Elfwine I believe that in his writings he talked of it. And also based upon the fact that he had quite a bit of the Imperial bureaucracy killed because he believed them corrupt. I think it was based on his time in Gaul when he was Caesar in the West and he saw how corrupt the bureaucracy there...
At one point during his reign he issued a series of edicts that outlawed the teachings of Christianity. Could this give us reason to believe that he would have gone as far as to begin the direct persecution of Christians like the emperors did in earlier centuries. I'm not familiar with the...
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I believe that he would have too. It seems to me because he made several mistakes in Gaul while fighting in Gaul and Germania but he seemed to have learned from them and was an excellent student. I think he would have realized his folly of conquering so soon after he was crowned...
slydessertfox I am a big fan of your timeline. I think that Imperial favor to one religion always has benefits. He was considered an extremely tolerant ruler and was never quick to blame any religious group for problems within the state. Personally I believe he could have done much for the...
I realize that Neopaganism was far more developed in Julian's time then in Caesars, but it was my understanding that when Julian died the last I would say powerful "champion" of the religion died. After his death wasn't most forms of religion gone from the empire except for differing forms of...
Julian the Apostate died in 363 while fighting a war against the Sassanids. What significant changes to the Empire would his survival brought? He was a known Neoplatonist pagan and was considered an excellent general and it is known that he attempted reforms during his short reign.
I will read the Prince. Thank you. I had just been reading through text books at school and was interested to if the Battle of Fornovo had been won by Charles what effects it would have had. I was thinking it could have been a not so cliche POD for a TL but now I see what mattered more was the...
Thats interesting. I've never read a Turtledove novel. The ones that I have seen at my local library, have always seemed to fantasy like to catch my attention:p. Do you believe that the Byzantine Empire would ever have tried to conquer Arabia?
katchen I like what you did about Muhammad. Clever. I agree the Byzantines were interested in the trade Arabia could bring the empire and the taxes. Always taxes. They would never concern themselves with the subjugation of the interior. The tribesmen may meet them and the Byzantines name them...
Honestly I know very little about the Italian Wars or Charles VIII but it just seemed to me that the Battle of Fornovo could have been a pretty big deal. Was he interested in launching a new crusade? Still has he won and be able to maintain his position in Italy as the King of Naples how would...
Thats understandable that was the "official" reason for his invasion but what I really wanted to know was would the political lines of Italy be redrawn. The Pope and Venice were obviously no friends to Charles. I just wanted to know if anyone else believed that he would have plans for the other...
The Byzantine Empire would never truly hold control over the entire peninsula. The Arabian desert would be far too difficult to control because of the nomads. Coupled with the scarcity of water it would never be worth it. The Byzantine Emperors may "claim" over-lordship of the varying tribes of...
Charles VIII marched through Italy very quickly and was crowned the King of Naples and Pope Alexander and other Italian states formed the Venetian League to defend against him. WI at Fornovo Charles does no lose but instead routs the Allied Italian army? Because of his wars and ambition he left...