After the feedback I received for my TL on a surviving Macedonian dynasty, once I've finished my exams later this month, I believe I'll try a TLIAM (A timeline in a month, which, seeing as I'll likely start in the middle of the month, I'll interpret as 30 days or less) on a Byzantine emperor present at one of the most critical moments of the empire's history - Romanos IV Diogenes.
The Byzantines winning/avoiding the Battle of Manzikert has been a often-discussed subject on this forum, but I don't think I've seen any timelines which cover this POD, even in passing, nor on what would happen to Romanos himself. In addition, I have a soft spot for underdogs - characters who could have had potential if they had survived or their situations been different, such as (to name a few) Michael III 'the Drunkard', Romanos I Lekapenos, Romanos IV Diogenes, Alexios II Komnenos, Alexios & David Komnenos of Trebizond, and Constantine Palaiologos, son of Michael VIII.
The situation for Romanos as of Manzikert:
* The theme system and the army is a mess.
* The Doukas family, in particular Prince Michael Doukas, the Caesar John Doukas and his son Andronikos, despises him.
* While old families like the Skleroi, Phokai & Kourkouai are in decline, the Komnenos family is on the rise due to the family matriarch, Anna Dalassena.
* Turkmen have been raiding for years as far as Iconium.
* Robert Guiscard and the Normans have conquered most of Sicily and Southern Italy and are in position to raid into Epirus as they did IOTL.
* The Pechenegs are also in a prime position to raid across the Danube.
An ailing empire ruled by a non-Komnenos emperor facing enemies within and without? Sounds fun!
My POD is simple - At Manzikert, Romanos ends up taking his friend Nikephoros Botaneiates with him instead of Andronikos Doukas who IOTL abandoned the emperor at a crucial moment, turning a winnable battle into a rout.
By Manzikert, Romanos already has three sons, one by Anna, daughter of Prince Alusian of Bulgaria, and two by Empress Eudokia Makrembolites:
* Constantine, adult, married to Theodora Komnenos, sister of Alexios Komnenos. IOTL died c.1074 fighting the Turks near Antioch.
* Leo (b.1070), porphyrogennetos, IOTL died c.1087 fighting the Pechenegs.
* Nikephoros (b.1071), porphyrogennetos, IOTL c.1095 caught for conspiring against the emperor and accidentally blinded. Date of death unknown.
Constantine presumably has military training and experience, while Leo and Nikephoros would grow up with a proper imperial education. In addition, Constantine X's youngest children - Theodora, Constantius and Zoe - are still in single digits and require a father-figure of sorts.
And that's just my basic outline so far about my next upcoming TL. Any thoughts? Any questions/problems I'd be happy to discuss!
The Byzantines winning/avoiding the Battle of Manzikert has been a often-discussed subject on this forum, but I don't think I've seen any timelines which cover this POD, even in passing, nor on what would happen to Romanos himself. In addition, I have a soft spot for underdogs - characters who could have had potential if they had survived or their situations been different, such as (to name a few) Michael III 'the Drunkard', Romanos I Lekapenos, Romanos IV Diogenes, Alexios II Komnenos, Alexios & David Komnenos of Trebizond, and Constantine Palaiologos, son of Michael VIII.
The situation for Romanos as of Manzikert:
* The theme system and the army is a mess.
* The Doukas family, in particular Prince Michael Doukas, the Caesar John Doukas and his son Andronikos, despises him.
* While old families like the Skleroi, Phokai & Kourkouai are in decline, the Komnenos family is on the rise due to the family matriarch, Anna Dalassena.
* Turkmen have been raiding for years as far as Iconium.
* Robert Guiscard and the Normans have conquered most of Sicily and Southern Italy and are in position to raid into Epirus as they did IOTL.
* The Pechenegs are also in a prime position to raid across the Danube.
An ailing empire ruled by a non-Komnenos emperor facing enemies within and without? Sounds fun!
My POD is simple - At Manzikert, Romanos ends up taking his friend Nikephoros Botaneiates with him instead of Andronikos Doukas who IOTL abandoned the emperor at a crucial moment, turning a winnable battle into a rout.
By Manzikert, Romanos already has three sons, one by Anna, daughter of Prince Alusian of Bulgaria, and two by Empress Eudokia Makrembolites:
* Constantine, adult, married to Theodora Komnenos, sister of Alexios Komnenos. IOTL died c.1074 fighting the Turks near Antioch.
* Leo (b.1070), porphyrogennetos, IOTL died c.1087 fighting the Pechenegs.
* Nikephoros (b.1071), porphyrogennetos, IOTL c.1095 caught for conspiring against the emperor and accidentally blinded. Date of death unknown.
Constantine presumably has military training and experience, while Leo and Nikephoros would grow up with a proper imperial education. In addition, Constantine X's youngest children - Theodora, Constantius and Zoe - are still in single digits and require a father-figure of sorts.
And that's just my basic outline so far about my next upcoming TL. Any thoughts? Any questions/problems I'd be happy to discuss!