What if the Italian and Korean peninsulas swap places in 1300 AD?

raharris1973

Well-known member
What if the Italian and Korean peninsulas swap places in 1300 AD?

Specifically, the states of the Italian mainland and Elba, minus Piedmont-Savoy, plus the addition of the Dalmatian and Montenegrin and north Albanian coast (to give Venice and eastern Italy an Adriatic-like shelter from typhoons) are teleported to the Far East to become an appendage of Manchuria, attached to the Great Khan's realm, or Yuan Dynasty China.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Korea, a a subject state of the Khanate/Yuan at this time, gets teleported to occupy Italy's place in Europe, as an appendage of the continent, attaching at the Swiss and Austrian Alps.


See details on map:


What happens from here?

The Europeans are suddenly Pope-less and have an exotic, heathen Kingdom where the continent's center of religion and commerce used to be.

The Mongol Khans have lost their Korean vassal and have this ungoverned allegedly Christian country to their northeast. Venetians trying to go back to Crete are rudely surprised by finding Japan instead.

Rumors spread across Italian city states of pony-riding barbarians zipping through Lombardy. Mongols send back reports of strange looking people with large towns fine horses and farms who play dumb about the Khan. It doesn't take long before the Venetian authorities enlist Marco Polo to send a message to the Khan and possibly vice versa when the Mongol connection becomes unmistakable.
 
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Buba

A total creep
I think that having Dalmatia come along will make things for Venice worse, as wind action will build up water level. Japan should suffice as a windbreaker against typhoons.
Flooding or no flooding IMO Venice collapses as all its trade is gone. And it replaced Vladivostok - need I say more about climatic effects?

All Italian cities are in a bad way, the more trade dependent the worse off they are. Even if not trading directly with the outside world, they traded with cities which did - and which now are broke.
All import routes are gone, all clients are gone, all DEBTORS are gone. Up shit creek with no paddle ...
Looking at what Italy will become inside a year or two, Temur Khan (he who stopped crazy conquest attempts like Japan or Java) will take a look, shake his head and say "lolnope". No tribute from there ...

In OTL there was a "free for all" involving the thrones of Hungary and Czechia - with events in Czechia affecting those in Hungary and vice versa - as the local dynasties died out in 1301 and 1305, respectively. A big player - and who ultimately grabbed the Hungarian throne in 1308, was a dude named Carlo Roberto d'Angiò - i.e. Charles Robert of Anjou, from the Naples branch. So, a big change to OTL almost immediately.


The Black Sea slave trade is severly hit by Genovese and Venetian disapearance. I think that if the Byzantines play their cards right - or simply are lucky - a major revival of their fortunes is possible. But their record of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory speaks against them ...

Still, there is turmoil - political and economic - all over the Mediterranean area and beyond, although more on the Christian side of the sea.
I think that the surviving cardinals will elect a pope who reside in some French backwater.
:p

I know nothing about 1300 Korea.
 
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ATP

Well-known member


Japan see map,say "those barbarians want to kick us",and invade.
Jokes aside -
1.Europe - cardinals choose new pope.Korea probably not become involved in european affairs,and remain hermit kingdom.
HRE emperors could become stronger - or not.ERE probably fall anyway.
We would have either french or german popes.Both would sucks in their own way.

2.Asia - italian cities should manage,they were capable in finding new bussines partners.All become Khan vassals.
Pope as khan vassal - i see problems in future.
With Italy close to Japan,Mongols could actually take it.
Or not.
Yuan dynasty could become stronger and last longer - or not.

But,Italy would remain China vassal - unless they manage ally with Japan.
 

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