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  1. John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, escapes assassination, 1419

    Was John the Fearless the type to arrange for an 'unfortunate accident' to befall a captive Dauphin? If the Dauphin dies does that open the way for John to become king of France?

  2. John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, escapes assassination, 1419

    Instead of dying at the hands of the Dauphin's (future Charles VII) companions at a false diplomatic meeting, let's assume that John is rescued by his bodyguards and flees to Paris, which had been captured by his forces the previous year. My understanding is that John had great popularity with...

  3. Kings and Princes vs the cities: most contentious relationships?

    In medieval Europe, as I understand it, there was always a desire for absolutism in the aristocracy that was frequently at odds with the autonomous leanings of the major cities. Cities demanded (and often got) concessions from the crown and even limited the reach of royal authority within the...

  4. Kings without coronations?

    In the context of medieval Europe, let's say a pretender to a throne deposes a sitting monarch. Not only does he have the backing of sizeable number of nobles but is also acceptable to the burghers of the major cities. The top clerical authority of the realm, however, refuses to crown the...

  5. Not so invincible after all: Fastest declines of powerful dynasties and noble houses 1200-1500AD

    I find this example particularly interesting. Within the time period I have given, are there any European/Islamic/Indian examples of an "invincible" dynasty or noble house that crumbled upon the return of a former ruler or pretender from exile?

  6. Not so invincible after all: Fastest declines of powerful dynasties and noble houses 1200-1500AD

    For the purpose of this thread, the dying out of a line from lack of heirs is not being considered. I'm interested in cases where domestic opposition caused the fall of the dynasty or noble house. Palace intrigues, feuds between noble houses, and revolts of nobility against the crown are more...

  7. Not so invincible after all: Fastest declines of powerful dynasties and noble houses 1200-1500AD

    At a given point in time a royal dynasty or noble house may seem unassailable, both militarily and politically, yet find itself sidelined by defeat in battle or outmaneuvering in court. For the purpose of this thread I am excluding cases of foreign aggression, such as Alexander of Macedon's...

  8. Alternate/Augmented Saints and Pilgrimage

    In medieval Europe the institution of pilgrimage was a big business. Towns along the pilgrimage route made money provisioning the pilgrims, while the actual holy site itself could become very wealthy on the donations of pilgrims. These donations would then be used to embellish the structures...

  9. Scriptures for the Usurper: Clergy and the overthrow of kings

    Did the Pope ever 'groom' a would-be Pretender to topple a specific foe, with prepared theological justifications for supporting the Pretender and delegitimizing the sitting monarch? Once installed, what would this 'client' be expected to offer the Papacy as payback for their support?

  10. Scriptures for the Usurper: Clergy and the overthrow of kings

    I think perhaps by the later middle ages, 1400-1500, in England at least, evidence for class 'snobbery' becomes more apparent. I think in the Paston letters one writer complains about basically crass 'new money' while the sermons of the day constantly stressed the need to obey one's betters and...

  11. Scriptures for the Usurper: Clergy and the overthrow of kings

    Very interesting. I always thought of medieval Europe as being a place of incredible snobbery, where nobles desperately hid any peasant ancestry. Why do you think Bohemian and Polish royalty emphasized their commoner roots?

  12. Scriptures for the Usurper: Clergy and the overthrow of kings

    Any ideas which Biblical stories/passages a clergyman might use to demonstrate that indeed the former ruler was not worthy and fell from his seat by the hand of God? What is the Papacy typically doing during the early days of a usurper tenure?

  13. Scriptures for the Usurper: Clergy and the overthrow of kings

    As best I understand, in medieval Europe the social hierarchy from king to peasant was thought to be a worldly reflection of the hierarchy of Heaven. To attempt to rise above your station would have been considered the cardinal sin of Vanity (Pride). So how would an archbishop, both at the...

  14. Maintenance of Roman roads after collapse of western empire?

    As far as I know, maintenance of Roman roads in western Europe virtual ceased after the disappearance of the empire, especially in Britain. What would it take to maintain at least sections of the road network and which sections would provide the best return on investment? Once the knowledge of...

  15. Charlemagne dies in first war with the Saxons, effects in France and beyond

    Does anyone think that the Lombards and Byzantines might go to war over the control of Rome and the Papacy? Which side has the advantage in this conflict militarily and which third powers (Caliphate?) might expand at the expense of either combatant if the war drags on? If the Lombards win a...

  16. Charlemagne dies in first war with the Saxons, effects in France and beyond

    Assuming France is partitioned in the wake of Charlemagne' early death, what are some likely outcomes for these Christian entities next to pagan Saxons plus a possible 'Elbean Slav-Bohemia' tribal union. Without a unified France to aid them do they fall to their pagan neighbors, unite into one...

  17. Charlemagne dies in first war with the Saxons, effects in France and beyond

    Without a strong Papacy to enforce orthodoxy, might we see the appearance of more 'heresies', particularly those that support the aspirations of local rulers of this more divided Europe? Without this revival of classical learning, perhaps we would see a further divergence of Ecclesiastical...

  18. Orthodox 'Grand Duchy' of Old Prussia that preserves much of the pagan religion's customs?

    This is true OTL, but I'm looking at this through the lens of an ATL in which Kievan Rus expands to the border of Prussian territory, which you stated was not impossible since OTL the Rus managed to subjugate the Lithuanians. If Kievan Rus can stay in the Baltic long enough for repeated missions...

  19. Orthodox 'Grand Duchy' of Old Prussia that preserves much of the pagan religion's customs?

    Why would the missions have to be Catholic? Was there no tradition of hagiography in the eastern Orthodox church that could be transmitted along with literacy itself to the Prussians? I would expect there to be a certain number of Prussian martyrs who eventually become canonized in the Orthodox...

  20. Charlemagne dies in first war with the Saxons, effects in France and beyond

    Do you see this Bohemian power Christianizing relatively quickly or do you see it remaining pagan for perhaps a couple of centuries longer? Were the Avars in an expansionist phase just prior to the Frankish conquest? In any case, how does a surviving Avar Khaganate affect the prospects of...
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