In what scenario would the Ottomans not try to expand into Europe?
- Thread starter Sirius
- Start date
John VI Cantacouzenos falls of a cliff in October 1341, sparing the Byzantine Empire a long and devastating civil war. So he doesn't live to let Ottoman mercenaries into the Balkans. And the considerably stronger and more stable Byzantine Empire has enough time and resources to fortify Gallipoli and eastern Thrace in general to such an extent that the Ottomans abandon any plans of crossing over and turn their attention fully to Anatolia.
But the Ottomans were actually immensely lucky during their early campaigns in the Balkans. There are many points in the first few decades of their expansion when they could have been pushed back.
But the Ottomans were actually immensely lucky during their early campaigns in the Balkans. There are many points in the first few decades of their expansion when they could have been pushed back.
Huehuecoyotl
Monthly Donor
Just as Halagaz suggests, the only situation where the Ottomans won't try to expand into Europe is one where they can't. A strong Christian presence at the Straits of the Bosporus and Dardanelles could discourage the Ottomans from European adventures and direct them toward Syria and Mesopotamia instead.
Personall, I think you could have 'distraction' in the form of warfare between the Persians (Safhvides?) and Ottomans vying for control of key areas as modern Irak, central asian states...
Anyway is anyone interested doing a fic/TL for this idea because I think it would be very interesting to see a TL where the Ottomans never get into Europe (One of the consequences I can see is a rump Byzantine-empire surviving with it perhaps retaking parts of Asia-minor).
I would contribute to it, but I don't have the time to take it on as my project. If you want to do it, I'd be willing to help brainstorm and edit.
I don't know remotely enough about the history of the area and era to write something like that I just brought it up because there should be someone in the forum who would be able to write it.
Well, in any possible scenario the Ottomans would TRY to expand into Europe.
That is the nature of this polity which was born out of a Muslim mark on the border of Islam and Christianity. The Ottomans were the warriors of faith, that was their goal - to expand into the Christian lands. The Ottoman wars against their co-religionist Muslims were justified only because the Ottomans were forced to fight against "bad" Muslims who interfered with their sacred war against the Infidels.
So the Ottomans would definitely TRY to expand into Europe, and the only way to stop them is their failure to do that. They lose some war or something...