alternatehistory.com

If we exclude the Roman or Byzantine Empires, which other historical country has best claim to being the successor of the Roman Empire?

Options (multiple choice allowed)
  • Russian Empire (By inheriting the religion of the Byzantine Empire and intermarrying into its ruling dynasty, as well as attempting to assert itself as "protector of the Eastern Christians")
  • Ottoman Empire (By conquering the Byzantine Empire and then taking a similar geopolitical role as the Eastern Roman Empire in terms of power projection into the Mediterranean and against Persia)
  • Italy (By inheriting the title of Kingdom of Italy through the Lombards, and having a language and culture directly evolved from the Latin one)
  • Holy Roman Empire (By being crowned Emperor and King of Rome by the Pope, later fighting the Ottoman Empire like the Byzantines, and being ruled by a Kaiser [Caesar])
  • Greece (By inheriting the religion and language of the Byzantine Empire)
  • Romania (By being descended in language and religion from the ancient Romanized inhabitants of Dacia, and by literally naming itself the Land of the Romans)
  • Papal States (By inheriting the title Pontifex Maximus, being head of the Roman Catholic Church, and being located in Rome)
  • Most Serene Republic of Venice (By being a major thalassocracy descended from a Byzantine port)
  • Latin Empire (By being Frankish barbarians that claimed to be Latin)
  • Republic of San Marino (By being founded inside the Roman Empire during its existence and surviving after both halves of the empire had fallen)
  • First French Empire (By being crowned Emperor by the Pope)
  • Kingdom of Spain (By claiming the title Imperator totius Hispaniae and being the first of the "Latin" nations)
  • Other
Top