often called by caliphs and taifas as military help, and they took power themselves, thus weakining them against christian kingdoms. I'm thinking of a peaceful integration with the rest of the caliphate, but is a military conquest plausible?

3: Would European powers launch a crusade against Al-Andalus if they became too sucessful? How would both sides fare?

4: I think that, given a surviving Al-Andalus, the muslims, christians and jews on Iberia would become used to live togheter, and a more tolerant culture than that of most of Europe would develop. Any interesting cultural changes you can think of?

5: Finally, the big question: Could an Islamic Spain discover/colonize the Americas, Africa or Asia? How would they treat the natives?
Top