alternatehistory.com

I had a post already for this one but had to struggle to get my slippers on and my equilibrium is all shook up... Still, here goes for the outline

Mahmud II came to power as Ottoman sultan after the overthrow of Mustafa IV. He was the last remaining Osmanli prince at the time, and was beset with troubles from the Conservatives, including the Jannissaries, who were

"threatening on more than one occasion to replace Mahmud II with Selim Giray, the Khan of the Crimea. "

Now, there IS no Khan of the Crimea at this time - the Russian Empire took the place over in 1783, and the Ottomans fought a couple more wars and finally gave up in 1792. The last people listed as 'nominal khans' are the brothers Shabaz and Bakht, the latter dying in 1801. However, Giray princes continued to live in Istanbul and this Selim is probably the son of one of the two aforementioned nominal khans.

By a compact it had been agreed in the eighteenth century that if the Osmanli dynasty died out the Giray dynasty would succeed. But that was back when there was a Khanate of the Crimea and the Girays were rulers rather than exiles.

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So, the ATL goes something like this - Mahmud II is overthrown and murdered. Civil strife in Istanbul occurs between Mehmet Ali's supporters and those of Selim Giray who gains more backing and prevails.

But the change of dynasty and strife at the centre of power leads to a collapse in Ottoman authority. Russia is ever-ready to take advantage of Ottoman weakness, Egypt is straining at the bit and may well break off completely and take Syria and Hejaz with it, whilst independent-minded pashas in the Balkans set up their own political entities, e.g. in Janina. Montenegro and Serbia are additional areas of breakaway

How does it play out with Russia ? I am guessing that the date this occurs is important here. The articles I have read do not state specifically what dates the threats and likelihood occur. But lets set it after 1815 ...

What do the other powers do ? Austria, Britain and France ?

Grey Wolf
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