In OTL, Manuel I Komnenos created the title "despotes" for the would-be Bela III of Hungary to designate him as his successor and planned to marry his daughter Maria to him. But when Alexios II was born, this arrangement was cancelled but Manuel helped Bela claim the throne of Hungary later.
Now what if Alexios II was never born and the arrangement went as planned? Would Manuel help Bela claim the Crown of Saint Stephen? Would Bela rule by his own right or only as a co-emperor with Maria like the case of Zoe?
And what would the Christian world reacts to a Hungarian-Byzantine union? Would they abhor a superpower appearing or be somewhat glad to have a strong ally to back the Crusades?
Also, what about the Schism? Although the two parts of Bela's(or confusingly, the TTL Alexios II) realm would have different religions, the Catholic-Orthodox relation was warm back then and there was an attempt to mend the Schism during Manuel's reign, now, would Bela be able to unite the two churches?
Now what if Alexios II was never born and the arrangement went as planned? Would Manuel help Bela claim the Crown of Saint Stephen? Would Bela rule by his own right or only as a co-emperor with Maria like the case of Zoe?
And what would the Christian world reacts to a Hungarian-Byzantine union? Would they abhor a superpower appearing or be somewhat glad to have a strong ally to back the Crusades?
Also, what about the Schism? Although the two parts of Bela's(or confusingly, the TTL Alexios II) realm would have different religions, the Catholic-Orthodox relation was warm back then and there was an attempt to mend the Schism during Manuel's reign, now, would Bela be able to unite the two churches?