@Leviathan
The problems you list exist anyways, only exacerbated by the more removed nature of Constantinople, and the increasingly insular nature of the Imperial court, never mind the perennial Mongol/Sortmark issues. As much as it pains me to say it, in the absence of great rulers, an empire this large in this period of time needs to decentralize. The Exarchates didn't work out, but perhaps with a stronger figure in the west to keep them in line, it may be able to stall the inevitable. Hell, even if you can keep the western nobles squabbling over who gets the fancy-chair in Rome or Madrid or wherever it ends up being, rather than trying to rebel against the Empire as a whole, it may mean better things for overall stability; it's what the British did rather successfully in their colonial empire, for a time.
Admittedly, medieval politics and feudal mechanics are not my strong point; classical antiquity and the Age of Enlightenment onwards is more my specialty, but keeping troublesome nobles more occupied with lower titles, rather than the Diadem in Constantinople, or independence, seems a sound enough policy.
I do, however, believe that the northern Italian city states are going to make a bid for independence irregardless of what Constantinople does. I actually think the Von Franken line might play a part in that somewhere down the line; the Italians have always had their eyes on Istria, maybe, in a rather perverse twist of history, Istria might be their means for independence.
But Constantinople has a totally different kind of role, than what a capital of a hypothetical western empire could fulfill. Constantinople straddles two large land masses, roads run from the city all the way up to the Danube and into the Balkans, and down to Armenia and Syria. There is no location in the west where you could build a capital with that sort of easy and far-reaching access. Constantinople also happens to be a prime location for the central fleet. There is no such location in the west - from a purely geographical point of view you'd have to base a western fleet from Mallorca or Sardinia, but both islands are remote backwaters, far removed from where a sensible emperor would place his capital city.
Also there is the relative size of the realms currently governed from Constantinople, vis-a-vis the size of the realm that is under Constantinople's direct control. An exarch who holds half of Iberia and Mauretania under his direct control is not that much of a threat to the Constantinople empire, because Constantinople can easily mobilize equal or greater armies to force him into obedience. Throughout most of Andronikos' rule, he could count on loyal armies from Anatolia as well as Sicily and southern Italy - those, together with the Constantinopolis force, would suffice to crush even the exarch.
ray243 said:
Given that the western provinces are extremely wealthy compared to most middle ages nations, I think maintaining a standing army is not out of the question. The wealth of a king in Feudal France is not even comparable to the wealth of a Emperor that rules over Spain, France, Italy and North Africa that has enjoyed decades of peace and prosperity. And it's not likely that the Western Empire would be facing wars on multiple front that would overstretch the army.
Also, Why do you think that places like North Africa needs to contribute troops? Contributing enough money in taxes would help to fund for a large standing army, just like what North Africa was doing during the 4th Century.
I think too many people is underestimating how wealthy the Western provinces can be. Being able to enjoy DECADES of peace will do wonders for those regions. Not to mention that the Western part of the Empire would be able to become even richer once they discovered the Americas.
Western Europe in our own timeline was ravaged by wars. Western Europe in General_BT's time wasn't.
Are they really that rich? The 13th century in OTL was the time when Venice brought down the Byzantine Empire, Genoa ran a world-spanning trade empire, and Sicily was governed by the HRE emperor in person. Italy can't possibly be better off under Byzantine viceroys, no way, I don't buy it. Sicily as of 1299 might be better off than in real history (this was when the Anjous took over and ran the island into the ground) but the rest of Italy, no way, rule by Byzantine viceroys can't possibly be better for them than when they were in control of their own trade empires.
Spain appears to be better off in total, due to having been unified under the western Komnenoi already 100 years earlier. However, as of 1299 OTL, Spain was in a pretty good position too - the Moors having been reduced to a rump Granada 40 years earlier, and the Castilian crown in control of all the important cities of what used to be Muslim Spain. The Aragonese crown in this time was busy expanding east into the Mediterranean, seizing Sicily in 1282 and Athens some time later. Not too shabby either, eh??
France - probably less well off than in OTL, but due to being ruled (after Drogo) by less competent kings than in OTL. Also due to not having the opportunity to snatch up lands in southern France, and due to needing to spend money and time in England. All of that before the Destruction of France (TM) at the hands of Emperor Andronikos.
Africa, last of all - I have no clue how they were doing economically in the 13th century. Probably not very well, after the Almohads started bringing in nomads en masse. Wikipedia says the 13th century saw mass migrations of nomadic tribes which reduced urban life. Economically I suppose Byzantine rule is putting them definitely into a better position than OTL.
In total, I don't think western Europe is so much better off being ruled by Byzantine viceroys. "Pax Byzantina" is not universal - Segeo's rebellion brought down brutal repression in Spain, for one thing. Also while Pax Byzantina was good for the eastern mediterranean (preventing the fall of Constantinople to marauding crusaders) in total it probably put the west into a less prominent position. Italy may be peaceful, but much of their tax ducats are carted off to Constantinople where the emperors spend them as they please. (Flying buttresses, anyone??)
