I am able to see it but got an "access denied" error if I try to write something.
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Official Name: Reino di Asturia
Common Name: The Sword of Christianity, the Iberian Heresy, Kabus (Arabian for nightmare)
Capital: Santiago de Compostela
Head of Government: Primeros Secretarios Alfonso Garcios
Head of State: His Most Christian Majesty, Rey Manuel II. di Asturias
Major Political Parties: Progreso 45 seats(ultramodernist), Iniciativa 123 seats (modernist-industrial), Nacionalista 83 seats (conservative-progressive), Comunista 4 seats (new ideology party which emerged after the first industrial phase)
Demonym: Asturian
Languages: Asturian (A product of Arabian, Galician, Basque and proto-Asturian) 99%, Arabian 25% (most known secondary language, spoken by huge parts of the bourgeoisie and nobility)
Ethnic Groups: Asturian (87%), Basque (7%), Moors
Religions: Church of Asturias 95%, Muslim minorities
Population: 8,2 Million
Location: Asturias, Galicia, Leon, Northern Portugal - the oversea territories include the Azores, parts of the Caribic and Florida
National Motto: Into the future - unbroken.
History:
Following Muslim triumph in Iberia and Francia Asturian survival was never ensured and sometimes the territory did only encompass a city, a few valley and maybe a castle. The Asturian nation draws heavily from this for their national spirit and mission. In the early 10th century Asturias finally consolidated the heartland of the kingdom, achieving Papal blessing for their king and acknowledgment as legitimate realm. That did not mean that was had ceased to plague the realm. On the contrary it only escalated in scale. Between 987 and 1042 Asturias was invaded no less than eleven times by Muslim warlords, sultanates and whoever jumped on the oppertunity. Following a Papal bull and necessity the Asturian kings adopted a policy of fighting with all means necessary and embracing every Christian refugee willing to fight against Islam. Without that the survival of Asturias would have been doubtful.
As a result of this enforced policy feudalism never took roots in the realm. Instead Peasents were given land and liberties in exchange for service in the armies. In the 11th century it was said in remaining Christian Europe that hiring an Asturian farmer would get you a more experienced fighter than a professional knight. To prevent exhaustion of the realm in the nearly perpetual war that depopulated northern Iberia Asturias installed the first diplomatic corps of Europe with highly educated individuals fluent in half a dozen languages and experienced in cultural divisions to turn the Muslim beys, Sultans and other rulers against one another. Like southern Andalusia Asturias became a scolary realm - but mostly because of necessity.
In 1112 the innovation delivered a nearly divine success as the whole of Galicia was captured by Asturias with only 500 dead in a campaign of desinformation, cunning and brutal force for which it became legendary. Rey Carlos II. di Asturias crushed the Muslim coalition of Vallad only a decade later leading to almost half a century of peace in which Christian Iberia consolidated further. In the 1159 the ever vigilant - or paranoid - Asturians destroyed the Host of Sultan Ultman II. of [insert country] though both sides suffered heavy casualties. For nearly a century war was reduced to Skirmishes as Muslim rulers mostly considered going against Asturias only second to facing Sheitan and Asturias being to exhausted to regain the initiative. In the meantime Christian rulers exploited the oppertunity to hire Asturian veterans and use them as highly prized generals or just mercenaries.
Meanwhile the Kingdom of Asturias resettled Christian refugees from elsewhere to the depopulated territories and remodeled the educational system and subsequently the administration along Andalusian lines though no Muslim ever was invited to court or realm. Instead Asturian "emissaries" copied Arabian and old Latin texts and scriptures and translated them into temporary Asturian. The diplomatic service of Juan I. (1241-1262) was such an expanded affair that he gained the nickname "The Shadow" for every ruler feared the influence of his spies. Nearly a century later the great Asturian diplomat Marcos Divus traveled all the way to Persia and finally China where he gained great honors and recognition and brought home a suspicious pack of maps from all over the world and some he painted himself during his travels.
Aside from that endeavor the 14th century saw the continuation of fighting with Asturias mostly demonstrating her neighbors that they did not lose an edge during the interim decades. 1356 Petro II. brought the Emirate of Braga to its knees in a campaign of only three months and annexed the realm outright. In the following war with Andalusia no real gain could be made but the Peace of Lisbos 1359 left Braga with Asturias. A Muslim invasion from Francia was destroyed in the Two-day-battle of Cangas de Onís 1368 but showed the maritime weakness of Asturias which the kings Gero I., Petro III. and Carlos IV. tried to adress.
With the maps and knowledge under their belt Asturias opened the Age of Heresy 1457 with the bolt move to go against Papal wishes and search for a western route to China to find the allies Marcos Divus did talk about. In 1459 after a desastrous journey in the unfit ships Jonal di Santiago reached the Azores and annexed them in the name of "The Champion of Christianity, the Sword of the Lord Divine, the King of Asturias, His Most Christian Majesty Gero III." Five years later Asturias had to fend off a Muslim attack without Papal money which increased the blood loss considerably. The War of the Hungry Lion was the first Iberian conflicts including canons on both sides and most of the old castle line which defended Asturias from Muslim invasions was destroyed. Afterwards fortress building became the new focus of Asturias and oversea exploration was throttled considerably.
In 1504 though King Alphonse I. sent the great explorer Niklas Mexas of Byzantine heritage to find the sea voyage to China and the discovery of Mexas(America) followed. The great collection of exotic animals and plants was acknowledged as divine blessing from God himself and the Age of Exploration was born. As a direct consequence the relations to Rome plummeted even further and Alphonse I. was excommunicated for the heresy of going against church teachings and proving them wrong with satanic assistance. The Papal decree though did them win not many supporters in Christian Europe and the Asturians were enraged that their success in fighting against the Scourge of Islam and withstanding of war, pestilence and death was to be rewarded with slander. Thus began the Church of Asturias which opened her arms to all of Christianity, true to the teachings of Jesus Christ, willing to stand against the darkness and to embrace the light. The Light of Progress and Modernization. And thus the foundations of the modern nation were born in the fight not just against their Muslim neighbors but also their former Christian allies.
Asturias thus became the realm of renaissance and later enlightment, daring to cross the borders man had thought up to imprison himself and embrace all tools avaible. Asturian warfare against their foes became utterly horrible as it included terror campaigns in enemy territory, assassinations of commanders and officials, desinformation and a policy of no mercy. Muslim warriors then even considered fighting the forces of hell preferable and Christian nation barely hid the disgust for the slanderization of honor which the Asturians acknowledged as an inferior aspect. To them success became paramount and progress the central tenet of society. For progress the native populations of oversea territories were mostly exterminated or driven away. At the height of the 16th and 17th centuries the approach of Asturian forces would send refugees in waves everywhere.
Naturally the embrace of extremism could not last and the Asturian population adressed the outlook with the Asturian Revolution in 1776 limiting royal power largely to representation, abolishing slavery and terror warfare and codifying law and rights as well the conduct of warfare. After the revolution the Kingdom transitioned mostly into a nation state with a modern army and navy, one of the best education systems and the embrace of law and science as new progress focus. Since then Asturian innovation kickstarted the Industrial revolution and brought forth the great stride which is about to transform the world in the decades to come.
Today's Asturias stands at the crossroad to finally embrace her national identity and look out as a bastion of progress and liberty. Literacy of the population commences greatly with education avaible for most citizens - how the former inhabitants and subjects are called unter the new law - but industrialization is a challenge that may break even the most progressive Christian realm. And in 1829 Castil Nedestri had published his "Doctrine of Communism" heralding a new ideology to the world which the emerging worker class might very well embrace. As train networks expand throughout the realm and newspapers comment on politics and science everyday history is made in Asturias - and given their entrepeneurs' cunning it may be well patented soon as well.
Flag:
Official Name: Reino di Asturia
Common Name: The Sword of Christianity, the Iberian Heresy, Kabus (Arabian for nightmare)
Capital: Santiago de Compostela
Head of Government: Primeros Secretarios Alfonso Garcios
Head of State: His Most Christian Majesty, Rey Manuel II. di Asturias
Major Political Parties: Progreso 45 seats(ultramodernist), Iniciativa 123 seats (modernist-industrial), Nacionalista 83 seats (conservative-progressive), Comunista 4 seats (new ideology party which emerged after the first industrial phase)
Demonym: Asturian
Languages: Asturian (A product of Arabian, Galician, Basque and proto-Asturian) 99%, Arabian 25% (most known secondary language, spoken by huge parts of the bourgeoisie and nobility)
Ethnic Groups: Asturian (87%), Basque (7%), Moors
Religions: Church of Asturias 95%, Muslim minorities
Population: 8,2 Million
Location: Asturias, Galicia, Leon, Northern Portugal - the oversea territories include the Azores, parts of the Caribic and Florida
National Motto: Into the future - unbroken.
History:
Following Muslim triumph in Iberia and Francia Asturian survival was never ensured and sometimes the territory did only encompass a city, a few valley and maybe a castle. The Asturian nation draws heavily from this for their national spirit and mission. In the early 10th century Asturias finally consolidated the heartland of the kingdom, achieving Papal blessing for their king and acknowledgment as legitimate realm. That did not mean that was had ceased to plague the realm. On the contrary it only escalated in scale. Between 987 and 1042 Asturias was invaded no less than eleven times by Muslim warlords, sultanates and whoever jumped on the oppertunity. Following a Papal bull and necessity the Asturian kings adopted a policy of fighting with all means necessary and embracing every Christian refugee willing to fight against Islam. Without that the survival of Asturias would have been doubtful.
As a result of this enforced policy feudalism never took roots in the realm. Instead Peasents were given land and liberties in exchange for service in the armies. In the 11th century it was said in remaining Christian Europe that hiring an Asturian farmer would get you a more experienced fighter than a professional knight. To prevent exhaustion of the realm in the nearly perpetual war that depopulated northern Iberia Asturias installed the first diplomatic corps of Europe with highly educated individuals fluent in half a dozen languages and experienced in cultural divisions to turn the Muslim beys, Sultans and other rulers against one another. Like southern Andalusia Asturias became a scolary realm - but mostly because of necessity.
In 1112 the innovation delivered a nearly divine success as the whole of Galicia was captured by Asturias with only 500 dead in a campaign of desinformation, cunning and brutal force for which it became legendary. Rey Carlos II. di Asturias crushed the Muslim coalition of Vallad only a decade later leading to almost half a century of peace in which Christian Iberia consolidated further. In the 1159 the ever vigilant - or paranoid - Asturians destroyed the Host of Sultan Ultman II. of [insert country] though both sides suffered heavy casualties. For nearly a century war was reduced to Skirmishes as Muslim rulers mostly considered going against Asturias only second to facing Sheitan and Asturias being to exhausted to regain the initiative. In the meantime Christian rulers exploited the oppertunity to hire Asturian veterans and use them as highly prized generals or just mercenaries.
Meanwhile the Kingdom of Asturias resettled Christian refugees from elsewhere to the depopulated territories and remodeled the educational system and subsequently the administration along Andalusian lines though no Muslim ever was invited to court or realm. Instead Asturian "emissaries" copied Arabian and old Latin texts and scriptures and translated them into temporary Asturian. The diplomatic service of Juan I. (1241-1262) was such an expanded affair that he gained the nickname "The Shadow" for every ruler feared the influence of his spies. Nearly a century later the great Asturian diplomat Marcos Divus traveled all the way to Persia and finally China where he gained great honors and recognition and brought home a suspicious pack of maps from all over the world and some he painted himself during his travels.
Aside from that endeavor the 14th century saw the continuation of fighting with Asturias mostly demonstrating her neighbors that they did not lose an edge during the interim decades. 1356 Petro II. brought the Emirate of Braga to its knees in a campaign of only three months and annexed the realm outright. In the following war with Andalusia no real gain could be made but the Peace of Lisbos 1359 left Braga with Asturias. A Muslim invasion from Francia was destroyed in the Two-day-battle of Cangas de Onís 1368 but showed the maritime weakness of Asturias which the kings Gero I., Petro III. and Carlos IV. tried to adress.
With the maps and knowledge under their belt Asturias opened the Age of Heresy 1457 with the bolt move to go against Papal wishes and search for a western route to China to find the allies Marcos Divus did talk about. In 1459 after a desastrous journey in the unfit ships Jonal di Santiago reached the Azores and annexed them in the name of "The Champion of Christianity, the Sword of the Lord Divine, the King of Asturias, His Most Christian Majesty Gero III." Five years later Asturias had to fend off a Muslim attack without Papal money which increased the blood loss considerably. The War of the Hungry Lion was the first Iberian conflicts including canons on both sides and most of the old castle line which defended Asturias from Muslim invasions was destroyed. Afterwards fortress building became the new focus of Asturias and oversea exploration was throttled considerably.
In 1504 though King Alphonse I. sent the great explorer Niklas Mexas of Byzantine heritage to find the sea voyage to China and the discovery of Mexas(America) followed. The great collection of exotic animals and plants was acknowledged as divine blessing from God himself and the Age of Exploration was born. As a direct consequence the relations to Rome plummeted even further and Alphonse I. was excommunicated for the heresy of going against church teachings and proving them wrong with satanic assistance. The Papal decree though did them win not many supporters in Christian Europe and the Asturians were enraged that their success in fighting against the Scourge of Islam and withstanding of war, pestilence and death was to be rewarded with slander. Thus began the Church of Asturias which opened her arms to all of Christianity, true to the teachings of Jesus Christ, willing to stand against the darkness and to embrace the light. The Light of Progress and Modernization. And thus the foundations of the modern nation were born in the fight not just against their Muslim neighbors but also their former Christian allies.
Asturias thus became the realm of renaissance and later enlightment, daring to cross the borders man had thought up to imprison himself and embrace all tools avaible. Asturian warfare against their foes became utterly horrible as it included terror campaigns in enemy territory, assassinations of commanders and officials, desinformation and a policy of no mercy. Muslim warriors then even considered fighting the forces of hell preferable and Christian nation barely hid the disgust for the slanderization of honor which the Asturians acknowledged as an inferior aspect. To them success became paramount and progress the central tenet of society. For progress the native populations of oversea territories were mostly exterminated or driven away. At the height of the 16th and 17th centuries the approach of Asturian forces would send refugees in waves everywhere.
Naturally the embrace of extremism could not last and the Asturian population adressed the outlook with the Asturian Revolution in 1776 limiting royal power largely to representation, abolishing slavery and terror warfare and codifying law and rights as well the conduct of warfare. After the revolution the Kingdom transitioned mostly into a nation state with a modern army and navy, one of the best education systems and the embrace of law and science as new progress focus. Since then Asturian innovation kickstarted the Industrial revolution and brought forth the great stride which is about to transform the world in the decades to come.
Today's Asturias stands at the crossroad to finally embrace her national identity and look out as a bastion of progress and liberty. Literacy of the population commences greatly with education avaible for most citizens - how the former inhabitants and subjects are called unter the new law - but industrialization is a challenge that may break even the most progressive Christian realm. And in 1829 Castil Nedestri had published his "Doctrine of Communism" heralding a new ideology to the world which the emerging worker class might very well embrace. As train networks expand throughout the realm and newspapers comment on politics and science everyday history is made in Asturias - and given their entrepeneurs' cunning it may be well patented soon as well.
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I think that the possibility of a Christian realm in Iberia is very slim, at best, since this is a world in which even France is primarily Muslim.
Not necessarily, the heartland would be the parts of Spain that historically were never conquered, and clinging to the coast it could still get support from Christian regime's in the British isles. With more promising targets in France for he Holy Wars, it would really just have to hold out until Holy wars went out of style in Andalucia. Improbable perhaps, but I don't think it's any more Improbable than things that happened irl.
Imho, Muslim France is a bit op. Mainly because my next idea was going to be Brittany which now I can't do.
I think it's not so much that there is a Christian presence in Iberia, but that it controls, what, a fourth of Iberia?
As for France, well, I'm considering requesting that it be scaled back, since it also has a bit of a weird border with Aquitaine (and my rivers have been dyed,) although getting Brittany is up to you discussing it with Qwerty.
Following my history should explain that the expansion of Asturias was no small task but took almost a millenia in which Muslim unity was lost as Christian unity in RL. I think that resorting to questionable means and setting potential targets against oneanother is a legitimate action if you have no other choice. Likewise you could argue that the Ottoman Empire was impossible to stop expansion like it did in RL where it became almost passive against European advance after threatening Vienna twice.
I fixed the map.
Considering that it has been near 1100 years since the Muslims defeated Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours it is now unreasonable to say that France is a Muslim realm. The Muslims could've reasonable conquered far more but it's been limited to France which is reasonable as well.
Now I reserved France early on and have spent considerable time on it, but if you wanted to do something with Brittany you should shoot me a PM or something and we can figure it out.
Well I don't see it impossible of a Christian presence in Iberia since the area it is located was never conquered by Umayyad Caliphate by the time of Battle of Tours. The fact that the Caliphate become fractured during the Abbasid caliphate especially in Iberia with al-Andalus,Aquitaine and France becoming their own sultanates. Along with what remains of Iberia. So having a one Christian state there in 1830s sounds plausible. I'm not seeing the Christians having anymore independent states there though mainly because the Muslim influence was quite strong and with Martel defeated there wouldn't be no help from Franks to perform a reconquista. So yeah the remaining Iberian nation should really be a Muslim one, neither al-Andalus or French Sultanate would have let it become Christian to be honest.
I'm not seeing France being too OP I mean it is plausible that the Muslim forces could have conquered much more, at least in the south and central areas. The lack of unified Christian realm could have easily allowed this. Defeat of Charles Martel wouldn't necessary mean the complete fragmentation of Europe, eventually big blobs would have emerged just like in OTL and some blobs fragmented just like in OTL. But age of empires didn't come to an end until the WW started happening. Also since Normandy never invaded England, all wars between England and France for the crown of France would never happen along with other things. Also it seems that whole Viking Age didn't have that much impact in Europe, the lack of Charlemange's Saxon Wars and rather decent Byzantine-Muslim religions would have allowed Muslim conquest to continue, along with the fact that a Germanic Pagan Saxony was pretty large until 1788 and no Holy Roman Empire. Of course these are events that we can't be sure on how them not happening would have effected Europe. Also Martel's defeat could have very well meant that Islam became the major influence in the west and Europe all together. There are lot of factors to be considered.
I would suggest that since there is no exact rule on how long the history has to be on the time of publishing it, people who have claimed lands first would have a priority in determining the history of areas. Some people like to make shorter histories and some like to go in more detailed history. That of course might create some conflicts when later claims with shorter histories get done first and bigger histories with earlier claims come later. Of course the bigger the claimed area is the more impact it would have thus the detailed the history needs to be. So those claiming big areas have a lot of responsibility to come up with the nation post before smaller areas.
Also could people please add the claims on the bottom of the list instead of top of the list? So the oldest claim is on the top and the newest at the bottom. Makes it easier to read
I'm not seeing France being too OP I mean it is plausible that the Muslim forces could have conquered much more, at least in the south and central areas. The lack of unified Christian realm could have easily allowed this. Defeat of Charles Martel wouldn't necessary mean the complete fragmentation of Europe, eventually big blobs would have emerged just like in OTL and some blobs fragmented just like in OTL. But age of empires didn't come to an end until the WW started happening. Also since Normandy never invaded England, all wars between England and France for the crown of France would never happen along with other things. Also it seems that whole Viking Age didn't have that much impact in Europe, the lack of Charlemange's Saxon Wars and rather decent Byzantine-Muslim religions would have allowed Muslim conquest to continue, along with the fact that a Germanic Pagan Saxony was pretty large until 1788 and no Holy Roman Empire. Of course these are events that we can't be sure on how them not happening would have effected Europe. Also Martel's defeat could have very well meant that Islam became the major influence in the west and Europe all together. There are lot of factors to be considered.
I would suggest that since there is no exact rule on how long the history has to be on the time of publishing it, people who have claimed lands first would have a priority in determining the history of areas. Some people like to make shorter histories and some like to go in more detailed history. That of course might create some conflicts when later claims with shorter histories get done first and bigger histories with earlier claims come later. Of course the bigger the claimed area is the more impact it would have thus the detailed the history needs to be. So those claiming big areas have a lot of responsibility to come up with the nation post before smaller areas.
Also could people please add the claims on the bottom of the list instead of top of the list? So the oldest claim is on the top and the newest at the bottom. Makes it easier to read
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After seeing the arguments in favor of Asturias, I will permit it, but the remaining realm(s) in Iberia should be Muslim.
Let me make a final statement for the matter:
a)The Battle of Tours was not - as every member of a forum of history freaks should well know - the abortion of Muslim conquest of all of Europe but the end of one of the last Muslim raids before the califate splintered into different realms and Muslim unity shattered visibly (religiously it was already at that moment). The verdict of Tours is a product of popular science which is based upon Carolingian propaganda as it is the base for their seizure of throne and finally the imperial legitimation of their realm. Thus Tours holds no importance for the Muslim-Christian conflict with Muslim realms exhausted and vulnerable after the near constant warfare which could not transition that easily into legitimate governance as some wish to believe but rather to the success of Christianity in Western Europe together with the revival of Western Imperial dimensions. The Islamization of France is a completely unlikely result and the real life Asturias appears even more ridiculous in its achievements without much interference of other Christian realms. That leads directly to
b) The Geography of Europe. Europe is not as easy to conquer as some people like to think because they disregard historical limitations of communication, transport and travel. Just because some Muslims land with armies in Iberia and shatter weaker foes does not make all of Spain Muslim over night. Rule has to be established or usurped and to be legitimized by hierarchies. Iberia is not an easy place to achieve that with medieval or antic methods. Rome achieved it with a policy of tolerance, a superior transport system, the strategic placement of legions, rotating officials and extensive beaurocracy. As it was gone by the time it is not as easy to mimic that without money, ressources and time. The European geography is a boon for small realms as it makes conquering hard and consolidation of vast realm difficult, even more so with limited possibilities. Do never forget that modern technology largely allows us to ignore most geographic limitations which are major obstacles for medieval rulers until the end of the century in which the countries described in this thread shall exist.
c) Asturias got the actual boon of hard geography and I might have very well claimed most of Spain because of the points I elaborated on above. I choose not to because I know that the no-existing "importance" of Tours clouds so many minds about what is realistic and what not. Actually Muslim France is a bigger offender to realism but as the timeline is more than a thousand years anything might be possible. It is just less likely than rather modest Asturias.
a)The Battle of Tours was not - as every member of a forum of history freaks should well know - the abortion of Muslim conquest of all of Europe but the end of one of the last Muslim raids before the califate splintered into different realms and Muslim unity shattered visibly (religiously it was already at that moment). The verdict of Tours is a product of popular science which is based upon Carolingian propaganda as it is the base for their seizure of throne and finally the imperial legitimation of their realm. Thus Tours holds no importance for the Muslim-Christian conflict with Muslim realms exhausted and vulnerable after the near constant warfare which could not transition that easily into legitimate governance as some wish to believe but rather to the success of Christianity in Western Europe together with the revival of Western Imperial dimensions. The Islamization of France is a completely unlikely result and the real life Asturias appears even more ridiculous in its achievements without much interference of other Christian realms. That leads directly to
b) The Geography of Europe. Europe is not as easy to conquer as some people like to think because they disregard historical limitations of communication, transport and travel. Just because some Muslims land with armies in Iberia and shatter weaker foes does not make all of Spain Muslim over night. Rule has to be established or usurped and to be legitimized by hierarchies. Iberia is not an easy place to achieve that with medieval or antic methods. Rome achieved it with a policy of tolerance, a superior transport system, the strategic placement of legions, rotating officials and extensive beaurocracy. As it was gone by the time it is not as easy to mimic that without money, ressources and time. The European geography is a boon for small realms as it makes conquering hard and consolidation of vast realm difficult, even more so with limited possibilities. Do never forget that modern technology largely allows us to ignore most geographic limitations which are major obstacles for medieval rulers until the end of the century in which the countries described in this thread shall exist.
c) Asturias got the actual boon of hard geography and I might have very well claimed most of Spain because of the points I elaborated on above. I choose not to because I know that the no-existing "importance" of Tours clouds so many minds about what is realistic and what not. Actually Muslim France is a bigger offender to realism but as the timeline is more than a thousand years anything might be possible. It is just less likely than rather modest Asturias.
I'm actually fine with Muslim France overall, but we should decide how far the Muslim advance into western Europe went. Imho it shouldn't be any further. The invasion of France might have just been a raid in force, but Iirc that's how the conquest of Andalucia started. If they were incredibly successful and not facing much resistance (having crushed the most powerful force in the region) the leaders might well have decided to just stay put rather than taking their loot home. I would have made Muslim France just the southern part and aquitaine, rather than having a solid whole, but that could be the result of the intervening 1000 years of consolidation.
I'll just move on to my next thing, once I decide what it should be. Maybe something in Switzerland.
I'll just move on to my next thing, once I decide what it should be. Maybe something in Switzerland.
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A) Indeed the Muslims didn't stop there even when they were defeated. But this time they defeated Martel which also means that they wouldn't necessary stop their conquest. History is always propaganda from the victors side. Also we must remember that the Civil War of 715-718 lasted longer this time around and historically Martel also waged wars to consolidate his power before the Battle of Tours. This would/could make the Frankish army and Western Europe also more exhausted prior to the Muslim Invasion of Gaul. Also the Abbasid revolution actually led to the Golden Age of Islam even if Iberia, Morocco, Egypt and Middle East were no longer under on Caliphate it would greatly benefit all Muslims. And since the Muslim threat was closer to the door of Christianity and not some Holy Land you could invade because Deus Vult, the crusades happening against Muslims would be less likely in the heart of Islam.
B) France is a rather plain land and not that difficult to travel across. The only real threat to Muslim conquest would have been winter before they would have realized to dress up properly. Iberia on the other hand has a different geography. Asturians used this on their advantage. But that would only work until the enemy realizes a way around your tactics. Also tacticians were the military leaders on the field their death would happen much easier even during a single defeat rendering your armies incompetent if the next leader would be an imbecile. Also even if Asturias was able to hold of against Muslims because of geography wouldn't mean that so would everyone else. Also being surrounded by hostile powers doesn't help.
C) That is your view of the history. Doesn't make it true even if the actual records historians base their views are limited. This game is all about making a plausible world both Muslim France and Christians surviving in Iberia are plausible outcomes.
Please end this "debate" here. I have already made a decision about every country posted so far. They will all stay, as they are all historically plausible, to greater ir lesser extents.
Map: Real world Switzerland and lichtenstein (sorry, my paint skills are the crap)
Official Name: Archduchy of Upper Burgundy
Common Name: Burgundy, the Estates Templar (historical), the Great Redoubt (archaic)
Capital: Geneva
Head of Government: Count Franz von Hapsburg
Head of State: Archduke Otto V von Hapsburg
Major Political Parties: Reactionaries, Templars, Republicans, Conservative
Demonym: Burgundian
Languages: Romanche, Alleman ((german))
Ethnic Groups: Burgundian ((Swiss that speak French, or in this case Romanche)), Alleman ((Swiss that speak German))
Religions: Catholic 99+% (officially)
Population: (Please include an approximation of the nation's population. Remember that the date of this map game is 1832)
Location: Switzerland
History: After the defeat at Tours destroyed Frankish power, power swung back to the Dukes of Burgundy and Allemania. As Muslim raiders and conquerors spread through the southern France, many defeated nobles and frightened peasants fled into the Alps. Later historians cite this as the reason why in the west the Germania nobility was assimilated by the Latin majority, while in the east Germanic language and culture proved more prevalent.
This period proved to be key to the formation of Burgundian identity. Rather than just being the land that happened to be occupied by that specific tribe of Germanic conquerors, Burgundy became The Great Redoubt, the last hope of Europe.
Much mythologized since, modern scholars (in other countries) seriously challenge this idea. They point out that no serious effort was made to cross the Alps by Muslim forces, who could much more easily reach Italy by sea and we're busy conquering more valuable lands to the north and west. Many communities near the western border were raided, and the Great Redoubt myth probably does reflect the level of panic in post-Tours Europe.
The early Burgundian Dukes were both protected and undermined by terrain that made travel difficult. They were obliged to rely on strong counts controlling the passes and valleys. These were well situated to repel raiders and would be conquerors. But the same forces made revolts very hard to repress, weakening the Duchy and making it a more tempting target.
In the 11th century Burgundian Dukes began to try to undermine their vassals by endowing monestary established with more lands and power. These would supply money and manpower to fight the heathens, but we're theoretically forbidden from fighting their fellow Christians.
After putting down the Revolt of the Three Passes in 1118, Duke Rowland IV hit upon what seemed like an ideal solution. Sieving the rebels strongholds, he endowed them on the Knights of the Hospital of St Bernard. One of the militant Holy Orders to arise out of the Crusades, the Knights of St Bernard were an outgrowth of the monestaries which succored travellers in the difficult, dangerous mountain passes.
Endowing them with the rebels lands and castles seemed perfect. The Knights greatly improved their new castles, which they renamed as Temples. This led to their more common informal name of Knights Templar.
The Templars proved their value in the aftermath of the failed Third Crusade, which led to a Franj counterattack. They were endowed with more lands and income throughout Europe, making them more powerful.
The rising power of the Templars proved to be a double edged sword. The Templar did not consider themselves subject to anyone but the Pope. They didn't take orders from the Duke, but we're not shy about intervening in his affairs. The Dukes were never entirely deposed, but by the 13th century people referred to Upper Burgundy as the Estates Templar.
The Templar legacy is still controversial. They applied rigid Catholicism and violently suppressed the slightest dissent from the commons. They had a nasty tendency to consider anyone who did not support the Order's interests as a heretic. Witch hunts, literal and figurative, were a recurring feature of Templar rule.
The more benevolent side of the Templar regime can be seen in the landscape. The Grandmasters generally took their vows of poverty seriously. Their growing wealth was put to work, not just in their stout Temples and glorious churches, but in the unglamorous infrastructure most medieval rulers ignored. Roman roads and bridges were rebuilt and extended, marshes cleared, irrigation and terrace farming adopted on monastic and Templates land.
The Templars never forgot their roots as hospitals, maintaining health care and promoting medical research... to a clearly defined limit. Many prominent scholars were patronized by the Order, only to be driven into exile or martyred when their conclusions were deemed heretical.
The relative prosperity came to a stark end in the 14th century. The period of colder, wetter weather that hit Northern Europe in general was especially hard on the high alps. Crop failures caused famines, heavy snow made getting new supplies or escaping to the less ravaged south difficult, and the plague ravaged the burgeoning towns. To this day many parts of the Grand Duchy are still less populace than they were in 1300.
The Templar responded by cracking down on sinners, jews, the few muslims permitted into their land, and alleged witches. Infamously they ordered a mass execution of cats, due to their perceived alliance with the forces of darkness, only to suffer an explosion of plague rats.
The Plague had a significant side effect, as it killed off the last ineffective Dukes of the original House of Burgundy. The title passed to the seemingly unimportant Count of Aargau, Otto von Hapsburg.
The Hapsburg dynasty proved much more assertive in pushing back against Templar power. Otto I had originally been intended for the church, and was well versed in canon law. He used his education well, and undermined the Templar Order in the one place they never expected. He repeatedly appealed to the Pope, arguing that the Grandmasters were exercising Papal powers without authorization. His most devastating accusation was that the Templar were appropriating tithes due to the Holy Father for their own use.
Disastrously the Templar Grandmaster Renault Hotspur tried to intimidate several abbots out of supporting the Dukes claims. Instead they took up the cause. The Holy Father ultimately ruled in favor of the Duke, the first in a series of legal, political, and military setbacks for the order in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The later Crusades, both successful and failures, illustrated the rising power of mass drilled infantry (which made up the core of the Hapsburg forces) relative to the more traditional knights. The Templar were comparably slow to adopt new weapons like crossbows and gunpowder weapons. But their commanding position controlling the passes, still extensive lands and incomes, and martial zeal kept them relevant.
Though more tolerant than the Templars (witch hunts under the Hapsburgs disappeared, replaced by a more organized and forgiving Inquisition), the Hapsburgs remained zealously Catholic, chasing dissident theologian Martin Luther away when he sought refuge there and refusing to readmit descendents of Jews driven out by the Templars. They patronized artists and musicians, and we're major players in Papal politics.
The end of the Crusades Era and the onset of the Enlightenment saw a contrary Reactionary philosophy ascend in Upper Burgundy. As such it is unsurprising that the Duchy was quick to join in the First Coalition against the Cisalpine Republic. Napoleon made his name with his first great victory at Little St Bernard Pass. Duke Hedwig sued for peace, and Napoleon soon rose to Consul. But in 1806 the Duchy joined the Second Papal Coalition. Napoleon's subsequent campaign is now viewed as his most brilliant, launching a preemptive invasion, shattering outdated fortresses and swiftly taking Zurich and capturing the Duke as he attempted to flee to Alemannia. The remaining Templars died at their posts, holding out against impossible odds in a last stand that even their many detractors had to respect.
Republicans in Upper Burgundy were initially excited. But they soon came to understand Napoleon's idea of liberation. Countless priceless works of art were taken to Milan in triumph. Cisalpine troops occupied the territory, members of Napoleon's family were installed in positions of power, and conscription began for the Helvetia Legion. Curiously Napoleon did not annex the region, nor install a puppet republic, but maintained that he was ruling on behalf of the captive Duke.
Popular resistance was widespread, supported by outside powers. In 1814, convinced that Hedwig was somehow aiding the resistance, Napoleon deposed him and installed his brother Jerome as "King in the Alps." The Duke died shortly thereafter in controversial circumstances.
Jerome's Kingdom did not last long. His brother's assassination threw the Cisalpine Republic into chaos. He was on poor terms with Marshal Benvolio, commander of the Cisalpine troops, and the rebellion intensified. The weather turned against them in the Year Without a Summer. When the snows finally melted the Cisalpine troops, vastly depleted by hunger, desertion, and Hapsburg loyalists, retreated down the passes.
The subsequent peace restored the Hapsburgs, and returned the position of a now demilitarized Templar Order. An intensely conservative backlash has isolated the Duchy diplomatically and economically.
Flag: (Optional, but always appreciated)
Official Name: Archduchy of Upper Burgundy
Common Name: Burgundy, the Estates Templar (historical), the Great Redoubt (archaic)
Capital: Geneva
Head of Government: Count Franz von Hapsburg
Head of State: Archduke Otto V von Hapsburg
Major Political Parties: Reactionaries, Templars, Republicans, Conservative
Demonym: Burgundian
Languages: Romanche, Alleman ((german))
Ethnic Groups: Burgundian ((Swiss that speak French, or in this case Romanche)), Alleman ((Swiss that speak German))
Religions: Catholic 99+% (officially)
Population: (Please include an approximation of the nation's population. Remember that the date of this map game is 1832)
Location: Switzerland
History: After the defeat at Tours destroyed Frankish power, power swung back to the Dukes of Burgundy and Allemania. As Muslim raiders and conquerors spread through the southern France, many defeated nobles and frightened peasants fled into the Alps. Later historians cite this as the reason why in the west the Germania nobility was assimilated by the Latin majority, while in the east Germanic language and culture proved more prevalent.
This period proved to be key to the formation of Burgundian identity. Rather than just being the land that happened to be occupied by that specific tribe of Germanic conquerors, Burgundy became The Great Redoubt, the last hope of Europe.
Much mythologized since, modern scholars (in other countries) seriously challenge this idea. They point out that no serious effort was made to cross the Alps by Muslim forces, who could much more easily reach Italy by sea and we're busy conquering more valuable lands to the north and west. Many communities near the western border were raided, and the Great Redoubt myth probably does reflect the level of panic in post-Tours Europe.
The early Burgundian Dukes were both protected and undermined by terrain that made travel difficult. They were obliged to rely on strong counts controlling the passes and valleys. These were well situated to repel raiders and would be conquerors. But the same forces made revolts very hard to repress, weakening the Duchy and making it a more tempting target.
In the 11th century Burgundian Dukes began to try to undermine their vassals by endowing monestary established with more lands and power. These would supply money and manpower to fight the heathens, but we're theoretically forbidden from fighting their fellow Christians.
After putting down the Revolt of the Three Passes in 1118, Duke Rowland IV hit upon what seemed like an ideal solution. Sieving the rebels strongholds, he endowed them on the Knights of the Hospital of St Bernard. One of the militant Holy Orders to arise out of the Crusades, the Knights of St Bernard were an outgrowth of the monestaries which succored travellers in the difficult, dangerous mountain passes.
Endowing them with the rebels lands and castles seemed perfect. The Knights greatly improved their new castles, which they renamed as Temples. This led to their more common informal name of Knights Templar.
The Templars proved their value in the aftermath of the failed Third Crusade, which led to a Franj counterattack. They were endowed with more lands and income throughout Europe, making them more powerful.
The rising power of the Templars proved to be a double edged sword. The Templar did not consider themselves subject to anyone but the Pope. They didn't take orders from the Duke, but we're not shy about intervening in his affairs. The Dukes were never entirely deposed, but by the 13th century people referred to Upper Burgundy as the Estates Templar.
The Templar legacy is still controversial. They applied rigid Catholicism and violently suppressed the slightest dissent from the commons. They had a nasty tendency to consider anyone who did not support the Order's interests as a heretic. Witch hunts, literal and figurative, were a recurring feature of Templar rule.
The more benevolent side of the Templar regime can be seen in the landscape. The Grandmasters generally took their vows of poverty seriously. Their growing wealth was put to work, not just in their stout Temples and glorious churches, but in the unglamorous infrastructure most medieval rulers ignored. Roman roads and bridges were rebuilt and extended, marshes cleared, irrigation and terrace farming adopted on monastic and Templates land.
The Templars never forgot their roots as hospitals, maintaining health care and promoting medical research... to a clearly defined limit. Many prominent scholars were patronized by the Order, only to be driven into exile or martyred when their conclusions were deemed heretical.
The relative prosperity came to a stark end in the 14th century. The period of colder, wetter weather that hit Northern Europe in general was especially hard on the high alps. Crop failures caused famines, heavy snow made getting new supplies or escaping to the less ravaged south difficult, and the plague ravaged the burgeoning towns. To this day many parts of the Grand Duchy are still less populace than they were in 1300.
The Templar responded by cracking down on sinners, jews, the few muslims permitted into their land, and alleged witches. Infamously they ordered a mass execution of cats, due to their perceived alliance with the forces of darkness, only to suffer an explosion of plague rats.
The Plague had a significant side effect, as it killed off the last ineffective Dukes of the original House of Burgundy. The title passed to the seemingly unimportant Count of Aargau, Otto von Hapsburg.
The Hapsburg dynasty proved much more assertive in pushing back against Templar power. Otto I had originally been intended for the church, and was well versed in canon law. He used his education well, and undermined the Templar Order in the one place they never expected. He repeatedly appealed to the Pope, arguing that the Grandmasters were exercising Papal powers without authorization. His most devastating accusation was that the Templar were appropriating tithes due to the Holy Father for their own use.
Disastrously the Templar Grandmaster Renault Hotspur tried to intimidate several abbots out of supporting the Dukes claims. Instead they took up the cause. The Holy Father ultimately ruled in favor of the Duke, the first in a series of legal, political, and military setbacks for the order in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The later Crusades, both successful and failures, illustrated the rising power of mass drilled infantry (which made up the core of the Hapsburg forces) relative to the more traditional knights. The Templar were comparably slow to adopt new weapons like crossbows and gunpowder weapons. But their commanding position controlling the passes, still extensive lands and incomes, and martial zeal kept them relevant.
Though more tolerant than the Templars (witch hunts under the Hapsburgs disappeared, replaced by a more organized and forgiving Inquisition), the Hapsburgs remained zealously Catholic, chasing dissident theologian Martin Luther away when he sought refuge there and refusing to readmit descendents of Jews driven out by the Templars. They patronized artists and musicians, and we're major players in Papal politics.
The end of the Crusades Era and the onset of the Enlightenment saw a contrary Reactionary philosophy ascend in Upper Burgundy. As such it is unsurprising that the Duchy was quick to join in the First Coalition against the Cisalpine Republic. Napoleon made his name with his first great victory at Little St Bernard Pass. Duke Hedwig sued for peace, and Napoleon soon rose to Consul. But in 1806 the Duchy joined the Second Papal Coalition. Napoleon's subsequent campaign is now viewed as his most brilliant, launching a preemptive invasion, shattering outdated fortresses and swiftly taking Zurich and capturing the Duke as he attempted to flee to Alemannia. The remaining Templars died at their posts, holding out against impossible odds in a last stand that even their many detractors had to respect.
Republicans in Upper Burgundy were initially excited. But they soon came to understand Napoleon's idea of liberation. Countless priceless works of art were taken to Milan in triumph. Cisalpine troops occupied the territory, members of Napoleon's family were installed in positions of power, and conscription began for the Helvetia Legion. Curiously Napoleon did not annex the region, nor install a puppet republic, but maintained that he was ruling on behalf of the captive Duke.
Popular resistance was widespread, supported by outside powers. In 1814, convinced that Hedwig was somehow aiding the resistance, Napoleon deposed him and installed his brother Jerome as "King in the Alps." The Duke died shortly thereafter in controversial circumstances.
Jerome's Kingdom did not last long. His brother's assassination threw the Cisalpine Republic into chaos. He was on poor terms with Marshal Benvolio, commander of the Cisalpine troops, and the rebellion intensified. The weather turned against them in the Year Without a Summer. When the snows finally melted the Cisalpine troops, vastly depleted by hunger, desertion, and Hapsburg loyalists, retreated down the passes.
The subsequent peace restored the Hapsburgs, and returned the position of a now demilitarized Templar Order. An intensely conservative backlash has isolated the Duchy diplomatically and economically.
Flag: (Optional, but always appreciated)
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While I do agree that the Battle of Tours is not as some like Gibbon and others make it out to be, that is to say, the battle which decided the fate of western civilization, it is not correct to say that it holds no importance for the Muslim-Christian conflict. Considering that Charles Martel suffered a longer civil war it is, and taking from the OP that this is the main reason why the Battle of Tours was won by the Muslims, it is now unlikely to say that ITTL a defeat for Martel at Tours would've greatly decreased his power within France. Seeing as Charles Martel was the father of the first Carolingian King as well as the progenitor of the Carolingian dynasty it is not unreasonable that France would've been considerably weakened, not only having suffered a defeat against Muslims but now Martel and his supporters are fragmented leaving the Merovingian Kings to defend France. One could see the problem was the Merovingian Kings at the time did very little.
Now, I maintain that I do not think the Battle of Tours to be of monumental significance in world history, but it is very likely given the circumstances surrounding Charles Martel's strength in TTL that we are talking about a weaker France. Now, I have already outlined the impact on the Carolingian dynasty, but there is more. Considering that we deal with a weakened France and Martel it is now unlikely that other battles in the Muslim raids were possible to now have been lost ITTL. It is now unreasonable to say that and if we consider that more defeats for the Franks from the Muslims then we could be talking about realistically about a stronger Muslim presence in France and a much weaker Merovingian France.
Now, you raise some important points about European geography and the difficulties of conquest and I do concur with them. I shall confess that my history of Muslim France was written with excitement that likely clouded my judgment and sped up Muslim conquests too much. I shall be likely to amend these errors to make the conquest more realistic.
Map:
Official Name: an-Nizāriyyūn al-Ismāʿīliyya Imāmah al-Bilad al-Sham - Nizairi Ismaili Imamate of Country of Syria
Common Name: Syria, Levant, Nizairi Imamate, Imamate, Nizairi State
Capital: Dimashq/Damascus
Head of Government: Imam Aga Khan I
Head of State: Emir Hassan ibn Salah
Major Political Parties:
Ismailis
Jewish community
Fedayeen: Extremist military faction
Demonym: Syrian, Levantine, Nizairi
Languages: Levantine Arabic, Hebrew,Aramaic, Armenian, Circassian,Greek, Kurdish, Ladino,Turkish, Persian
Ethnic Groups: Arabs, Israelites, Berbers, Assyrians, Greeks,Turks,. Persians
Religions: 80 % Islam ( 69 % Nizari Ismaili 26% Shia Twelvers, 15% Sunni), 6 % Karaite Judaism (Jerusalem), 2.5 Orthodox Christian, 1.5 Other
Population: aprox. 790,000
Location: OTL Levant (Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Beirut, Palestine, Jordan)
History: Immediate effects of Battle of Tours were minimal for the Levant region since the Umayyad Caliphate fragmented shortly after the success at Tours but over the decades the eventual Muslim conquest in France, the lack of Western influences with Christian crusades concentrating on the Iberian peninsula and the mostly passive hostilities between the Byzantine and Muslims would lead to the creation of the Imamate and it's predecessors.
The success and development of Levant and it's islamization begins when the Rashidun Caliphate conquered the Diocese of the East during the first half of the 7th century by defeating the Byzantine armies at the six day long Battle of Yarmouk, forcing them to retreat and face pursue by the Rashidun armies. Levant became the bastion of civilization in the muslim world after the creation of Umayyad Caliphate by Muawiyah I in the aftermath of First Fitna. The Umayyad established Damascus as the capital and Levant became the metropolitan area of the Umayyad Caliphate. Syria had all ready served as the power base for the Umayyad dynasty. Known as Bilad al-Sham, the levant area prospered greatly under the Umayyad rule and the Christians living in the area had to make room for the growing Muslim population. Together with Damascus, Jerusalem was another city that greatly benefited from the Umayyad rule for a period of time and was an important city until the fragmention of the Caliphate. Even though the Christians had made treaties with the Rashidun Caliphate and co-existed peacefully together with Muslims and Jews, they were slowly made in to second class citizens with restrictions placed upon them regarding worship and travel. The Jewish community enjoyed far greater freedom under the Muslims and served in high administrative positions under Muslim overlords.
Umayyads continued their military expansion trough out the years and the by the time of Battle of Tours the Caliphate stretched from India to Iberia. Even though Umayyad armies were triumphant in Tours, the Caliphate started to decline after a costly Berber Revolt that forced Umayyads out of Morocco and the collapse of authority on al-Andalus. With the main Umayyad armies conquering in France the caliphate was unable to repel invasions in India by both Chalukya dynasty and Pratiharas Dynasty. Caliphate was driven out of India in the aftermath. In 737 there was an massive invasion to the north in the lands of Khazaria but this ended up in massive failure by the Muslim armies. In 744 Marwan II took over the Caliphate after he lead his armies from the north to seized Damascus. Marwan moved the capital from Damascus to Harran, this was met with a short lived rebellion in the Levant by powerful emirs who took the relocation as an personal insult towards them despite their continuous support for the Umayyads. Marwan defeated the rebellion and laid razed the walls of Homs and Damascus in retaliation.
The failures and brutal disposition of opposition by the Umayyads eventually lead to the Abbasid Revolution that was backed up by both Shia and Sunni muslims as non-arabs and non-muslims alike. The ascension of Abbasid Caliphate in 750 lead Levant back to an era of peace and prosperity. The Abbasid rule saw the end of privileged status for Arabs as well as the end of official discrimination against non-Arabs. Syria did lose much of it's significance during after the Abbasid government was based on the Baghdad area. Abbassid rule also helped to establish the dominance of Karaite Judaism in Jerusalem and eventually led to their Golden Age. During the Abbasid rule Islam saw it's Golden Age and many new advances were made in all areas.
Eventually history would repeat itself and Abbasid Caliphate started to fracture under the pressure of strong regional dynasties and the constant efforts to centralize the government to Baghdad weren't helping. Eventually the rise of Shia muslims one of the biggest fractures in the Muslim world when the Shia Caliphs were able to match the power of the Abbasids and divide the realm. Around 1090 marks the beginning of the Nizari Ismaili State when Hasan-i Sabbah took control of the Alamut Castle and begun to establish nexus of strategic strongholds from Persia to Syria. Even though these castles were not connected to each others by land Nizari State become much more stable than the other caliphates in the region. Nizari State was ruled by Imams instead of traditional Caliphs. The strategic locations of the castles and the covert take overs instead of open warfare acted as the key points in Ismaili success during the era of turmoil in the Arab world. Hasan-i Sabbah also organized his cult of ismaili devotees in to an organization known as Ḥashashīns. Organization that created legends and folklore in their time. Ḥashashīns did act as a important section of the Nizari military and they were often used to forward the religious and political ambitions of the Imam. While the rulers of the lands around Nizari State changed trough out the years Nizaris were able to survive and establish a strong power base in Syria and relation with the local emirs and jewish communities.
In 1162 Rashīd ad-Dīn Sinān was sent to take over the Syrian part of the State. He and his Ismaili followers became the key element in converting Bilad al-Sham to Nizari Ismaili branch of the Shia faith by replacing Emirs with those following Nizari faith. Rashid became known as the Old Man of the Mountain since his seat of power was at Masyaf Castle located on a hill 20 meters above the surrounding plains. He was the first Nizari leader to expand the States holdings from only castles to include vast areas of fiefs that he gained from Emirs with series of favors and treaties as well as threats. Much to the dislike of the Nizari Imam's reigning from Alamut. Around these times the Syrian Nizari sect started to become more independent. By the time of his death in 1192 Rashid had Nizari faith had spread around Bilad al-Sham and was the major faith in Jund Dimashq, Jund Filastin and with Nizari State in control of Jund Hims together with a local Emir.
He was succeeded by men appointed from Alamut, which regained a closer supervision over Masyaf. But the political situation in the East wasn't stable so Rashid's policies were continued. 1614 saw the beginning of several Byzantine invasions in the north which forced the Muslim rulers to cede land to the victorious Greeks. By this time Nazari State had lost it's Persian possession to series of invading armies. But in return Nizaris had taken full control of the Emirs of Bilad al-Sham. After the loss of Cyprus along with the defeat of Muslim navy in 1647 the Muslim world once again saw fragmentation and civil war. During this time the Nizairi Ismaili Imamate of Country of Syria was officially established as an independent realm in the Middle East. The following decades would be spent in solidifying the power base of Nizairi Imamate by defending against invaders, notably from Shia and Sunni sects. The tradition of Jewish-Muslim relations was upheld by the Nizari even though their religious views differ but the Imams knew from the history that a divided people would only end up in history repeating itself. In 1780 after a successful defense against invading Sunni armies the city of Jerusalem was given almost an autonomous status and Jewish control as thanks after the Jewish armies had proven to be valuable assets and key players in the defense.
Relatively peaceful times followed with only few skirmishes between Nizari and other muslim states with a small uprising by Christian people in Acre. During the years leading towards 19th century Imamate has started improving it's relations with surrounding Muslims states but especially the western nations like Byzantine and Naples, trying to invite western traders to Syria as well as possible support in case of invasion from the east. Also to be noted that Imamate has begun sending out missionaries to spread the faith of Nizari to all corners of the world from North to China, to India and all the way to the colonies across the Atlantic.
Flag:
Official Name: an-Nizāriyyūn al-Ismāʿīliyya Imāmah al-Bilad al-Sham - Nizairi Ismaili Imamate of Country of Syria
Common Name: Syria, Levant, Nizairi Imamate, Imamate, Nizairi State
Capital: Dimashq/Damascus
Head of Government: Imam Aga Khan I
Head of State: Emir Hassan ibn Salah
Major Political Parties:
Ismailis
Jewish community
Fedayeen: Extremist military faction
Demonym: Syrian, Levantine, Nizairi
Languages: Levantine Arabic, Hebrew,Aramaic, Armenian, Circassian,Greek, Kurdish, Ladino,Turkish, Persian
Ethnic Groups: Arabs, Israelites, Berbers, Assyrians, Greeks,Turks,. Persians
Religions: 80 % Islam ( 69 % Nizari Ismaili 26% Shia Twelvers, 15% Sunni), 6 % Karaite Judaism (Jerusalem), 2.5 Orthodox Christian, 1.5 Other
Population: aprox. 790,000
Location: OTL Levant (Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Beirut, Palestine, Jordan)
History: Immediate effects of Battle of Tours were minimal for the Levant region since the Umayyad Caliphate fragmented shortly after the success at Tours but over the decades the eventual Muslim conquest in France, the lack of Western influences with Christian crusades concentrating on the Iberian peninsula and the mostly passive hostilities between the Byzantine and Muslims would lead to the creation of the Imamate and it's predecessors.
The success and development of Levant and it's islamization begins when the Rashidun Caliphate conquered the Diocese of the East during the first half of the 7th century by defeating the Byzantine armies at the six day long Battle of Yarmouk, forcing them to retreat and face pursue by the Rashidun armies. Levant became the bastion of civilization in the muslim world after the creation of Umayyad Caliphate by Muawiyah I in the aftermath of First Fitna. The Umayyad established Damascus as the capital and Levant became the metropolitan area of the Umayyad Caliphate. Syria had all ready served as the power base for the Umayyad dynasty. Known as Bilad al-Sham, the levant area prospered greatly under the Umayyad rule and the Christians living in the area had to make room for the growing Muslim population. Together with Damascus, Jerusalem was another city that greatly benefited from the Umayyad rule for a period of time and was an important city until the fragmention of the Caliphate. Even though the Christians had made treaties with the Rashidun Caliphate and co-existed peacefully together with Muslims and Jews, they were slowly made in to second class citizens with restrictions placed upon them regarding worship and travel. The Jewish community enjoyed far greater freedom under the Muslims and served in high administrative positions under Muslim overlords.
Umayyads continued their military expansion trough out the years and the by the time of Battle of Tours the Caliphate stretched from India to Iberia. Even though Umayyad armies were triumphant in Tours, the Caliphate started to decline after a costly Berber Revolt that forced Umayyads out of Morocco and the collapse of authority on al-Andalus. With the main Umayyad armies conquering in France the caliphate was unable to repel invasions in India by both Chalukya dynasty and Pratiharas Dynasty. Caliphate was driven out of India in the aftermath. In 737 there was an massive invasion to the north in the lands of Khazaria but this ended up in massive failure by the Muslim armies. In 744 Marwan II took over the Caliphate after he lead his armies from the north to seized Damascus. Marwan moved the capital from Damascus to Harran, this was met with a short lived rebellion in the Levant by powerful emirs who took the relocation as an personal insult towards them despite their continuous support for the Umayyads. Marwan defeated the rebellion and laid razed the walls of Homs and Damascus in retaliation.
The failures and brutal disposition of opposition by the Umayyads eventually lead to the Abbasid Revolution that was backed up by both Shia and Sunni muslims as non-arabs and non-muslims alike. The ascension of Abbasid Caliphate in 750 lead Levant back to an era of peace and prosperity. The Abbasid rule saw the end of privileged status for Arabs as well as the end of official discrimination against non-Arabs. Syria did lose much of it's significance during after the Abbasid government was based on the Baghdad area. Abbassid rule also helped to establish the dominance of Karaite Judaism in Jerusalem and eventually led to their Golden Age. During the Abbasid rule Islam saw it's Golden Age and many new advances were made in all areas.
Eventually history would repeat itself and Abbasid Caliphate started to fracture under the pressure of strong regional dynasties and the constant efforts to centralize the government to Baghdad weren't helping. Eventually the rise of Shia muslims one of the biggest fractures in the Muslim world when the Shia Caliphs were able to match the power of the Abbasids and divide the realm. Around 1090 marks the beginning of the Nizari Ismaili State when Hasan-i Sabbah took control of the Alamut Castle and begun to establish nexus of strategic strongholds from Persia to Syria. Even though these castles were not connected to each others by land Nizari State become much more stable than the other caliphates in the region. Nizari State was ruled by Imams instead of traditional Caliphs. The strategic locations of the castles and the covert take overs instead of open warfare acted as the key points in Ismaili success during the era of turmoil in the Arab world. Hasan-i Sabbah also organized his cult of ismaili devotees in to an organization known as Ḥashashīns. Organization that created legends and folklore in their time. Ḥashashīns did act as a important section of the Nizari military and they were often used to forward the religious and political ambitions of the Imam. While the rulers of the lands around Nizari State changed trough out the years Nizaris were able to survive and establish a strong power base in Syria and relation with the local emirs and jewish communities.
In 1162 Rashīd ad-Dīn Sinān was sent to take over the Syrian part of the State. He and his Ismaili followers became the key element in converting Bilad al-Sham to Nizari Ismaili branch of the Shia faith by replacing Emirs with those following Nizari faith. Rashid became known as the Old Man of the Mountain since his seat of power was at Masyaf Castle located on a hill 20 meters above the surrounding plains. He was the first Nizari leader to expand the States holdings from only castles to include vast areas of fiefs that he gained from Emirs with series of favors and treaties as well as threats. Much to the dislike of the Nizari Imam's reigning from Alamut. Around these times the Syrian Nizari sect started to become more independent. By the time of his death in 1192 Rashid had Nizari faith had spread around Bilad al-Sham and was the major faith in Jund Dimashq, Jund Filastin and with Nizari State in control of Jund Hims together with a local Emir.
He was succeeded by men appointed from Alamut, which regained a closer supervision over Masyaf. But the political situation in the East wasn't stable so Rashid's policies were continued. 1614 saw the beginning of several Byzantine invasions in the north which forced the Muslim rulers to cede land to the victorious Greeks. By this time Nazari State had lost it's Persian possession to series of invading armies. But in return Nizaris had taken full control of the Emirs of Bilad al-Sham. After the loss of Cyprus along with the defeat of Muslim navy in 1647 the Muslim world once again saw fragmentation and civil war. During this time the Nizairi Ismaili Imamate of Country of Syria was officially established as an independent realm in the Middle East. The following decades would be spent in solidifying the power base of Nizairi Imamate by defending against invaders, notably from Shia and Sunni sects. The tradition of Jewish-Muslim relations was upheld by the Nizari even though their religious views differ but the Imams knew from the history that a divided people would only end up in history repeating itself. In 1780 after a successful defense against invading Sunni armies the city of Jerusalem was given almost an autonomous status and Jewish control as thanks after the Jewish armies had proven to be valuable assets and key players in the defense.
Relatively peaceful times followed with only few skirmishes between Nizari and other muslim states with a small uprising by Christian people in Acre. During the years leading towards 19th century Imamate has started improving it's relations with surrounding Muslims states but especially the western nations like Byzantine and Naples, trying to invite western traders to Syria as well as possible support in case of invasion from the east. Also to be noted that Imamate has begun sending out missionaries to spread the faith of Nizari to all corners of the world from North to China, to India and all the way to the colonies across the Atlantic.
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On the discussion of meta-historical events, I propose that the following would still happen, as they have nothing to do with frankish success or failure.
-The medieval warm period, with its accompanying rise in population.
-The subsequent disastrous Crisis of the 14th Century, with the famines and Black Plague
-The Little Ice Age
-The Year Without a Summer (aka 1800 and Froze to Death) 1815-16
-The wave of pandemics that hit the new world post-columbus.
-The various invasions from the East (Turks, Mongols)
-The "Price Revolution" a disruptive period of inflation due to the sudden influx of new world precious metals
I'd also suggest a Reformation and Crusades era, probably targeting southern France at least at first. Potentially short lived crusader states there and or in Catalonia. Considering that there would be even more separation between them and Rome, the Reformation might start in England or Northern Germany.
-The medieval warm period, with its accompanying rise in population.
-The subsequent disastrous Crisis of the 14th Century, with the famines and Black Plague
-The Little Ice Age
-The Year Without a Summer (aka 1800 and Froze to Death) 1815-16
-The wave of pandemics that hit the new world post-columbus.
-The various invasions from the East (Turks, Mongols)
-The "Price Revolution" a disruptive period of inflation due to the sudden influx of new world precious metals
I'd also suggest a Reformation and Crusades era, probably targeting southern France at least at first. Potentially short lived crusader states there and or in Catalonia. Considering that there would be even more separation between them and Rome, the Reformation might start in England or Northern Germany.
I have always approached everything else with the view that whoever is in that region decides whether there was an additional POD after that. For instance, it was the decision of those players in Russia and Anatolia that the Mongols and Turks did not become an issue, for one reason or another, and that is there right as the co-creators of the alternate timeline. The only things which can not be modified are those events which occurred prior to Tours.
With that being said, if everyone would like to cooperate to include these things in the world history, feel free and go ahead. The more these countries intermingle the better.
Well both Khazaria and Russia are based on the Mongol Invasion never happening. Those two would have to be heavily modified if the Mongol Invasion would happen historically, could also lead to Eastern Europe looking pretty much OTL. To be honest the only real effect that Muslim triumph in the west for Eastern Europe would have been is the lack of Crusaders coming to compete for the Baltic lands and the survival of Constantinople . If the Mongol Invasion was to happen historically none of those wouldn't have mattered enough to cause huge changes compared to OTL. Same with the Seljuks.
Well we can handwave away the Mongols and Turks, perhaps by saying they were super successful somewhere in the East (when we get to asia). In fact since nobody's claimed Persia or Iraq afaik those might still have been mongol conquests or Seljuk ones. I think the Byzantine history makes reference to fighting Turks. Conceivably there may be Turks in unclaimed land in the mideast.