There's also the fact that if this is Caribbean (or São Tomé and Príncipe), slavery is basically inevitable, since whites are less resistant to the tropical climate and resulting diseases than blacks are. Although if this is a one way trip (to the Caribbean), there would be no blacks, just white peasants and presumably Indian slaves. I guess screw over the Taino and others as in OTL? It isn't like the Caribbean Indians are going to particularly like a bunch of European refugees trying to colonise their land. Probably would screw over the Lucayans and others as in OTL, since a strong neo-Byzantine state would raid them for slaves. Only after the Caribbean is depleted of its slavery potential would African slaves come in to the picture.
Or am I getting the wrong idea with these neo-Byzantines as plantation owners, even though anyone would realise that's the easiest way to make money in the New World, while getting the less fortunate people to grow the grain to feed your plantations? I mean, if you went to any part of Macaronesia, the obvious solution is to plant sugar. Same with the Caribbean. Although if you went to what is now the United States, there's always tobacco to plant as well. Regardless, it's still a plantation economy.
Well, the issue is that unlike Europe, there is going to be a more urgent need (from my perspective) to ensure there is a reliable source of food, and that'll take at least some crop land. Importing food using money crops leaves you in a perilous situation in terms of food security. One bad storm, one poor trade deal, and suddenly food security is gone. Don't get me wrong, I agree that it'll still be mainly a plantation economy, but I think it is more likely that the early days will involve smaller plots of land worked by the lands owners, it may go full-scale plantation as time goes on and the more successful farmers, or wealthy merchants, start buying up plots of land and bringing large plantations into the mix.
As for start up money, selling the Peloppenese to the Venetians, either for money or ships. The Byzantines were also the only people aside from the Chinese who knew how to make silk (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong), so that's money there. And, it seems I must reiterate, the idea is for there to be no more contact with Europe until they discover the new world on their own again, which would be at least 50 years out, if not more due to Byzantine butterflies screwing up the Renaissance a bit by not fleeing to Italy or Russia. The Greeks flooding into Italy was a key part of the reinvigoration of interest in Roman knowledge and culture.
Well, unlike the timeline I suggested, this changes quite a bit - cash crops are now almost pointless as there is only local consumption. Sure sugar is tasty, but you need bread, fish, grapes, etc. But doing as the mod did and selling the Peloponnese is risky, as where are the colonists going to come from? The dilapidated Constantinople? They'd have to come from the Morea. Sure you might have a 40-year head start with the colony, but that still leaves you with a small pool of settlers. High risk plan, with potential rewards. I guess if you set up a trade post in Cape Verde, or some small island, and they destroy any ship that comes into their waters from Europe they can start an export economy on the basis of pretending the goods come from elsewhere, and not be the big "Hi, money to be made out west" sign.
Wouldn't the Genoese be better, between their interests in Crimea (itself a nice place to flee to considering how defensible the peninsula is once you secure it up to the isthmus of Perekop) and the fact they produced explorers like a certain C. Columbus?
Genoa is an option, but do they have the ships and resources needed? Venice AFAIK was the richer of the two at this point, with a larger fleet. Plus, whichever party gets involved in the region risks wars with the Turks. Venice already has exposure, Genoa might not want to risk it, instead choosing to play buddy-buddy.
Either would be interested, and I suppose the Genoese might be preferred, due to a long history of wars with the Venetians, but it is worth noting that Venice also hates the Turks, and already has control of the islands of Crete and Naxos, as well as Athens and its surrounding area, while the Genoese are griendly with the Ottomans, and only control Chios and Kaffa in the region.
All true.
I think for a TL on the concept, you'd need to figure out what the Venetians would pay, in ships and materials, for the Morea. Once you have an idea about that, THEN you can consider the numbers that you could transport, the food supplies that can could come, etc. I'm all for saying it is doable (but difficult) - but if you are alone, you have a small local economy for cash crops - whereas if they establish a trade route they can start to buy all sorts of materials from Europe.
I think a feasible possibility is to partner with the Portuguese in some manner - trading in the Azores to the Portuguese, who sell the goods on, and sell European goods, is a possibility - and if Portugal still prioritise a trade route around Africa, having trade goods come to them is a boon. Most of the profits, none of the work.
In fact yeah. If I was Constantine and landed (unlike the mod, I think the Caribbean is more likely), my plan would be:
0) Talk with Portugal - essentially "If we find something, where is the most western port we can go to to trade at? - Azores"
1) Food, water, shelter - establish an operational hub (use whatever term you like)
2) Search for resources, metals, coal, surface oil, good timber
3) Start building, and setting up large camping grounds
4) Establish farms for food supplies based on the knowledge of captured slaves
5) Once stable, and everyone has started setting up homesteads (or considering it), start plantations and send a load of goods/coin to the Azores and buy stuff, and negotiate terms with the Portuguese.
6) Pray for good luck, and start building a church.