So for those who don't know, Tirant lo Blanc is a 15th century book by Joanot Martorell and Martí Joan de Galba about a Breton knight who travels to Greece and stops the fall of Constantinople! It was published in 1490, meaning it is a very early alternate history story! So what if this book made alternate history go mainstream? How could this happen and how would it affect culture? I wonder if an alt equivalent to Shakespeare would make alternate history plays?
What if the book Tirant lo Blanc kicked off alternate history in the 15th century?
- Thread starter RedKing
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It sounds like an awesome topic, but afraid I don't know enough to comment
I understand, but the idea of AH becoming mainstream centuries before it even starts making itself a distinct genre from Sci-Fi is fascinating
Didn't Voltaire's Candide have an element of alt-history in it? Or was that simply regarded as fictionalizing the papacy?
Deleted member 160141
If more people were to start writing alternate histories, the state is inevitably going to start getting nervous and start censoring them.
After all, people have a habit of wanting to recreate the things they read about if they sound rosy, and resenting people and entities described as failures in those books.
After all, people have a habit of wanting to recreate the things they read about if they sound rosy, and resenting people and entities described as failures in those books.
True but maybe alternate histories of ancient states such as Carthage or Rome could be allowed, and maybe pro-state alternate histories such as England winning the 100 Years war could be allowed.
True but Tirana lo Blanc is in the age of the printing press! So that way all it takes is for someone to print in let’s say French and it could become really popular!
Hm this is very true. I wonder wether it could be seen as a slight modification of chivalric/adventure novels, though. I have not read the book, but in as sense it looks (correct me if I am wrong) as much AH as Inglorious Basterds: technically it may qualify as such, but it might not be perceived as such.
Neither have I just read it’s plot on Wikipedia. Shakespeare could easily adapt it into a tragedy which could make it super popular in England.
I haven't read the book, or anything about it, but a story about
doesn't seem tragedy material to me.
He wants to marry the the heiress to Byzantine (the two are in love) but he dies before he can. Just a bit of editing and voila! A tragedy
Heiress to.....the Byzantines? Not entirely clued up on the empire but pretty sure that they didn't leave women as Empresses suo jure. Or anything suo jure.
And if Shakespeare is the one popularizing it, it ain't going to be AH I think.
There were a few people who were Empresses in their own right in Byzantium + it’s a fiction book. As for the Shakespeare part why not?
There were?
AH-Alternate History, it's supposed be hyper realistic fiction. I'm doubtful of Shakespeare making AH, atleast as we know it.
Fair enough about Shakespeare, though my plan was he adapts the book and changes a few things (e.g. making Tirant English) as for AH being hyper realistic I would dispute that. Also yeah there a few Byzantine Empresses e.g. Empress Zoe.
Hyper realistic is not the right word, yes, but I can't think of any other word that fits.
Kk.
Accurate? Also early AH wasn’t always the most realistic, heck some modern AH isn’t exactly realistic, and those end up being some of the most popular!