An innovative South American TL with a medieval divergence, created by robertp6165.
Gunpowder is one of those relatively simple inventions that one has to wonder why it didn't occur earlier, or in more places. So what if a priest in the ancient Peruvian city of Chan Chan had accidentally discovered gunpowder… about 500 years before the arrival of the Spanish?
The Inca Indians (or, as they were known to themselves, the Tawantinsuya) inherit the secret when they conquer Chan Chan in 1470, and because of it, are able to survive the incursions of Francisco Pizarro and other Spanish adventurers in the 16th Century. By the end of that century, they have been discovered by Francis Drake, and the Tawantinsuya/English alliance is born, which will have huge effects on future history. A few of the highlights include…
These are just a few of the many butterflies released by the POD.
Sounds interesting? You can read the timeline in its finished form here. If you want to read the original development thread with added discussion by board members, go here.