Alternate History Thread III

[Azale]

Sure there is! das NES' are insane, it's like Star Wars.

 

[The Strategos]

My first attempt at an alt-history map. Comments welcome. Date is 270 BCE. Based off of NK's 0 CE map, which explains America, which I did not touch.

Spoiler :

 

[jeps]

I dont see a point in reserving, but Id like to play as Ethiopia. They seem to embody a lot of what I normally do, anyways. as well as being Ethiopia.

 

[Israelite9191]

What's the PoD? Or are we supposed to guess?

And, not to distract from Strategos' Alt-hist, but here is a revised version of my last Age of Elisabeth update. Reading over it I realised I had completely forgotten some extremely important events in Northeast Europe and the East Mediterranean. As always the PoD is in blue and revisions in green. All comments, questions, and criticisms are welcome.

The Age of Elisabeth – Timeline​

Spoiler “First Installation” :

1343 –
1.) Robert the Wise Angevine, King of Naples, King of Jerusalem, Count of Provence-Forcalquier becomes seriously ill.
2.) Elisabeth, Queen Mother of Hungary, arrives in Italy campaigning on behalf of her elder son, Louis I the Great Angevine, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Dalmatia to take the throne in place of her younger son Andrew, Duke of Calabria, heir to the Neapolitan throne.
3.) Robert dies.
4.) Pope Clement VI takes the side of Louis and Elisabeth over Andrew.
1344 –
1.) Louis I the Great Angevine, King of Hungary, is crowned King of Naples, King of Jerusalem, and Count of Provence-Forcalquier.
2.) Louis I and Stefan II Kotromanić, Ban of Bosnia, invade Zara declaring war on Venice. Zara is conquered and the Banate of Dalmatia is united with that of Bosnia as a reward to Kotromanić. The Republic of Ragusa is founded under Hungarian hegemony.
1345 – 1347 –
1.) Louis I, with significant aide from Kotromanić, campaign in the Herzegovinan principalities and Cumania (Wallachia and Moldavia) with significant success.
1347 –
1.) Kotromanić invades Serbia on pretenses of aiding dynastic relatives in Montenegro gain independence. Louis I joins and the War of Montenegrin Independence begins officially on May 20.
2.) Albania rises in revolt under Charles Angevine, Duke of Durazzo, cousin to Louis I of Hungary, and legal claimant to the Albanian throne.
3.) The Battle of the Zeta takes place on July 3. Combined Hungarian, Bosniak, Montenegran, and Albanian forces crush the Serb military.
4.) The Treaty of Belgrade is signed ending the war. The treaty is signed by a collective of Serb lords in place of Stefan Dušan, who has fled to exile in Bulgaria. Serbia becomes a Banate of Hungary under Charles, who also becomes the Prince of Albania.
5.) Balša I is crowned king of the newly independent Montenegro.
6.) Balša I and his three sons and heirs die under mysterious contexts. Kotromanić becomes the logical heir and is crowned king of Montenegro.
1349 –
1.) An assassination attempt organized by Charles I, Prince of Albania on the life of Louis I, who had only female heirs which would have allowed Charles to place a claim to the throne, is uncovered by Kotromanić. Charles is seized and executed by Hungarian forces and Louis I, the logical heir, takes the Albanian throne.
1351 –
1.) Louis I re-releases the Golden Bull of 1222, guaranteeing the rights of Hungarian nobility.
1352 –
1.) The Moldavian Voivodeship is founded out of Cummania by Louis I. Dragoş of Béltek Maramureş is sent by Louis I to establish a line of boundary against the Golden Horde. Dragoş continues the campaign extending Moldavia to the Dneister River.
1353 –
1.) Tvrtko I becomes Ban of Bosnia and King of Montenegro.
1354 –
1.) Byzantine Emperor John V Palaeologos appeals to Hungary for aide against the Ottomans. Louis I responds by sending a moderate force under Tvrtko, marking Hungarian entrance into the War of Adrianople.
1355 –
1.) Kazimierz Wielki III, King of Poland names Louis I, his nephew, as his successor.
2.) The War of Adrianople stalls and John V appeals for more help. Louis responds by sending another small army followed by a second soon there after.
1356 –
2.) The War of Ardrianople turns in favor of the Byzantines with The Fourth Battle of Adrianople. Most of the Hungarian forces, including Tvrtko, return home.
1358 –
1.) The War of Adrianople turns again, this time in favor of the Ottomans, with The Sixth Battle of Adrianople. John V does not request aide.
1359 –
1.) The Ottomans win the seemingly decisive Battle of Pentikion. John V seeks aide from Louis I but is denied.
2.) John V seeks aide again, pledging to hand over all Byzantine territory as far south as Kavala in Greece excepting the Golden Horn and Gallipoli. Louis I responds by personally leading a large force.
3.) Bâlc Maramureş assumes the Voivodeship of Moldavia.
4.) Bogdan of Cuhea raises a revolt in Moldavia. Bâlc flees into Transylvania and requests help from Esztergom, which sends a small force to prevent Bogdan from entering Transylvania, but nothing more.
5.) Proclamation of the first Orthodox Romanian Metropolitan Church in Wallachia.
1359 – 1360 –
1.) A series of decisive battles takes place between the Magyaro-Byzantine forces and the Ottomans culminating in The Eighth Battle of Adrianople. The Ottomans return to Anatolia.
1360 –
1.) Louis I redirects his attention and leads a large number of troops into Moldavia, crushing the fledgling rule of Bogdan and reinstating Bâlc as vovoide. Bogdan flees to Walachia.
1361 –
1.) The Hungarian capital is moved by Louis I to Buda from Esztergom (Gran).
2.) Louis I invades Bulgaria.
1362 –
1.) Louis I defeats and captures Ivan Stratsimir, Tsar of Bulgaria, securing northern Bulgaria.
2.) Pope Urban V succeeds Pope Innocent VI in Avignon.
1363 –
1.) Byzantium wins the naval Battle of Megara against the Ottoman Turks.
2.) Epirus revolts against Byzantium, establishing a greater level of independence while the Byzantines are distracted defending against the Ottomans.
3.) Tvrtko invades and conquers Epirus, crowning himself Despot of Epirus.
1365 – 1370 –
1.) Louis I initiates a series of successful wars against Wallachia and Bulgaria. Wallachia is conquered in 1368, Bulgaria remains independent.
1366 –
1.) Decree of Turda negates nobility rights of the Orthodox Romanians in Transylvania, Hungary.
1369 –
1.) Jan Huss is born in Bohemia.
1370 –
1.) Kazimierz Wielki III, King of Poland, dies and Louis I the Great Angevine, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Dalmatia is crowned King of Poland.
2.) Pope Gregory XI succeeds Pope Urban V in Avignon.

Spoiler “Second Installation” :

1371 –
1.) Tsar Ivan Shishman is crowned as co-emperor with his brother Ivan Stratsimir by their father Tsar Ivan Alexander, the supreme emperor. Bulgaria is significantly weakened by the split.
1372 –
1.) Louis I invades a weakened Bulgaria.
1373 –
1.) Ottomans defeat the Byzantines decisively at the naval Battle of Lesbos.
2.) Ottomans begin the invasion of Greece, landing forces on the mainland.
3.) Siege of Thessaloniki, John V Palaeologos requests aide from Louis I of Hungary, the request is denied as Hungary is tied up in Bulgaria.
1374 –
1.) Philip II of Taranto passes, leaving the Principality of Taranto and the Principality of Achaea to James of Baux.
2.) Mária of Hungary Angevine is betrothed to Sigismund of Luxembourg despite the wishes of Elisabeth of Bosnia Kotromanić, Queen Consort of Hungary and mother of Mária.
1374 – 1376
1.) Magyaro-Bulgarian War stalls with Hungary controlling the inner half of Bulgaria.
2.) The Ottoman invasion of Greece carries on with minimal Byzantine resistance but significant peasant uprising. John V requests help from Hungary several times but is denied. He also requests help from the West but is likewise denied.
1376 –
1.) Andronicus IV Palaeologos seizes the Byzantine throne, with the aide of Genoese merchants, from John V Palaeologos. Murad I Osman, Bey of the Ottoman Empire, intervenes restoring his ally John V to the throne.
1377 –
1.) The Avignon Papacy returns to Rome under the leadership of Pope Gregory XI at the behest of Catherine of Sienna.
2.) Treaty of Santorini signed ending the war between the Ottomans and Byzantines. Greece is handed over to the Ottomans and the Ottomans pledge to guarantee the independence of Constantinople under Byzantine rule.
3.) Pope Gregory XI condemns John Wycliffe.
4.) Władysław II Jagiello succeeds to the Lithuanian throne and becomes sole ruler.
5.) Plovdiv falls in late November. Bulgaria incorporated into the Hungarian Empire.
1378 –
1.) John Wycliffe attempts to defend his theses before the English public.
2.) Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg dies. His son Wenceslaus IV the Drunkard, Elector of Brandenburg, succeeds him as King of Bohemia and King of Germany. He is elected King of the Romans.
3.) Papacy permanently moved to Rome.
4.) Pope Urban VI elected Pope under pressure from the Roman mob.
5.) Antipope Clement VII elected at Fondi, establishes himself in Avignon. Western Schism begins.
6.) Louis I intervenes on behalf of Urban VI. He leads a large force into Italy while sending Tvrtko to lead a force in Provence, a holding of the Hungarian crown since merger with the Neapolitan crown, to besiege Avignon.
7.) France intervenes, sending a force to clash with the Hungarian one.
1379 –
1.) War of the Papal Schism continues with Hungarian and French forces clashing in Italy and Provence. Both sides make advances but neither is able to gain the upper hand.
2.) Radu I, titular Prince of Wallachia, and his son Dan I, titular heir to the Princedom of Wallachia, raise a revolt against Hungary. Forces under the loyal Bâlc Maramureş, Voivode of Moldavia, are sent to suppress the rebellion. They meet moderate success before being forced to retreat by lack of supplies.
1380 –
1.) Battle of Milan takes place between Hungarian lead pro-Urban forces and French led pro-Clement forces. The battle ends in a draw with both sides retreating from Northern Italy to lick their wounds.
2.) The War of the Papal Schism continues in Provence with minor gains by Tvrtko.
1381 –
1.) The Peasants’ Revolt takes place in England. As a result Wycliffe grows more unpopular among the elite.
2.) Kęstutis Alexander seizes the Grand Dukeship of Lithuania.
3.) The War of Chioggia comes to an end with Venice defeating Genoa.
4.) France launches a new offensive in Northern Italy. They are opposed by a weakened Venice.
5.) England enters the War of the Papal Schism in Northern France with a large invasion.
6.) Brittany revolts, siding with Pope Urban VI and joining England and Hungary.
7.) Second Battle of Milan takes place. French forces are soundly defeated by a Venice-lead alliance of pro-Urban Italian city states supported by Hungarian florins. France retreats from Italy.
8.) Battle of Kermartin takes place. Anglo-Breton forces defeat French forces.
9.) Battle of Évreux is fought between the English and French. French win a crushing victory through superior tactics. English retreat to stronger positions west of the Orne.
1382 –
1.) Battle of Orange is fought in Provence. Forces under the leadership of Tvrtko decisively crush French troops. Tvrtko marches on and lays siege to Avignon.
2.) Avignon falls. Clement VII and the rebel cardinals are executed en masse. Pope Urban VI is reinstated as the Holy Father for all of Catholic Christendom.
3.) Synod of London condemns the teaching of Wycliffe.
4.) Treaty of Genoa signed by all involved parties. Provence is made a duchy independent of France, Brittany is made fully independent, and England takes control of much of northern France.
5.) Trieste donates itself to Hungary out of fear of being conquered by Venice.
6.) Louis I the Great Angevine, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Dalmatia, King of Naples, King of Jerusalem, Duke of Provence-Forcalquier, Prince of Albania, King of Poland, dies. His eldest daughter Mária inherits the throne. At the behest of her mother, Elisabeth of Bosnia, she immediately dismisses her betrothal to Sigismund. Elisabeth organizes Tvrtko’s placement as co-regent.
7.) Kęstutis Alexander, Grand Duke of Lithuania is taken prisoner and executed by the former Grand Duke, Władysław II Jagiełło, who regains the crown.
1383 –
1.) James Baux, Prince of Taranto and Prince of Achaea, dies. Mária seizes the principality of Taranto, a fief of Hungary. Charles II of Durazzo the Short Angevine inherits Achaea.
2.) Stefan Tvrtko I Kotromanić, Ban of Bosnia and King of Montenegro and Mária wed at the urging of Elisabeth of Bosnia. Tvrtko receives the titles and holdings of Louis I.
3.) The Teutonic Crusades against Lithuania recommence.
4.) The Orthodox Romanian nobles in Transylvania are restored to their positions by Trvrtko.

Spoiler “Third Installation” :

1384 –
1.) John Wycliffe dies.
2.) Afyonkarahisar is secured. The Ottomans now rule all of western Anatolia.
1385 –
1.) Tvrtko sends Bâlc Maramureş, Voivode of Moldavia, to lead an invasion of Wallachia. After a serious of minor defeats he wins the decisive Battle of Târgovişte both Prince Dan I Basarab and his son Mircea I Basarabare killed in the fighting. The voivodeship is awarded to the Maramureş family for their service.
1386 – 1390 –
1.) Tvrtko and Maria institute a series of reforms, consolidating power in the Crown of St. Stephen and weakening the Hungarian nobility.
1388 –
1.) The Wycliffe Bible completed.
2.) Mass persecution of Lollard followers of Wycliffe’s teachings begins.
1389 –
1.) Pope Boniface IX succeeds Pope Urban VI in Rome.
1390 –
1.) Lords in southern Hungary raise a revolt demanding a re-issuing of the Golden Bull and an expansion of rights.
2.) Charles II the Short of Durazzo, Prince of Achaea, begins secretly financing the rebels.
3.) Vytautas the Great Gediminaičiai, claimant to the Lithuanian Grand Dukeship the raises a revolt against the current Grand Duke, Jogaila Gediminaičiai Jagiellon in alliance with the Teutonic Order.
4.) Tvrtko leads an army into the south, engaging the rebels in several battles but makes little headway.
1391 –
1.) The nobles secure several key positions.
2.) Charles of Durazzo reveals his intentions and begins sending Achaean troops to aide the rebels.
3.) Charles of Durazzo dies mysteriously, assassination is assumed and Elisabeth of Bosnia falls under suspicion.
4.) Vytautas allies with Muscovy.
5.) The Ottomans invade Achaea from their positions in the southern Peloponnesus. Achaea is slowly annexed into the Ottoman Empire, leaving all of Greece except the Duchy of Athens and some northern territory in Hungary under Ottoman rule.
1392 – 1393 –
1.) The nobles begin loosing ground to Royal forces under Tvrtko, until the last stand at the Battle of Hódvásárhely (modern Hódmezővásárhely, Csongrád, Hungary). The battle was short and the few forces that fought for the rebels in the battle mostly fled.
1392 –
1.) Vytautas defeats Jogaila and takes the Lithuanian throne.
2.) Elisabeth of Bosnia, Queen Mother of Hungary, dies of natural causes.
1394 – 1396 –
1.) Tvrtko embarks on a second series of internal reforms eliminating defunct fiefs and reducing the number of noble titles. This includes the incorporation of Bosnia, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Montenegro into the holdings of the Crown of St. Stephen.
1396 –
1.) The uneasy peace between France and England of the Treaty of Genoa is shakily secured with the marriage of Richard II Plantagenet, King of England, Titular King of France, and Lord of Ireland to Isabella of Valois, Princess of France.
2.) Charles VI the Mad Valois, King of France invades Genoa.
3.) Genoa soundly defeats the invading French force. France is forced to pay significant reparations.
4.) Charles VI turns up dead in his bead in the royal palace, assassinated. He has no male heirs and only one living female heir, Isabella of Valois, Queen Consort of England.
1397 –
1.) War of French Succession breaks out upon the death of Charles VI. Louis de Valois, Duke of Orléans claims the throne as does Richard II, whose wife is the closest thing to an obvious heir.
2.) England invades France with the intention of securing the French throne for the Plantagenets. Burgundy and most of the French fiefs side with Louis de Valois, while Brittany and a few French fiefs, in particular ones with lesser power, side with Richard II. For the time being Provence, under Hungarian rule, remains neutral.
3.) Milan sends troops to aid Louis, who is married to the duke’s daughter.
4.) Genoa, Venice, Florence, and Bologna, in a surprise alliance, invade Milanese territory. Milan is destroyed and the alliance marches on to France
5.) English troops defeat Valois troops at the Battle Lisieux, securing northern France up to the Seine.
6.) The Ottoman Empire finishes the conquest of Anatolia up to the Black Sheep and White Sheep Turkomans.
7.) Thomas Arundel appointed and then ousted as Archbishop of Canterbury.
1398 –
1.) English win the Battle of Diepe. All of Normandy is now under English control.
2.) Anglo-Breton forces are defeated by Valois forces in the Battle of Batz-sur-Mer. Breton borders are pushed up to Nantes itself.
3.) Italian troops march across the Alps to attack Orléans from behind. They are confronted by a Valois army and are soundly defeated.
4.) Teutonic Order raids into Lithuanian territory resume.
1399 –
1.) The war quiets down considerably for several months with both sides gathering forces.
2.) An extraordinarily large force of English, along with Italian supporters, arrives in Rouen’s docks. The force begins marching for Paris.
3.) Louis diverts vast amounts of troops towards Paris in order to confront English forces.
4.) The forces confront each other at The Battle of Argenteuil. The battle is long, the forces involved tremendous in number, and the list of casualties never-ending, but the English emerge victorious over the Valois by a seeming stroke of luck. The English march on to secure Paris.
5.) Provencal forces, under the leadership of Tvrtko, launch a surprise attack against Languedoc and southern French territory. Burgundy is simply to weak to defend itself and does not put up more than a small fight.
6.) After securing southern France Tvrtko happily offers to moderate a peace between the English alliance and the Valois faction.
7.) Mária Angevine, Queen Consort of Hungary, dies of natural causes.
8.) Battle of the Vorskla River won by the Golden Horde against Lithuania, which was led by Vytautas.
9.) Warlike John V the Conqueror Montfort, Duke of Brittany, dies, his peaceful son John VI the Wise Montfort ascends to the throne.

 

[Israelite9191]

Spoiler “Fourth Installation” :

1401 –
1.) Timur raises Baghdad.
2.) Passing of De hæretico comburendo Act in England and France by Henry IV at the behest of the anti-Lollard Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel. English translations of the bible are now illegal and heresy now punishable by burning at the stake.
1402 –
1.) The Ottomans loose the Battle of Ankara to Timur. The following infighting between claimants to the Ottoman throne causes a stagnation of the Ottoman rise in power.
2.) A Scottish raiding army under the Earl of Douglas is defeated by the English under Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy at the Battle of Homildon Hill.
3.) The Canary Islands are colonized for Castile by Jean de Béthencourt on the orders of Henry III the Infirm Trastámara of Castile.
4.) The Welsh rebels are decisively victorious, destroying the enemy army, over the English, who outnumbered them nearly 2:1, at the Battle of Bryn Glas near the Anglo-Welsh border.
5.) The former Duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, dies from illness as he prepares a rebellion against Florence and Bologna.
6.) Vicenza is conquered by Venice.
1403 –
1.) A peasant uprising occurs in Paris and the surrounding countryside. Henry IV and his son leave with a large force for France.
2.) Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy rebels against Henry IV and allies with Owain Glyndŵr of Wales.
3.) Battle of Shrewsbury takes place in late July in the north of England. Rebel forces under Sir Henry Percy face off against royalist forces. The Cheshire archers prove decisive in holding off the much larger royalist force long enough for rebel Welsh reinforcements to arrive. The rebels emerge victorious.
4.) Jan Hus begins preaching Lollard inspired teachings in Bohemia.
5.) The rebellion in France is put down and Henry IV returns to England.
6.) Henry IV marries Joanna of Navarre née d’Évreux, former regent of Brittany and daughter of the Navarrese king, Charles II the Bad d’Évreux.
7.) While the Ottomans are absorbed by internal struggles the Byzantines make a grab for Ottoman territory in northern Greece but are “advised” against this by Tvrtko.
8.) Vytautas ends the Lithuanian-Muscovian alliance and captures Smolensk and Vyazma.
9.) Georgia recognizes Timur as suzerain.
1404 –
1.) Owain Glyndŵr secures a triple alliance between himself, Scotland, and Sir Henry Percy’s rebels against England. Parliamentary assemblies begin in Wales.
2.) Pope Innocent VII succeeds Pope Boniface IX in Rome.
3.) Stefan Tvrtko I Kotromanić, King of Hungary, King of Naples, King of Jerusalem, Grand Duke of Provence-Forcalquier, Prince of Albania, King of Poland, dies and is succeeded by his son Stefan Tvrtko II Kotromanić.
4.) Peace and alliance against Moscow is signed by Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights.
5.) The Battle of Shipton Moor results in a defeat at the hands of Henry IV of rebel troops under the leadership of Archbishop of York Richard le Scrope and Thomas Mowbray, Earl of Norfolk. The rebel troops retreat to better positions and join with forces under Sir Henry Percy.
1405 –
1.) Timur dies of fever while on campaign in China.
1406 –
1.) The Battle of Brassington is fought between the English rebels, Welsh rebels, and Scots on one side and the royal forces on the other. The royal forces are overwhelmed and the rebel alliance emerges victorious.
2.) Peace of Derby is signed. The independent Principality of Wales and Grand Duchy of Northumberland are recognized with the former under Owain IV the Great Glyndŵr, Prince of Wales and the Parliament of Wales and the later under Henry Hotspur Percy, Grand Duke of Northumberland. Man is secured as a definitively Scottish holding.
3.) Pope Alexander V succeeds Pope Innocent VII in Rome.
4.) Vytautas signs an alliance with the Novgorod Feudal Republic.
5.) Pisa falls to Florence.
1407 –
1.) The Grand Duchy of France invades that of Provence-Forcalquier.
2.) Tvrtko II responds by leading a large force into Provence.
1408 –
1.) Battle of Marseilles ends with a climactic clash between French and Provencal-Hungarian forces. Tvrtko II is killed be a random arrow in the back as Louis de Valois leads a surprise attack from behind. Hungarian forces are withdrawn from Provence.
2.) The death of Tvrtko II leads the ascension of Borić I the Young Kotromanić to the Hungarian throne and the regency of the Queen Mother Kujava née Radenović.
3.) The Treaty of Montpellier is signed by Kujava née Radenović, in the stead of Borić the Young as Duke of Provence-Forcalquier and Louis de Valois. Languedoc and other Provencal holdings outside of Provence’s own borders are handed over to the French Grand Duke.
4.) Vytautas is invited to become knyaz of the Novgorod Feudal Republic.
1409 –
1.) The Mac Carthy Mors and O’Briens of southern and Western Ireland lead a revolt against the English with support from the Scottish. The other de facto (some of them also de jure) independent clans of Ireland join the revolt.
2.) The Anglo-Irish lords, by now in large part Gaelicized, are convinced to join the rebellion at the Summit of Dingle, a holding of the rebel-friendly and Gaelicized FitzGerald clan.
3.) Battle of Kildare proves a victory for the Irish. Though not resulting in significant territory transfer, it does force Henry IV to go to Ireland with as much of an army as he could assemble to put the rebellion down.
4.) The Battle of Louth results in an English victory and the Irish rebels are pushed back from the Pale.
5.) The Battle of Tullamore proves a decisive rebel victory with Henry IV himself being killed in the fray.
6.) With absolutely no money to pursue the rebels, Henry V, the new King of England and King of France, is forced to sign the Treaty of Cork establishing the independent Royal Republic of Ireland.
7.) The Royal Republic of Ireland is formed with the Parliament, consisting of representatives of the rebel clans, the few remaining old kingdoms, and the Anglo-Irish lords, sitting in Cork.
1410 –
1.) The conquest of Sardinia is completed by the Aragonese.
2.) The Battle of Gulbene, one of the largest and bloodiest in medieval history, is fought in eastern Latvia between forces of the Teutonic Order and forces of Lithuania-Novgorod. Utilizing ingenious tactics, some of which were acquired from the Mongols, forces under the leadership of Vytautas the Great are decisively victorious over the Teutonic Knights.
3.) Pope Martin V succeeds Pope Alexander V in Rome.

1411 –
1.) Battle of Rapla is fought between Novgorodian and Teutonic forces in eastern Estonia. The already severely weakened Teutonic Knights stand no chance against the high moral of the Novgorodians and the battle is quickly and easily won for Novgorod.
2.) Forces of the Teutonic Order and the Lithuanian-Novgorodian alliance (mainly Lithuanians) meet at the Battle of Mažeikiai. The battle at first appears to be a real competition, but once cracks appeared in the Teutonic ranks they broke and the superior moral allowed the Lithuanians to break the enemy ranks.
1412 –
1.) The Valladolid Laws are passed in Spain placing severe restrictions on the civil rights of the Jewish population.
2.) The Peace of Turoń is signed by the Teutonic Order and the Lithuanian-Novgorodian alliance. The major Teutonic holdings in Livonia and Lithuania are split between the Novgorodians and Lithuanians leaving the Prussians with their holdings in Germany and Pomerania.
3.) Jan Hus condemns the practice of indulgences.
4.) Under papal order the Cardinal of St. Angelo takes action against Jan Hus.
5.) The Synod of Český Brod is held in Bohemia. The traditional Catholics, wishing to avoid a major confrontation, give into the Hussites by agreeing that condemnations can only be made with the agreement of the political leader of the concerned region.
1414 –
1.) Florence invades Sienna.
2.) Hussite Lollardy begins gaining dominance in Bohemia and spreading to neighboring regions in the Hungarian Empire and Austria.
3.) The Union of Yama is signed, creating the Lithuanian-Novgorodian Commonwealth with Vytautas the Great Gediminaičiai crowned King of Lithuania and Novgorod and the Novgorodian legislature expanded to include Lithuanian representation. Vytautas and the Lithuanian nobility convert to Eastern Orthodoxy.
1415 –
1.) Sienna falls to Florentine forces.
2.) The Church in England begins a crusade to eliminate Lollardism, including the burning of all works by Wycliffe and the systematic persecution and on occasion execution of nobles supporting the Lollards.
3.) A number of Lollard nobles flee to Northumberland to escape persecution.
1416 –
1.) Wenceslaus IV the Drunkard Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, gives full legal standing to Hussite Lollardism along with the Roman Catholic Church.
2.) Construction of the Eastern Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension of the Holy Virgin Mary begun in Vilnius by Vytautas.
1417 –
1.) The Genoese-Florentine War begins with Florence invading Genoese holdings in the former Duchy of Milan.
2.) Siege of Genoa begins.
3.) So-called Celtic Reformation, inspired by Lollardy, begins in Ireland under the leadership of Sister Mary, Abbess of Kildare and a number of abbots around the countryside. Much of the nobility openly supports the movement.
4.) The Celtic Reformation begins to spread to Scotland.
5.) An assignation attempt by Sigismund Luxembourg, Margrave of Brandenburg, on the life of Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia is halted and Sigismund is executed.
6.) Ernest I and William III von Bayern-München, close allies of Sigismund, distance themselves from Sigismund by allying with the Hussite allies of Wenceslaus giving them freedom in Bavaria-Munich.
1419 –
1.) Father Jan Želivský leads Hussites in the First Defenestration of Prague.
2.) Genoese and Florentine diplomats sign the Treaty of La Spezia ending the war and creating the Most Serene Dual Republic of Florence-Genoa.
3.) Persecution of Lollards in England heightens.
4.) Celtic Reformation gains ground in Ireland and Scotland. Spreads to Man and Wales.
5.) Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia dies. His wife, Sofia of Bavaria, becomes Custodian of the Throne.
6.) Ernest I von Bayern-München is crowned King of Bohemia as the closest successor to the deceased Wenceslaus IV.
1420 –
1.) Portuguese rediscover and begin settling the Madeira Islands.
2.) Native Northumbrian nobility begins adopting Lollardy.
3.) Celtic Reformation continues spreading in Ireland, Scotland, Man and Wales. Begins to gain adherents in (English ruled) Cornwall.
1421 –
1.) The Kingdom of Cyprus invades Mamluk Egypt.
2.) Murad II Osman leads an Ottoman invasion of Egypt taking advantage of the Cypriot invasion, severe political instability, and continued upheaval in Syria.
1422 –
1.) Under pressure from the nobility, Henry II Percy, Grand Duke of Northumberland, adopts Lollardism as the state religion.
2.) Venice invades and conquers the remaining independent states of Northern Italy.
3.) The Battle of the Al-Fula is fought between Ottoman and Mamluk forces in the Jezreel Valley. Despite suffering large losses the Ottomans emerge victorious due to the valiant efforts of the Turkish Sipahi cavalry.
4.) The Mamluks make one last stand for Syria and the Holy Land at the Battle of El-Azariya (remembered in Christendom as the Battle of Bethany) some two miles from Jerusalem. Though the Mamluks fought valiantly to keep the Holy City, the Ottomans fought equally fiercely to gain it. In the end the Sipahis once again proved their value by tilting the battle in the Ottoman favor and handing control of the Holy Land to the House of Osman with surprisingly minimal losses.
5.) Cypriots emerge victorious at the Battle of Alexandria against demoralized and severely weakened Egyptians.
1423 –
1.) Battle of Giza is fought below the Great Pyramid between Mamluk, Ottoman, and Cypriot forces. The Cypriots emerge victorious with the Ottomans forced to accept a Cypriot victory due to earlier losses in Syria.
2.) Following the Battle of Cairo Mamluk Egypt splinters apart as numerous claimants from among the ruling Burji dynasty and from the rest of the Mamluk class claim power for themselves throughout the empire.
1424 –
1.) The Great Italian War breaks out with the Dual Republic invading Venetian holdings in the former Duchy of Milan and in the west of Italy.
2.) The forces meet in the Battle of Peschiera outside the town of Peschiera del Garda in western Veneto. After a drawn out battle in which the Venetians are successful for some time in defending the fortress, the superior numbers and technology of the Dual Republic win out.
3.) Padua is placed under siege. The city holds out for eight months before surrendering without bloodshed.
4.) The Synod of Canterbury is called for by English authorities to discuss Northumberland’s adoption of Lollardy. They decide to raise an army to crusade against Northumberland and to request of the pope to officially declare a crusade against Northumberland.
1425 –
1.) Forces of the Dual Republic reach the outskirts of the Venetian lagoon.
2.) The Venetian doge agrees to meet that of the Dual Republic in Padua so as to avoid the siege and possible destruction of Venice.
3.) The Treaty of Padua is signed by Venice and the Dual Republic, forming the Most Serene Republic of Italy.
4.) The pope refuses to officially declare a crusade, though he unofficially encourages the English to pursue an invasion of Northumberland.
5.) An Ottoman invasion of the Cypriot home island is launched, taking the Kapasia Peninsula and from there moving south west through the island.
6.) Murad II personally leads an Ottoman army from Syria into Egypt.
1426 –
1.) English forces under John of Lancaster Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford set out for Northumberland with the intent of deposing the Grand Duchy and bringing it back under Roman Catholic control.
2.) English forces camped in Weardale near Wolsingham are surprised in a night attack from the high ground above the valley by Northumbrian troops. The Battle of Wolsingham is a massacre and the English are left devastated.
3.) Greek Orthodox Cypriots are stirred into revolt against their Catholic leaders by the Ottomans, who promise greater freedoms than the Catholics have provided.
4.) Murad’s forces confront a Cypriot army in the Battle of Damietta. Though the Ottomans emerge victorious, Murad is killed his successor, Mehmed II the Conqueror Osman, takes over command of the army.
5.) The Battle of Ain Shams is fought between Ottoman and Cypriot forces outside of Cairo. The Ottomans emerge victorious and secure Cairo and all of the Cypriot territory south until the Mamluk warlord dominated regions.
6.) The Cypriots are pushed out of Egypt by the Ottomans at the Battle of Rosetta.
1427 –
1.) English sign the Treaty of Cornriggs. The English crown agrees to relinquish all claims to sovereignty over Northumberland and to legalize Lollardy. Northumberland in turn agrees to give Roman Catholicism the same rights as Lollardry.
2.) Ernest I von Bayern-München legalizes Lollardy in Bohemia under severe pressure from the merchants, peasantry, and Lollard clergy who now dominate. This is soon followed by the legalization of Lollardy in Bavaria.
3.) Celtic Reformed Catholicism is made the state religion of Ireland (Irish Reformed Church), Scotland (Scottish Reformed Church), and Wales (Welsh Reformed Church). All of these churches remain in full communion with the Pope of Rome.
4.) Witch hunts begin in Switzerland.
5.) Diogo de Silves discovers the Azores Islands in the service of Portugal.
6.) The Battle of Nicosia is fought between Ottoman and Cypriot forces. The Cypriot’s appear set for victory on the eve of the battle when word reaches that Mehmed II has emerged the winner. The demoralized Cypriots are decimated by the Ottomans and a force of rebel East Orthodox.

 

[Dachs]

Witch hunts begin in Switzerland.

Why? I'm a bit confused...

 

[The Strategos]

What's the PoD? Or are we supposed to guess?

A fastforward from the Ionian Revolt alt-hist I did a while back.

 

[Israelite9191]

Why? I'm a bit confused...

Because Switzerland so far has been rather unafected culturally by the PoD and thus the witch hunts are likely to begin now, just as they did in OTL.

A fastforward from the Ionian Revolt alt-hist I did a while back.

Thank you.

 

[Swissempire]

The Danes shall I taketh then!

SSNS(Suicidal Small Nation Syndrome) is my blessing, not my curse! One of these days one of my small nations will emerge victorious!

Maybe.

 

[Insane_Panda]

I will take the HRE, and I will invade Denmark. If its an ally, then we shall have a "union"

Granted, this NES will not happen in a long time, but when it does, HRE POUR MOI.

 

[Symphony D.]

SSNS(Suicidal Small Nation Syndrome) is my blessing, not my curse! One of these days one of my small nations will emerge victorious!

Maybe.

Having actually taken puny, inconsequential nations and turned them into the greatest powers in their respective games (Funan / Khmer / Oceanic Empire - ITNES, Japan / GEAR - NES2 VI) I happen to be something of an expert on the matter and speaking in such capacity, state that being stupid and suicidal is not the path to greatness.

 

[Israelite9191]

I did the same with Israel in StKNES5 (although admittedly it wasn't an incredibly competitive NES). And Symph is right. It is entirely possible to take a small, weak nation to incredible heights if you just make your moves right, and you don't even have to have a super-computer for a brain like Symph.

 

[Insane_Panda]

Biggest lesson is to shut up and expand your economy like hell.

 

[das]

Where it took 300 years to get 200 miles inland? My point stands .

As does mine about Brazil's interior being much harder to conquer and much less promising in the short-term than that of Mexico.

Labeled map using das' comments as a guide.

The Republic of New Albion is in OTL California. The rest are right, but Qing China should probably be called the Qing Empire instead, as it isn't very Chinese. Xin Ming Dynasty might or might not be called Xin Ming China, or simply China; it is very nationalistic, more nationalistic than dynastic. Also, you probably could've guessed the Incan Empire.

That map does need some touching up on in the borders.

So you might think, but I've given them a lot of thought here; often what might seem like a mistake is in fact a real and important point reflecting on the wild history of this world. What would your grievances be, exactly?

Now, tell us about these fun-sounding religious wars. It looks like Catholic schism in France.

That much is true; France is the only country left that still follows the Avignon Catholic Church (which had by now diverged from the Roman one in doctrine and theology as well as in politics). During the 14th century a more violent and long-term version of the OTL schism had occured, and a series of fierce religious wars ensued (these were fought all over the greater part of Europe; that was when the French had conquered or reconquered most of their present Iberian holdings, but their campaigns in Lorraine and Italy were less resultative); by the 16th century even Hungary had abandoned the ACC (with the Angevin downfall there after a serious feudal war), but France remained stalwart, increasingly narrowminded, isolationist and hardline. 16th and 17th centuries were characterised by a feudal-clerical oligarchy presiding over the king and the Avignon Pope (both mere figureheads by tradition), with the clerical elements increasingly important; but it was the 18th century that went down in French history as the Age of the Cardinals, as three particularily strong cardinals followed in nearly-uninterrupted succession, reducing their internal enemies to corpses or instruments of their will.

The most prominent - and scary - of these cardinals was Cardinal l'Azyr, who consolidated clerical power, rebuilt the French navy and introduced various pragmatic measures to restore French military potence; this included Peter the Great-style widespread state-owned military manufactories. Then he started the Fifty Years War; France made very limited long-term territorial gains, but wrecked two of its main enemies badly (Flandres and Britain were occupied and thoroughly devastated; ethnic and religious minorities were used as enforcers, traditional institutions were destroyed, fields were salted, cities razed and industries shipped back to France) and fought the third one to a standstill. Peace only came after his death, and though French diplomatic isolation was worsened further and many past enemities were worsened considerably, no new anti-French coalitions have been formed yet; the devastating war on the Flemish-Lorrainean front has proved that any attempts to finish off France would cost way too much in all regards, without a real guarantee of victory.

Since then France had grown rotten and uncompetitive, devolving to a theocratic oligarchy again. It has managed to strike some pragmatic deals with Denmark and Tver though, fighting the Holy Roman Empire to a draw in an 1840s war. Perhaps it can modernise and reform before its internal weakness is exploited by its old enemies. Perhaps not.

A fastforward from the Ionian Revolt alt-hist I did a while back.

Thought so. An interesting timeline that was.

Because Switzerland so far has been rather unafected culturally by the PoD and thus the witch hunts are likely to begin now, just as they did in OTL.

Its just a bit out of the blue and irrelevant to the main "plot". Also, are you sure there were absolutely no witch hunts in Swiss territory previously?

If its an ally, then we shall have a "union"

Nah, its an ancient and extremelly annoying enemy.

To all those giving Swiss advance - you do realise that he doesn't care about winning nearly as much as he cares about annoying people, right?

Interesting changes to the timeline. About the Novgorodian-Lithuanian developments; I wonder how will this affect the Russian Orthodox Church as a whole? Right now the Metropolitian is in Moscow, but he just got there from Vladimir, to where his predecessor moved in 1399; so things are still very mobile, and while northeastern Russia is increasingly troubled (civil wars, feudal strife, Tver vs. Moscow struggle for local hegemony, reintensifying Mongol raids, plus Moscow got sacked not too long ago), the west is suddenly looking extremelly promising, with a powerful new Russian (Lithuanian, but Photius is a Greek and the Rurikids are still distantly Varangian, so the point is moot) prince on the rise, building Orthodox churches and beating up the "Latin dog-knights" (widespread chronicle name for the Teutonic Order). Makes a Metropolitian think about moving to Vilnius or coming back to Kiev, doesn't it (but not that vulgar Novgorod with its unduly democratic ideas about ecclesiarchy)?

1.) The Kingdom of Cyprus invades Mamluk Egypt.

Wasn't Cyprus generally on the defensive by then? I somewhat doubt if it has the manpower to defeat the Mamlukes and make such significant gains in Egypt.

Also, why would the Mamlukes send what appears to be their main forces against the Ottomans when the Cypriots are apparently besieging Alexandria? It just makes little strategic sense.

 

[The Strategos]

Rough draft map for "The Eternal Wait" alt-history I did a while back. Date of ~450 CE

Spoiler :

EDIT: Forgot to say, this was based off of North King's 450 CE map. Thank's North King!

 

[Azale]

Whoah China and India are EC loaded!

 

[silver 2039]

Whoah China and India are EC loaded!

As they should be....

 

[Cuivienen]

As they should be....

In the period, China should actually be struggling; it's the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the only time since unification under the Qin when China almost truly collapsed as an entity. India should be doing decently, though; 450 was pretty much the peak of the Guptas.

 

[Israelite9191]

Its just a bit out of the blue and irrelevant to the main "plot". Also, are you sure there were absolutely no witch hunts in Swiss territory previously?

Here is the problem with doing TLs in installments, people don't necessarily know where you are going with something. The witch hunts, further down the line, are (probably) going to prove key to the religious schisms, in particular in the British Isles. Also, the reason I include this particular date is that these particular witch hunts are considered by academics in the area to be the starting point of the much wider European witch hunts that terrorised the continent and even spread as far as the famous Salem Witch Hunts.

Interesting changes to the timeline. About the Novgorodian-Lithuanian developments; I wonder how will this affect the Russian Orthodox Church as a whole? Right now the Metropolitian is in Moscow, but he just got there from Vladimir, to where his predecessor moved in 1399; so things are still very mobile, and while northeastern Russia is increasingly troubled (civil wars, feudal strife, Tver vs. Moscow struggle for local hegemony, reintensifying Mongol raids, plus Moscow got sacked not too long ago), the west is suddenly looking extremelly promising, with a powerful new Russian (Lithuanian, but Photius is a Greek and the Rurikids are still distantly Varangian, so the point is moot) prince on the rise, building Orthodox churches and beating up the "Latin dog-knights" (widespread chronicle name for the Teutonic Order). Makes a Metropolitian think about moving to Vilnius or coming back to Kiev, doesn't it (but not that vulgar Novgorod with its unduly democratic ideas about ecclesiarchy)?

I was thinking along those lines myself. I am not sure that the Metropolitan would relocate to Vilinus, as it is a Lithuanian city, but it is a very keen possibility. As you say Novgorod is a little too democratic for the Metropolitan's taste, but that could be ammended. I am also considering if the creation of a whole new city for the Metropolitan around OTL St. Petersburg (after it has fallen to the Novgorodian-Lithuanians, as it will) would be possible, or if he may end up relocating to a completely seperate city in the Commonwealth. And, of course, Kyiv is always a possibility.

Wasn't Cyprus generally on the defensive by then? I somewhat doubt if it has the manpower to defeat the Mamlukes and make such significant gains in Egypt.

The Cypriot invasion of Mamluk Egypt at this point is actually an OTL event. You are right that Latin Cyprus would not have the power to conquer Egypt on its own, but what the king was hoping for was merely to secure his prominence in the Eastern Mediterranean and win some kudos from the West for his victories against the Muslim devils. However, it is very important to note that in this NES Cyprus is much stronger, as the lack of competition from both Venice and Genoa has allowed for the Latin king to develop the island far beyond the OTL position and to strengthen his army incredibly.

Also, why would the Mamlukes send what appears to be their main forces against the Ottomans when the Cypriots are apparently besieging Alexandria? It just makes little strategic sense.

The Mamluks didn't send the majority of their forces into Syria, only about half. While it was obvious to the Mamluks that the Ottomans were a greater threat due to their greater power base, experience, and leadership, the Cypriots were, as you point out, threatening Alexandria. Thus, rather than direct the majority of his troops against the Ottomans, he directs only about half so as to allow for a greater presence.

 

[alex994]

Whoah China and India are EC loaded!

Not referring to this scenario in general, but China and India SHOULD BE EC loaded. For much of history, China and India were as wealthy if not more so then Europe It's outrageous to me that in most cases Europe has more ECs then both India AND China combined