What if Andronikos II kept the tax exemptions?

Nikephoros

Banned
Andronikos II Palaiologos inherited the Roman Empire from his father Michael VIII. Michael was responsible for recapturing Constantinople from the Latin Empire.

This endeavor bankrupted the Roman Empire, so to rebuild the treasury Andronikos got rid of the various tax exemptions.

One of the more critical groups that got their tax exemptions removed was the Akritai, the frontier fighters between the Romans and the various Seljuk successor states.

The taxes levied on them by Andronikos supposedly led to the decline of the Akritai, and allowed the Ottomans to seize Bithynia.

One of these successor states belonged to Osman, who founded the Ottoman empire. This state later rose to destroy the Roman Empire, and create a successor state that would peak in the 1600s.

What if Andronikos recognizes the importance of the Akritai, and lets them keep their tax exemption? With the frontier defenses remaining intact (at least until another Emperor, hopefully) can the Romans hold off, or even take control of the Ottomans.

Another Turkish state could arise and challenge the Romans once more of course.
 
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