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How to get a non European ruling as an independent monarch over a European soil ? Without changing religion and culture, but does expresses appreciation for the local culture and care for the local natives.

The only places in Europe I can imagine this happening would be one of the mediterrannean islands. Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, or Balearic.

I bet this requires Europe to be in full fledged division. Perhaps the destruction of Roman Catholic Church as a European juggernaut. Ottoman occupation of Rome, maybe ? That way Europe will be religiously fragmented, fast forwarding nationalism and rendering European states busy fending off each other. Then, a Turkish or Arab renegade can wonder up to one of those islands and grow appreciation for local culture, then become its king after completing subjugation of the island by local way of things and assisted by local notables. But more likely that Ottoman Italy will simply absorb the surrounding islands into Ottoman administration, since it makes sense. Is there anyway to at least leave Corsica and Sardinia in relative vacuum ?
I contemplate making it happen AFTER the collapse of Ottoman rule in Italy, but I'm not sure Corsica and Sardinia will remain christian by then. It'll likely be rechristianized by any European occupying it, but that's just not the same.

Another possibility will be in the New world colonized by Europeans. This is more intriguing. Say, in a world where European colonialism is less successful(getting bogged down in Indian Ocean), allowing Asian powers to develop power projection that enables them poking on European domains in the new world, especially after decolonization there, from which a Europe without control over the eastern trade will take a greater hit. Perhaps general chaos in Europe that will render some, if not all European powers prematurely abandon their New world colonies. When Mughals or Chinese or Ottomans or whatever will arrive sniffing over the Americas, they'll might also bring curious, energetic adventurers, like Brooke, only brown or have small eyes, into contact with local society, to which affairs they will be dragged into, and some of which will come out ruling over the european-descended settlers ! :eek: Imagine Chinese King over wild west California, or anti-piracy empire in Caribbean by an Indian adventurer, or Turkish overlord over Dixie Cowboys ! There can also be a foreigner-ruled state of native Americans sitting next adjacent to one, so there can be all kinds of fun !

Which brings me to a realization : apparently there is a topic called "Prematurely decolonized Americas getting imperialized by Asians in a more balanced world", and this needs much explorations ! :D
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