Thanks! I've had a lot of help from everybody's feedback
The Palace has Fallen: A Timeline Without Charlemagne
- Thread starter ArchimedesCircle
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Thanks! I've had a lot of help from everybody's feedback
Part 5: From the Ashes of Empires
Part 5: From the Ashes of Empires
The Berber Revolt had been largely contained by the Umayyad Caliphate, but the winds of change still blew through the Mediterranean. In 745 the last Arab holdouts in Septimania were overrun by the Burgundians, and in 746 the Lombards captured the Exarchate of Ravenna, bringing the entirety of northern Italy under the control of the Iron Crown. In the west and the south, the Umayyad governors struggled to keep order in their war-torn provinces. Asturias and Aquitaine consolidated their borders and their independence, bolstering their military forces with newly arrived Kharijite Berber soldiers. There was a semblance of a balance of power in the Mediterranean, and the nations began to adapt to this new normal.
And then the Abbasids came.
(The Mediterranean in 747, the end of the Abbasid Revolution and the middle of the Papal Wars)
A disputed succession in the Umayyad Caliphate turned out to have great repercussions for the rest of the world. While the Arabs were no stranger to civil war or succession crises, the succession crisis of 744 quickly spiraled out of control as Abu Al-Abbas took advantage of the situation to overthrow the Umayyad Caliphate. With the Umayyads and their authority gone, the western territories of the Caliphate fell into chaos. Al-Andalus in particular felt the effects of the fall, as the province was divided into three Emirates. Lisbunah (otl Lisbon) and most of the western coast of Iberia had been settled by Syrians after the Berber revolt, and these Syrian communities rose up against the south Arabian governor in 746, forming the Emirate of Al-Gharb. Weakened and isolated, the Emirate of Al-Andalus was unable to continue to hold its North African cities, who revolted to form the Emirate of Tangiers. And as Iberia fell into chaos, the Asturians began to expand once again. In addition to Iberia, the North African coast also broke from the Caliphates, with most of the land coming under the control of the Fihrid dynasty and their Emirate of Ifriqiya.
While the Arab hegemony was shattering, another war was being fought across the sea in Italy. King Hildeprand fell ill in 744 and died in 745, leaving the Lombard nobility divided into two camps. One group wanted the crown to go to Desiderius, while the other supported the return of the exiled Duke Ratchis. As was often the case, the dispute was unable to be settled by words and soon fell to battle. Pope Zachary had no desire to see the anti-papal Desiderius take the throne of Lombardy, and organized an alliance between the remaining Roman Exarchates, Duke Ratchis and his followers, and the Papacy itself. The alliance was able to hold off the Lombards for over a year, but eventually the forces fell. Venice and Sicily, with their island natures were able to avoid falling to direct Lombard rule. However, the Exarchs of Bari and Calabria were not so lucky. But Rome was the true prize for Desiderius. The city and Pope were both placed under the king's 'protection'. The capture of Rome was a momentous occasion, the culmination of centuries of struggle by the Lombards. Though the city was but a shell of its former glory, its legacy lived on, and the city became the winter capital of the Lombards.
(The Mediterranean after the War of the Papal Alliance in 750. At this point the Venetians, long subjects in name only, officially broke from the Eastern Roman Empire)
For about a decade after the War of the Papal Alliance, the chaos of the Mediterranean calmed somewhat. The Iberian and North African states stabilized as the Abbasid's attention turned eastwards. In 752 Pope Zachary died, prompting a new Papal election. With Rome under his control, Desiderius saw an opportunity to end the conflict between the crown and the church. In late March 752, the Lombard garrison in Rome, under the orders of Desiderius, escorted an old priest into the city and to the Lateran Palace, where he was appointed Pope Phillip. Though this move angered many of the bishops who had gathered in the city, the Lombard guards made it impossible for them to act against the announcement. With the 'election' concluded, the bishops left Italy. Shortly afterwards Boniface organized the Council of Mainz, where the authority of Pope Phillip was officially rejected. The Council elected their own Pope, Pope Stephen II, and excommunicated Desiderius and Phillip. The 'Bavarian Pope' as Stephen was referred to in Roman records at the time was allowed to remain in Mainz by Duke Odilo.
With the Italian mainland under their control, the Lombards' attention turned to the sea. The conquests of Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearics had instilled in them a sense for naval warfare. This experience would soon come in handy. In 754 the Emir Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri of Ifriqiya launched a naval attack against the Exarchate of Sicily. Though the attack was repulsed, it sent shockwaves throughout southern Europe. Those who had believed that the period of Muslim expansion had ceased with the Berber revolt had been proven wrong. In 755 the Lombard navy set out from southern Italy with two goals. Firstly, to retaliate against the Muslim attack on Sicily, and secondly to restore Christian control of the city of Carthage. As the Lombards attacked from the north, Ifriqiya was also beset by invasion by the Rustamids of Algeria. With the bulk of their army scattered after the defeat at Sicily, the Fihrids were unable to defend their western coastline.
In 757 Desiderius returned to Lombardy triumphant. The power of Islam in the western Mediterranean had been divided, and the ancient city of Carthage was once again within Christendom. The fact that the Lombards had not only defeated the Eastern Roman forces, but had accomplished what the Eastern Romans could not- reconquering Carthage- had brought glory and fame to the Lombard king. In recognition of his acts in support of Christendom, in 760 when the court had convened in Rome for the winter, Pope Phillip anointed Desiderius as Desiderius Augustus, Emperor of the Western Romans, King of the Lombards, King of Africa, Duke of Tuscany, Duke of Friuli, Protector of the Holy Cities of Rome and Carthage. With this coronation, an old empire was revived. But the fate of the west was still far from settled. In Tangiers and Iberia the last of the Umayyads began to consolidate their power, while in the Bavarians integrated their subject of Croatia, declaring themselves a kingdom and the true protectors of the church. In Constantinople the Eastern Romans heatedly debated how to deal with the 'barbarian pretender'. The future for the Western Roman Empire was still uncertain.
Up next: The Bavarian Schism
The Berber Revolt had been largely contained by the Umayyad Caliphate, but the winds of change still blew through the Mediterranean. In 745 the last Arab holdouts in Septimania were overrun by the Burgundians, and in 746 the Lombards captured the Exarchate of Ravenna, bringing the entirety of northern Italy under the control of the Iron Crown. In the west and the south, the Umayyad governors struggled to keep order in their war-torn provinces. Asturias and Aquitaine consolidated their borders and their independence, bolstering their military forces with newly arrived Kharijite Berber soldiers. There was a semblance of a balance of power in the Mediterranean, and the nations began to adapt to this new normal.
And then the Abbasids came.
(The Mediterranean in 747, the end of the Abbasid Revolution and the middle of the Papal Wars)
A disputed succession in the Umayyad Caliphate turned out to have great repercussions for the rest of the world. While the Arabs were no stranger to civil war or succession crises, the succession crisis of 744 quickly spiraled out of control as Abu Al-Abbas took advantage of the situation to overthrow the Umayyad Caliphate. With the Umayyads and their authority gone, the western territories of the Caliphate fell into chaos. Al-Andalus in particular felt the effects of the fall, as the province was divided into three Emirates. Lisbunah (otl Lisbon) and most of the western coast of Iberia had been settled by Syrians after the Berber revolt, and these Syrian communities rose up against the south Arabian governor in 746, forming the Emirate of Al-Gharb. Weakened and isolated, the Emirate of Al-Andalus was unable to continue to hold its North African cities, who revolted to form the Emirate of Tangiers. And as Iberia fell into chaos, the Asturians began to expand once again. In addition to Iberia, the North African coast also broke from the Caliphates, with most of the land coming under the control of the Fihrid dynasty and their Emirate of Ifriqiya.
While the Arab hegemony was shattering, another war was being fought across the sea in Italy. King Hildeprand fell ill in 744 and died in 745, leaving the Lombard nobility divided into two camps. One group wanted the crown to go to Desiderius, while the other supported the return of the exiled Duke Ratchis. As was often the case, the dispute was unable to be settled by words and soon fell to battle. Pope Zachary had no desire to see the anti-papal Desiderius take the throne of Lombardy, and organized an alliance between the remaining Roman Exarchates, Duke Ratchis and his followers, and the Papacy itself. The alliance was able to hold off the Lombards for over a year, but eventually the forces fell. Venice and Sicily, with their island natures were able to avoid falling to direct Lombard rule. However, the Exarchs of Bari and Calabria were not so lucky. But Rome was the true prize for Desiderius. The city and Pope were both placed under the king's 'protection'. The capture of Rome was a momentous occasion, the culmination of centuries of struggle by the Lombards. Though the city was but a shell of its former glory, its legacy lived on, and the city became the winter capital of the Lombards.
(The Mediterranean after the War of the Papal Alliance in 750. At this point the Venetians, long subjects in name only, officially broke from the Eastern Roman Empire)
For about a decade after the War of the Papal Alliance, the chaos of the Mediterranean calmed somewhat. The Iberian and North African states stabilized as the Abbasid's attention turned eastwards. In 752 Pope Zachary died, prompting a new Papal election. With Rome under his control, Desiderius saw an opportunity to end the conflict between the crown and the church. In late March 752, the Lombard garrison in Rome, under the orders of Desiderius, escorted an old priest into the city and to the Lateran Palace, where he was appointed Pope Phillip. Though this move angered many of the bishops who had gathered in the city, the Lombard guards made it impossible for them to act against the announcement. With the 'election' concluded, the bishops left Italy. Shortly afterwards Boniface organized the Council of Mainz, where the authority of Pope Phillip was officially rejected. The Council elected their own Pope, Pope Stephen II, and excommunicated Desiderius and Phillip. The 'Bavarian Pope' as Stephen was referred to in Roman records at the time was allowed to remain in Mainz by Duke Odilo.
With the Italian mainland under their control, the Lombards' attention turned to the sea. The conquests of Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearics had instilled in them a sense for naval warfare. This experience would soon come in handy. In 754 the Emir Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri of Ifriqiya launched a naval attack against the Exarchate of Sicily. Though the attack was repulsed, it sent shockwaves throughout southern Europe. Those who had believed that the period of Muslim expansion had ceased with the Berber revolt had been proven wrong. In 755 the Lombard navy set out from southern Italy with two goals. Firstly, to retaliate against the Muslim attack on Sicily, and secondly to restore Christian control of the city of Carthage. As the Lombards attacked from the north, Ifriqiya was also beset by invasion by the Rustamids of Algeria. With the bulk of their army scattered after the defeat at Sicily, the Fihrids were unable to defend their western coastline.
In 757 Desiderius returned to Lombardy triumphant. The power of Islam in the western Mediterranean had been divided, and the ancient city of Carthage was once again within Christendom. The fact that the Lombards had not only defeated the Eastern Roman forces, but had accomplished what the Eastern Romans could not- reconquering Carthage- had brought glory and fame to the Lombard king. In recognition of his acts in support of Christendom, in 760 when the court had convened in Rome for the winter, Pope Phillip anointed Desiderius as Desiderius Augustus, Emperor of the Western Romans, King of the Lombards, King of Africa, Duke of Tuscany, Duke of Friuli, Protector of the Holy Cities of Rome and Carthage. With this coronation, an old empire was revived. But the fate of the west was still far from settled. In Tangiers and Iberia the last of the Umayyads began to consolidate their power, while in the Bavarians integrated their subject of Croatia, declaring themselves a kingdom and the true protectors of the church. In Constantinople the Eastern Romans heatedly debated how to deal with the 'barbarian pretender'. The future for the Western Roman Empire was still uncertain.
Up next: The Bavarian Schism
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Ooh, an update. And it's a big one!
Wow, a lot of Europe is on a very unsteady footing right now. So many of those countries are newly established, surrounded by other countries more than willing to try and gain greater legitimacy/power by successful conquests. Just about every country in Iberia is vulnerable. Meanwhile, I'm not so sure what to think of TTL's Western Roman Empire. While the Lombardy navy gives it one advantage compared to Charlemagne's WRE, there's little doubt this one is overall weaker. It has far less land, and in comparison to Charlemagne's successful efforts to spread Christiantiy the Lombards have all but ensured another major schism in Christianity between the Roman Pope and Bavarian Popes. The North of the WRE is likely to come into conflict with Bavaria due to that, and their new territory in Africa is now at risk of a revanchist Emirate of Ifriqiya and aggressive Rustamid Emirate.
Funnily enough, its the so far unlucky Asturias and Aquitaine that I'd say are well positioned for long term stability and possible prosperity. Both have managed to weather the height of the storm, and were able to survive and even strengthen themselves to a degree through incorporating Berber soldiers into their military. Asturias while far from safe, arguably has more stability than Al-Gharb, Al-Andalus, and Tangiers. Unless one of those three quickly gains dominance, a possibility, Asturias could slowly expand when opportunities present themselves from these three battling for legitimacy among each other. Aquitaine by contrast has no clear enemies around it by this point. Burgundy is more likely to fear becoming a new target for the WRE, and Francia is dealing with internal unrest, Saxons, and soon viking raids. You could see Aquitaine and Asturias working together for safety, and to support each other's expansion into the north and south respectively when opportunities for such arise. Burgundy too could join in.
Not sure whether the 'Bavarian Schism' means a civil war in Bavaria, after annexing Croatia, or a formal religious schism between the Roman Pope and the Bavarian Pope. The former could potentially open up a WRE conquest of parts of southern and southeast Bavaria for territory, cutting down a regional rival, and to cripple the standing of the Bavarian Pope and thus strengthen their own. The latter would almost be the continuation of the breakdown in a united Christian west, with other regional pope's potentially following.
A question though, for clarification. The Emirate of Al-Andalus lost control of its North African cities, which formed the Emirate of Tangiers. However at the end you said the Umayyads were gathering their strength in Tangier and Iberia. I'd figure any Umayyads would control the Emirate of Toledo, not Tangiers. Can you just clarify where the remaining Umayyads are based out of? Regardless, I actually think the Umayyads will have something of a rebirth in Iberia. The Caliphate of Cordoba did occur after the Abbasids. Al-Gharb was settled by syrians you said, after the Berber revolt, but I'm not sure how many could have gotten there. Probably not to outnumber natives, so its likely a syrian elite in charge. I'd say they're the most vulnarable of the new Iberian Emirates. If the Umayyads are in Tangiers, they could probably take some of its southern regions. If they're in Toledo, the eastern parts. Maybe Astrurias would use the opportunity to snatch that northern section.
Other questions I have. What's that dark gray country to the southeast of Bavaria on the maps? Also is that pink country Bohemia? The navy blue Hungary? Sorry if it was said earlier, but I haven't read the thread in a while. Also too lazy after writing this to go look.
Wow, a lot of Europe is on a very unsteady footing right now. So many of those countries are newly established, surrounded by other countries more than willing to try and gain greater legitimacy/power by successful conquests. Just about every country in Iberia is vulnerable. Meanwhile, I'm not so sure what to think of TTL's Western Roman Empire. While the Lombardy navy gives it one advantage compared to Charlemagne's WRE, there's little doubt this one is overall weaker. It has far less land, and in comparison to Charlemagne's successful efforts to spread Christiantiy the Lombards have all but ensured another major schism in Christianity between the Roman Pope and Bavarian Popes. The North of the WRE is likely to come into conflict with Bavaria due to that, and their new territory in Africa is now at risk of a revanchist Emirate of Ifriqiya and aggressive Rustamid Emirate.
Funnily enough, its the so far unlucky Asturias and Aquitaine that I'd say are well positioned for long term stability and possible prosperity. Both have managed to weather the height of the storm, and were able to survive and even strengthen themselves to a degree through incorporating Berber soldiers into their military. Asturias while far from safe, arguably has more stability than Al-Gharb, Al-Andalus, and Tangiers. Unless one of those three quickly gains dominance, a possibility, Asturias could slowly expand when opportunities present themselves from these three battling for legitimacy among each other. Aquitaine by contrast has no clear enemies around it by this point. Burgundy is more likely to fear becoming a new target for the WRE, and Francia is dealing with internal unrest, Saxons, and soon viking raids. You could see Aquitaine and Asturias working together for safety, and to support each other's expansion into the north and south respectively when opportunities for such arise. Burgundy too could join in.
Not sure whether the 'Bavarian Schism' means a civil war in Bavaria, after annexing Croatia, or a formal religious schism between the Roman Pope and the Bavarian Pope. The former could potentially open up a WRE conquest of parts of southern and southeast Bavaria for territory, cutting down a regional rival, and to cripple the standing of the Bavarian Pope and thus strengthen their own. The latter would almost be the continuation of the breakdown in a united Christian west, with other regional pope's potentially following.
A question though, for clarification. The Emirate of Al-Andalus lost control of its North African cities, which formed the Emirate of Tangiers. However at the end you said the Umayyads were gathering their strength in Tangier and Iberia. I'd figure any Umayyads would control the Emirate of Toledo, not Tangiers. Can you just clarify where the remaining Umayyads are based out of? Regardless, I actually think the Umayyads will have something of a rebirth in Iberia. The Caliphate of Cordoba did occur after the Abbasids. Al-Gharb was settled by syrians you said, after the Berber revolt, but I'm not sure how many could have gotten there. Probably not to outnumber natives, so its likely a syrian elite in charge. I'd say they're the most vulnarable of the new Iberian Emirates. If the Umayyads are in Tangiers, they could probably take some of its southern regions. If they're in Toledo, the eastern parts. Maybe Astrurias would use the opportunity to snatch that northern section.
Other questions I have. What's that dark gray country to the southeast of Bavaria on the maps? Also is that pink country Bohemia? The navy blue Hungary? Sorry if it was said earlier, but I haven't read the thread in a while. Also too lazy after writing this to go look.
Mainly the idea in Al-Andalus is that Abd al-Rahman, who in OTL became the emir of Cordoba, instead remained in Tangiers and built his power base there before invading mainland Iberia. I'll go into more detail on him in the next update, but I mostly wanted to just get something out. Most of the Iberian Emirates are in a perilous position, but I have some surprises planned regarding them in the future.
As for the unlabeled nations, I ran out of room on the key. The dark grey south of Bavaria is the Avar Khaganate. The navy blue east of them are the Bulgars, and the pink is the Moravians.
So the Mohammedans in Occitania did not linger - it's a pity. It seems to me that the pawnshops with the declaration of the Empire were in a hurry.
Deleted member 97083
I’m Rahman Al Ghafiqi, and this is my pawn shop. I work here with my old man and my son, ibn Rahman. Everything in Septimania has a story and a price. One thing I’ve learned after 21 years – you never know WHAT is gonna come through that Gaul.
RedNation
Banned
Any particular reason why you're choosing this typically Euro-centric theme for your history thread?
1) I wanted to.
2) I like the time period and there really aren't that many timelines about it.
3) It's what I know about.
4) Just because Christendom is expanding now doesn't mean that it's going to stay that way.
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Part 5.5: The Prince of the West
Part 5.5: The Prince of the West
(These are the events in North Africa that I hinted at but didn't actually explain in my last update. Since they'll probably be important I figured I should give the information here. This is all happening at the same time as the events in From the Ashes of Empire, so just refer back to the maps there.)
After the Umayyads were unseated politically, Caliph As-Saffah began to fear the possibility of a resurgence among their support. In an attempt to preempt a counter revolution, he ordered that the Umayyads be killed. Most of the family was killed in Damascus in 748, but a handful of surviving Umayyads and their supporters were able to flee. Of these survivors, most were killed before they could leave Syria but a handful managed to escape Arabia altogether. Among these was the young Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman. By 749 Abd had reached Ifiriqiya, where the Abbasids no longer held political control. For about a year Abd was able to stay as a guest of Emir Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri. But soon enough the Abbasids began to pressure the Fihrids into handing over the Umayyads they sheltered. Once again Abd fled for his life, this time almost completely alone. Over the next two years he wandered across the Maghreb until in 752 he arrived in the now independent Tangiers. Tangiers, a city in chaos and beset on all sides by enemies, was a strange home for the noble. After his arrival, Abd began to rally men to him. Some were loyal supporters of the Umayyad dynasty or veterans who had fought for his family in the Berber and Abbasid Revolts. Others were young men drawn to the glory of fighting for a fallen Caliph. Still others viewed the prince as a means to an end, a way to grab power with Tangiers and the surrounding area. In the summer of 752 Abd al-Rahman declared himself Emir of Tangiers, formally seizing control of the city.
After taking control of Tangiers and pacifying the Berghwata Confederacy, Abd al-Rahman turned his eyes north to Iberia. The divided peninsula was a rich prize, but even sundered the Iberian Emirates were formidable foes, to say nothing of the Asturians and Aquitanians, nor the sizable population of Kharijite Berbers, who had no love lost with the Umayyad dynasty. Then in 753 an opportunity appeared. During his time in Tangiers, al-Rahman had been corresponding with Malik ibn al-Ghafiqi, the son of the general who had kept Iberia under Umayyad control during the Berber rebellion. The former governor had passed away in 749, attempting to reunite Al-Gharb and Al-Andalus. Unfortunately his dream had not come to pass. Iberia was divided, and every year the Asturians took more territory. Malik ibn al-Ghafiqi was, like his father, a general, but he saw little hope in the ability of the current Emir of Cordoba, Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Fihri to protect against the encroaching Christians. In the course of their correspondence, Malik and Abd formulated a plan to begin to restore order to the Iberian peninsula.
The plan began to take motion in 757, when Abd al-Rahman took his army across the strait. Soon afterwards his forces were joined by al-Ghafiqi's men. The combined armies took Cordoba relatively quickly, forcing Yusuf to flee to Toledo. As Abd's conquests continued, news of the returned prince spread, and for the same varied reasons as in Tangiers, men began to flock to follow al-Rahman. By 760 the prince was in near complete control of southern Iberia, and was making plans to conquer the rest of it.
(These are the events in North Africa that I hinted at but didn't actually explain in my last update. Since they'll probably be important I figured I should give the information here. This is all happening at the same time as the events in From the Ashes of Empire, so just refer back to the maps there.)
After the Umayyads were unseated politically, Caliph As-Saffah began to fear the possibility of a resurgence among their support. In an attempt to preempt a counter revolution, he ordered that the Umayyads be killed. Most of the family was killed in Damascus in 748, but a handful of surviving Umayyads and their supporters were able to flee. Of these survivors, most were killed before they could leave Syria but a handful managed to escape Arabia altogether. Among these was the young Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman. By 749 Abd had reached Ifiriqiya, where the Abbasids no longer held political control. For about a year Abd was able to stay as a guest of Emir Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri. But soon enough the Abbasids began to pressure the Fihrids into handing over the Umayyads they sheltered. Once again Abd fled for his life, this time almost completely alone. Over the next two years he wandered across the Maghreb until in 752 he arrived in the now independent Tangiers. Tangiers, a city in chaos and beset on all sides by enemies, was a strange home for the noble. After his arrival, Abd began to rally men to him. Some were loyal supporters of the Umayyad dynasty or veterans who had fought for his family in the Berber and Abbasid Revolts. Others were young men drawn to the glory of fighting for a fallen Caliph. Still others viewed the prince as a means to an end, a way to grab power with Tangiers and the surrounding area. In the summer of 752 Abd al-Rahman declared himself Emir of Tangiers, formally seizing control of the city.
After taking control of Tangiers and pacifying the Berghwata Confederacy, Abd al-Rahman turned his eyes north to Iberia. The divided peninsula was a rich prize, but even sundered the Iberian Emirates were formidable foes, to say nothing of the Asturians and Aquitanians, nor the sizable population of Kharijite Berbers, who had no love lost with the Umayyad dynasty. Then in 753 an opportunity appeared. During his time in Tangiers, al-Rahman had been corresponding with Malik ibn al-Ghafiqi, the son of the general who had kept Iberia under Umayyad control during the Berber rebellion. The former governor had passed away in 749, attempting to reunite Al-Gharb and Al-Andalus. Unfortunately his dream had not come to pass. Iberia was divided, and every year the Asturians took more territory. Malik ibn al-Ghafiqi was, like his father, a general, but he saw little hope in the ability of the current Emir of Cordoba, Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Fihri to protect against the encroaching Christians. In the course of their correspondence, Malik and Abd formulated a plan to begin to restore order to the Iberian peninsula.
The plan began to take motion in 757, when Abd al-Rahman took his army across the strait. Soon afterwards his forces were joined by al-Ghafiqi's men. The combined armies took Cordoba relatively quickly, forcing Yusuf to flee to Toledo. As Abd's conquests continued, news of the returned prince spread, and for the same varied reasons as in Tangiers, men began to flock to follow al-Rahman. By 760 the prince was in near complete control of southern Iberia, and was making plans to conquer the rest of it.
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Good to have that cleared up, and actually looking forward to a successful Abd al-Rahman (Just read his wiki page, and DAMN!). It's kind of hard to justify a less successful Muslim Iberia when the POD is a Muslim victory at the Battle of Tours.
Would be interesting to see an earlier Caliphate of Cordoba. Al-Andalus was more successful in this timeline, stretching further and thus likely having more prestige. If he successfully unites the muslim areas of Iberia under him, it's be noticeably more prestigious. Not to mention without Charlemagne and the other Carolingians of the time breathing down their neck, supporting Zaragoza independence for a time and taking Barcelona to establish the Spanish Marches, he'd be in a much better position to actually make the title of Caliph stick.
Hopefully Asturias still survives and thrives a bit though.
Would be interesting to see an earlier Caliphate of Cordoba. Al-Andalus was more successful in this timeline, stretching further and thus likely having more prestige. If he successfully unites the muslim areas of Iberia under him, it's be noticeably more prestigious. Not to mention without Charlemagne and the other Carolingians of the time breathing down their neck, supporting Zaragoza independence for a time and taking Barcelona to establish the Spanish Marches, he'd be in a much better position to actually make the title of Caliph stick.
Hopefully Asturias still survives and thrives a bit though.
Deleted member 97083
Interesting, the Russian word for pawn shop is "Lombard"?
I wonder if it comes from that period--like how the English word vandalism comes from the Vandals--or if it's a false cognate.
Comes from the French. lombard, from the name of the Italian region of Lombardy. Due to the fact that Lombard banks began to establish pawnshops since the 13th century (cf .: Lombard Street in London, or Lombardsede [nl: Lombardzijde, "Lombard Flank"], the former medieval "old" harbor of Nyvport [nl: Nieuwpoort, " new harbor "] in Belgium). Russian. The pawnshop was borrowed, probably from it. Lombard, Eng. lombard or directly from the French.
Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that this timeline is not, in fact, dead! However, school has been making things hard, and I need to make this hiatus official. I'll try to find time to write more of the timeline, but I can't promise anything until mid-December.
Philippe le Bel
Banned
*inhales*
BOI
Just kidding. You're under no obligation to return, but know that we appreciate the time and effort you've put in so far, and can only hope that you do continue
Kick ass this semester
BOI
Just kidding. You're under no obligation to return, but know that we appreciate the time and effort you've put in so far, and can only hope that you do continue
Kick ass this semester
The Chronicles: What's Britain Been Up To?
The big update is still in production but I think I can safely promise that it will be posted here over the weekend. In the mean time, let's talk Britain. Yeah, that's right I'm finally acknowledging the existence of the British Isles! So, without further ado, here's a map of Great Britain circa 760 CE, about three decades after the untimely death of Charles Martel.
As you can see, the political landscape isn't that different from OTL. However, beneath the surface the butterflies have certainly managed to cross the channel. And many of these butterflies come seeking glory in the name of Woden. As you may recall, Popo and his Frisians took advantage of the death of Martel to regain their independence. With their war won and the Franks pushed back to the Rhine, many of the Frisian warriors were still eager for glory and treasure. Many of these warriors took to the seas to seek their fortune. Some of them braved the coasts of Neustria and Aquitaine, but with the end of the Frankish Civil War in 742, these areas became far more difficult to raid. Soon afterwards, the Frisians' eyes turned northwards across the Channel. The south-east coast of Great Britain became the target of increasingly frequent and increasingly ferocious Frisian raids. Some of the petty kingdoms in the area, namely Kent, Essex and East Anglia turned to the regional hegemon, Mercia,for protection. At the same time, king Cuthred of Wessex took advantage of the destruction caused by the Frisians to expand his control of the southern coast of Britain into much of Sussex's former territory. Though it was menaced on all borders, Mercian power endured. But in 758 the Mercian king Aethelbald died, and soon after his successor Beornred met with a similar fate, placing the crown on the head of Offa. Though a capable ruler, Offa was faced with a realm of vassals of varying loyalty and powerful neighbors with histories of being less than friendly to Mercia. Worst of all, a new wave of Frisians were coming, ones seeking to do more than simply raid the coast...
As you can see, the political landscape isn't that different from OTL. However, beneath the surface the butterflies have certainly managed to cross the channel. And many of these butterflies come seeking glory in the name of Woden. As you may recall, Popo and his Frisians took advantage of the death of Martel to regain their independence. With their war won and the Franks pushed back to the Rhine, many of the Frisian warriors were still eager for glory and treasure. Many of these warriors took to the seas to seek their fortune. Some of them braved the coasts of Neustria and Aquitaine, but with the end of the Frankish Civil War in 742, these areas became far more difficult to raid. Soon afterwards, the Frisians' eyes turned northwards across the Channel. The south-east coast of Great Britain became the target of increasingly frequent and increasingly ferocious Frisian raids. Some of the petty kingdoms in the area, namely Kent, Essex and East Anglia turned to the regional hegemon, Mercia,for protection. At the same time, king Cuthred of Wessex took advantage of the destruction caused by the Frisians to expand his control of the southern coast of Britain into much of Sussex's former territory. Though it was menaced on all borders, Mercian power endured. But in 758 the Mercian king Aethelbald died, and soon after his successor Beornred met with a similar fate, placing the crown on the head of Offa. Though a capable ruler, Offa was faced with a realm of vassals of varying loyalty and powerful neighbors with histories of being less than friendly to Mercia. Worst of all, a new wave of Frisians were coming, ones seeking to do more than simply raid the coast...
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