Tamerlane takes Constantinople.

[maverick]

Timur had a long story of confrontations with the turks, including many times in which he 'saved' the Bizantines from being conquered by them. But, could the Tamerlane have conquered Turkey and march right towards Constantinople? pherphaps creating a new threat to Europe and replacing the Ottoman Empire?

 

[Ran Exilis]

Well, he certainly proved himself to be capable to crush the Ottomans, but keep in mind that Timur Lenk's great flaw,
was that - although he was a great conqueror - he was also a relatively poor empire-builder.

I may have to brush up my knowledge of the history of Timur Lenk's campaigns, but IIRC his empire constantly suffered from rebellions and local uprisings as soon as his armies were gone, and this may have been because of a poor, rather inefficient administration.

...and if I am correct in this, then it is quite unlikely that Timur Lenk's empire would ever be as much of a threat to Europe as the Ottomans were, because Timur's empire would simply fall apart after his death, and the Christian nations of Europe, as well as the rival Muslim nations (both the subjected as well as the independant nations - Timur Lenk wasn't exactly loved by the other Muslims either...) of west Asia would deal with Timur's successors relatively easily.

 

[Keenir]

Well, he certainly proved himself to be capable to crush the Ottomans, but keep in mind that Timur Lenk's great flaw,
was that - although he was a great conqueror - he was also a relatively poor empire-builder.

maybe he has a son or daughter in the Timur-takes-Constantinople ATL, who is a decent empire-builder.

...and if I am correct in this, then it is quite unlikely that Timur Lenk's empire would ever be as much of a threat to Europe as the Ottomans were, because Timur's empire would simply fall apart after his death, and the Christian nations of Europe, as well as the rival Muslim nations (both the subjected as well as the independant nations - Timur Lenk wasn't exactly loved by the other Muslims either...) of west Asia would deal with Timur's successors relatively easily.

I wonder how far into Europe Timur Lenk might've gotten....and its unlikely that the new "Rome" would've been anybody who'd been under Timur's heel.

though I recall that, in 1402, Timur was offered alliance with Aragon. granted, it was against the Ottomans, but still....might they side with the Timurids, provided Aragonese merchants got the best business deals in the Timurid lands?

 

[Nicksplace27]

though I recall that, in 1402, Timur was offered alliance with Aragon. granted, it was against the Ottomans, but still....might they side with the Timurids, provided Aragonese merchants got the best business deals in the Timurid lands?

Bigger ramifications. With Aragon getting a great deal in the silk road, the Era of Exploration is snuffed out in the beginning.

 

[Thermopylae]

Tamerlane conquering Constantinople IMHO would be a bit like the situation after the sacking in 1204 (Latin Empire and all that). The Byzantine Empire woud split up in the chaos, but at the first sign of trouble in Samarkand somebody would rush on in.

With yet another sacking, however, might this give the Catholic powers a chance to rush in? Restoring the Latin Empire. Although Europe may be too busy to concern itself with that.

 

[Smaug]

I found this on Wiki.

The Islamic world also employed gunpowder, and the Karshuni manuscript has additions of gunpowder recipes from the late 11th/early 12th century. There is mention of rockets or fire arrows being used in the mid-13th century, primarily as psychological weapons, and primarily defensively. There is also possibly references to defensive use of cannon or more likely psychological gunpowder use from tubes in mid-13th century Moorish Spain. Hand cannon or hand cannon-like devices were reported to be employed against the Mongols in 1260 and in 1304, an unattributed manuscript also depicted fire arrows and long-handled handguns. By 1340, light cannon are widespread enough in the Islamic world to end up in military inventories.

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

I don't see how he would get across into Europe with any success. His army was inferior in quality to the Ottomans - he was just a better commander than Beyazid - or at least not as overconfident, and certainly much less experienced with the conditions of warfare in Europe. And the whole no fleet thing would be a problem.

 

[Max Sinister]

Could be that he crushes the Rum-Seljuks completely. Whether he can take the biggest fortress of Christianity(tm), is another question. He didn't have cannons, did he?

 

[Tizoc]

Most important: he didn't have ships to transport his army into Europe!

 

[Thermopylae]

Most important: he didn't have ships to transport his army into Europe!

Might he take a route north of the Black Sea? Maybe not. IIRC Tamerlane was not well liked by the Golden Horde...

 

[Tizoc]

Might he take a route north of the Black Sea? Maybe not. IIRC Tamerlane was not well liked by the Golden Horde...

Well, actually after 1395 Golden Horde was a de facto vassal state of Tamerlan's Empire - so no problem here. But after going that route Tamerlan would attack rather Poland or Hungary, not Byzantium...

 

[Faeelin]

I don't see how he would get across into Europe with any success. His army was inferior in quality to the Ottomans - he was just a better commander than Beyazid - or at least not as overconfident, and certainly much less experienced with the conditions of warfare in Europe. And the whole no fleet thing would be a problem.

That's where the Venetians come in!

Timur's army collapses, and Byzantium is weakened. Everyone wins!

(Okay, maybe not).