WI: Timur restores the Yuan to the throne of China

[AtreusHashim]

I don't know much about the Timurids but I expect that this would be nigh impossible to do.

But say all of the Ming's top generals and administrators get a sudden case of stupid just as Timur starts his campaign and the madman actually manages to pull it off. What happens afterwards?

 

[Cymry-Korean]

I don't know much about the Timurids but I expect that this would be nigh impossible to do.

But say all of the Ming's top generals and administrators get a sudden case of stupid just as Timur starts his campaign and the madman actually manages to pull it off. What happens afterwards?

Were there any Yuan dynasts still with any significant influence for Timur to promote? Or do you mean Timur takes up the reins himself?

 

[AtreusHashim]

Were there any Yuan dynasts still with any significant influence for Timur to promote? Or do you mean Timur takes up the reins himself?

Supposedly he had a puppet ruler all lined up, the Yuan ruled parts of Mongolia for a very brief period of time after they were toppled in China. Notably the guy he was trying to put into place had to convert to Islam as a condition of being installed, so that'll be interesting if things go to plan.

 

[HunterX]

Supposedly he had a puppet ruler all lined up, the Yuan ruled parts of Mongolia for a very brief period of time after they were toppled in China. Notably the guy he was trying to put into place had to convert to Islam as a condition of being installed, so that'll be interesting if things go to plan.

300 years is a very brief period of time? The Northern Yuan lasted until the rise of the Qing.

 

[UnaiB]

@Zulfurium

 

[Zulfurium]

Honestly, if we are at the point where Timur is actually making a successful invasion of the Ming in the late 1300s, he is far more likely to take the region for himself than prop up some puppet ruler. Whether victory is feasible or not is another matter, and we are really in a race against time before Timur croaks given his rather advanced age at this point in time. As for the Yuan themselves, IMO they simply lacked the dynamism and support which would have been necessary to serve as puppets in this context. Hell, the main line of Yuan Emperors has already died out by this point in time and any candidate's legitimacy is going to be questioned.

 

[Ursogulos]

I have attempted a Timurid invasion of China in my TL which is rather successful but he doesn't necessarily restore Yuan to the 'Chinese throne' , only saves it from sacking by Ming. Territories which could be grabbed without ASB or overextension are Gansu and Probably Beijing if he remains alive a bit longer. But China south of Yellow river is a big no and will require long successful Timurid successors in Transoxiana and lots of China screws. Remember that Ming under Yongle was very strong in terms of usage of Gunpowder and not to mention the homeground advantage. Timur can deal a heavy blow if he can invade China when Yongle is busy in Jingnan during 1399-1402. So then he can occupy more ground and wait for the Ming to arrive with their lumbering logistics all the way from southern China giving the Turkic lord a clear advantage in terms of choosing battleground.

Also, it can happen if Timur isn't distracted by Ottomans and doesn't go west, another POD(again, used in my TL) which is a must for successful Timurid Invasion and survival of Northern Yuan even as a puppet dynasty.