Byzantine Empire gets technological upgrade

[Aldarion]

By act of ROB, Byzantine Empire cca AD 700 gets access to 15th century technology of Western Europe - such as plate armour, cannons and matchlock arquebus. How does the Empire adapt to these changes, and what do they mean for its future history?

Scenario b) would be the same, but no gunpowder.

 

[Airedale260]

By act of ROB, Byzantine Empire cca AD 700 gets access to 15th century technology of Western Europe - such as plate armour, cannons and matchlock arquebus. How does the Empire adapt to these changes, and what do they mean for its future history?

Scenario b) would be the same, but no gunpowder.

When you say "they get access" does that mean they get the samples or people suddenly gain the knowledge and industrial base to make these things? Because there is a very big difference in the two. Not to mention the bigger factors are non-military but even more vital (cranes, improved farming methods, improved governance), etc.

If it's the former, then they might be able to beat back some assaults but eventually they run out. Not to mention someone else might swipe some of it and turn it against them and actually hasten the decline of the empire.

If it's the latter, well, how do you *think* a civilization that has 800 years of technological advances is going to do compared to everyone else?

 

[Aldarion]

When you say "they get access" does that mean they get the samples or people suddenly gain the knowledge and industrial base to make these things? Because there is a very big difference in the two. Not to mention the bigger factors are non-military but even more vital (cranes, improved farming methods, improved governance), etc.

If it's the former, then they might be able to beat back some assaults but eventually they run out. Not to mention someone else might swipe some of it and turn it against them and actually hasten the decline of the empire.

If it's the latter, well, how do you *think* a civilization that has 800 years of technological advances is going to do compared to everyone else?

Ability to produce. As for 800 years of technological advances, well - Ottomans used lamellar armour (same type as Byzantine kataphraktoi did) and still beat Western feudal armies due to superior organization, numbers, tactics etc. So I am not certain how much impact these will really do. I am also uncertain whether Western European farming methods would work in Anatolia (hence why I didn't mention them in the OP) - farmers in 19th century Anatolia to my knowledge used methods same as those in 9th century Anatolia.

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

Byzantine? @Aldarion You know better. They are Roman, no matter what salty Krauts say.

I am sure that if they learned Western farming techniques, they might be able to reverse engineer them. What might be useful though would be the cultura innovations that would allow them to leverage their classical knowledge.

And it might help the empire, if they can get control over the internal issues. Which is why giving them some cultural learning that they can adapt to their case might help too.

 

[ATP]

By act of ROB, Byzantine Empire cca AD 700 gets access to 15th century technology of Western Europe - such as plate armour, cannons and matchlock arquebus. How does the Empire adapt to these changes, and what do they mean for its future history?

Scenario b) would be the same, but no gunpowder.

Byzantines felled thanks to their interial issues.If they could not dealed with them in OTL,cannons would not help them.
Only difference - both Europe/through Italy and Balkans/ and muslims woyld eventually get them,too.
Plate and cannons for everybody from,let say - 900AD.
And that would change history.