From Alternative History

I have started a separate page for some suggestions. The original idea I had for this page was for POD that depended on the outcome of a *specific* moment. the new page is alternate trends.

If anyone disagree with any changes I made, feel free to say so.--Marcpasquin 01:10, 18 May 2005 (UTC)

Contents 1 Plot against Hitler 2 Another use of the term 3 Non-orthodox Russia 4 Use

[edit] Plot against Hitler

To sheridan:

While the meeting might have changed place, the plan was for a bomb (hidden in a satchel) to blow up next to hitler. Before the meeting however, a aide had moved the satchel in question under a chair at the other end of the table. When it blew up, the table (one of those monster made of hardwood) took the brunt of the blast, sparing hitler. Thus, my original point.

Incidently, why did you change "murder" to "assassination" ?--Marcpasquin 13:26, 6 june 2005 (UTC)

When talking about killing political leaders, "assassination" is the usual term in English. One doesn't murder a President or King or so on, one assassinates them. (You could murder a former President, of course, just not a current one) - Nik 03:22, 6 Jun 2005 (UTC)

fair enough, will know for next time. Marcpasquin 13:33, 6 june 2005 (UTC)

I'm suprised to see so few references to the battle of Tours (732 AD). I've only just discovered this portion of wiki tonight so I don't think I'll be able to write anything for a bit. Mostly I just imagine europe becoming part of the Ottoman empire, the disappearance of christianity & a general relaxed attitude among most Islamists in the following centuries. Like Jordan or pre-Saddam Iraq. --Xiaou

[edit] Another use of the term

I couldn't decide whether this should go here or under "Counterfactuals", but there were many people we know of from history, who didn't live very long, or about whom we know almost nothing. Many of these were in positions where they could potentially have had a great effect on history.

Or going even further, a person who didn't even live long enough to show up in the historical records. Had Hitler died in some WW1 battle, for example, he wouldn't even be available as a name to a hypothetical althist writer. Conversely, one could imagine some unknown individual who might've gone on to become a great leader. Or even, a person who was never born because his parents never met ... Nik 03:25, 12 Jan 2006 (UTC)

For example, many popes, patriarchs and rulers died young, and for many, we know only their names and regnal dates. The Roman empire had many emperors and usurpers of whom we know very little.

As one example, a man named Sisinnius was Pope for about three weeks in 708. He was very ill with gout, but had good character, and did manage to do a few good things.

But we know very little about him, even whether he was young or old. How much longer could he have lived? If he had become Pope earlier, and/or lived longer, what would have been his effect on history? We know something of the period and some of his contemporaries, but we know so little about Sisinnius himself, that his actions would be limited only by the writer's imagination, and the limits of historical verisimilitude.

So it would be like the insertion of a completely alien element into the timeline--something completely invented, not supported by specific facts. On the other hand, it lacks the ASB quality of some of the examples given for "Counterfactuals".

Having Lenin live longer would be interesting, but it would be a lot easier to extrapolate the effects on history.

I hope it would be of interest, to suggest PODs related to relatively unknown persons.

Here are two Wikipedia articles of interest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Roman_usurpers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_10_shortest_reigning_Popes

An interesting idea. The problem is of course that doing an ATL based on people we know by little more than name will be guesswork. We don't have any facts to base the character and personality of these people on, so we don't know how they would have reacted in certain situations. Of course all alternate history is guesswork, but I still find it a lot easier to extrapolate the other way: what if a person we know had a huge impact hadn't been around?

[edit] Non-orthodox Russia

I'm not sure if I am putting this in the right place, but I have to ask about it. According to the Primary Chronicle, Vladimir I sent groups of diplomats out to investigate Eastern and Western Christianity, Islam, and Judaism; the ones sent to Constantinople gave the most favorable report, so he converted his people to Easern Orthodox. Now, I know that it was the most likely religion for him to convert to, with the Byzantines as trading partners and his grandmother having been a convert, but what if he had chosen Judaism? I'd think it wouldn't made much of a difference until Russia came into contact with the West, where a stable Jewish state, never mind one as big as Russia, might change history considerably. Perhaps a Crusade, or a similar war, into Russia? Or maybe Judaism becoming the dominant religion throughout Eastern Europe? Falconier111 19:55, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

AFAIK he attended church services of all of them (Jews, Catholics, Orthodox, Muslims) and decided for the Orthodox because it made him feel like in heaven - but I also heard that at this time most Russians were Orthodox or tended to it, and he had really made his decision before. If you have questions, in general: Why not try an althist forum, like on alternatehistory.com?

This would fit better within the Alternate trends page.--Marcpasquin 05:43, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Use

If you decide to use one of these events, do you remove it from the list? I might use Rome's destruction.

Just keep them around incase anyone else wants to read them. --Sikulu 08:57, 5 February 2007 (UTC)