1100-1199 (Abrittus)

Under construction.

The 12th century is an era of widening horizons. The chaos, the devastations and the religious radicalisation brought about by the Black Death in the previous century, but also the victory of organised societies and governments over the pandemia with the help of effective administrations, modern biochemistry and medicine, have shattered traditions worldwide. The reconstruction towards the end of the 11th century was a communal effort uniting the societies in question and transcending divisions of tribality, ethnicity, language, religion, caste or class.

Upon the completion of reconstructing towards the beginning of the 12th century, a new generation, freed from traditional frames, developed fairly similar new ideas of man across the developing continents (Europe, Asia, Africa and the Easternmost fringe of Atlantis). They saw themselves as individual subjects in a transformable force field with "the others in the crowd", "the institutions of the state" and "non-human nature" as the other factors in relation to which everyone was free (but also condemned) to establish and negotiate their own conditions. Nothing is fixed, and there are so many possibilities in the world for everyone who knows how to seize them. Looking for an analogy with OTL, one might describe the 12th century as the era of humanism.

Among the sciences, chemistry, geography and medicine underwent the most spectacular developments in this century, fuelled by generous funding and well-endowed prizes by several governments and private foundations who hoped for providence against another catastrophe like the Black Death.

These were all overshadowed, though, by the bold and adventurous missions of explorer teams who mapped almost the entire world, with the exception of some islands in the Taipyingyang (OTL Pacific Ocean) and the Antarctic continent.

In contrast to OTL, none of these explorer missions were aimed at the establishment of new colonies, though. The most spectacular Celtic and Roman explorations of Atlantis and Caribia or Persian explorations of Siberia were funded by wealthy industrial dynasties (textile factory owners, fertiliser producers, steel magnates) who wanted to decorate the names of their families with the glory of discoveries - and who also looked for new resources and outlet markets. From Sri Vijaya and Indian empires, which were busy enough with consolidating and defending their spheres of influence, Buddhist monks, who did not quite agree with the slow de-spiritualisation of their home countries, travelled to Asambadha Anuttara (OTL Australia) and its surrounding islands to bring the wisdom and lore of Siddharta Gautama to the natives. Only Chinese explorers in the Taipyingyang were funded and sent by the emperor. But the late Tang dynasty had no intention of acquiring new colonies, either. It was wary of overstretching its powers, and its yeomen/conscript army and navy would not have been able to defend a vast thalassocracy. Rather, Chinese emperors were interested in finding new resources, new cultures with new ideas, and new trading opportunities for their once-again-thriving businesses.

Even without colonial aspirations, the explorers brought enough bale as it was, spreading smallpox, measles and influenza among hitherto isolated native populations, where these diseases killed millions of people.

Religion

 * Atheists become a quickly growing minority in Europe and the Middle East, and even in East Asia, the cultural dominance of Buddhism was weakened in East India, Sri Vijaya, Türkestan, China, Balhae and Silla.

Nations of Europe

 * Religious terrorism returns to the Roman and Celtic Empire. Lukianist groups commit bloodbaths among celebrants of public feasts and orgies. On the other extreme, atheism is strengthened and political atheism develops in response to violent religious fundamentalism. Radical political atheists attack and assassinate members of outspoken religious minorities (Lukianists, Simonists, politically active Catholics and orthodox Jews etc.).
 * An Olavist, nationalist insurgency overthrows the aristocracy in Norway and attacks and plunders Celtic monasteries, killing or driving the monks away. A theocratic republic is installed in 1120. The fundamentalist tyranny persecutes adherents of the old cults as well as moderate Christian followers of the Celtic branch, but also brings positive aspects like widespread Latin literacy.

Nations of Asia

 * China / Balhae / Hokkaido: Looking for wood, fertile land, direct control over resources and a monopoly on a yet-to-be-established sea trade with the peoples to the North-East of China, the late Tang dynasty finally decides to expand North-Eastward. In 1111, the imperial Chinese army marches into the former vassal state of Balhae, whose economic power had greatly diminished under the rule of a Tunguz nomad dynasty. Balhae defenses are overwhelmed, and the Chinese army is looking forward to controlling the entire territory when the encounter unexpected resistance by a small detachment of samurai from the Hokkaido Shogunate. Behind the front, Hokkaido`s "knights" sabotage the lines of supply and allow Balhae`s troops to regroup. The Chinese army must secure its positions before winter comes. In 1112, with fresh reinforcements, Balhae is finally brought under Chinese control and both the former leadership and its imprisoned allies from Hokkaido are executed in public.
 * China / Hokkaido: Tang China now sees the Hokkaido Shogunate as its enemy. Although the shogun formally apologises to the Chinese emperor, the Chinese leadership prepares plans to deal with the nuisance. After local Ezo / Ainu rebellions in the 1130s, China secretly trains and arms Ainu rebels. In 1139, the rebellion of the Ainu against the small Fujiwara ruling class overthrows the tyranny. Only few nobles manage to escape further to the North. The Ainu exchange ambassadors with Tang China in 1140, and with Nihon in 1142.
 * China / Balhae: Having restored Chinese-style order and administration, Balhae is granted limited autonomy in 1148 as a Chinese protectorate. Three sea ports remain with the Chinese empire and harbour China´s navy which controls the Taipyingyang North of China as well as Chinese merchant and exploration ships which now have an open passage to the undiscovered North.
 * China: Following treaties with the Ainu, Chinese enterprises begin exploiting the forests of Kuye (OTL Sakhalin) to meet domestic demands for wood.
 * Kambuja is divided between Oc Eo, controlling the coast, and Angkor, controlling the hinterland. Frequent conflicts about controlling the trade on the Mekong. Both sides appeal to Dvaravati, which has a formal alliance with Kambuja, for help. The supreme leadership council of Dvaravati declines, formulating for the first time the international doctrine of non-interference.
 * After Hinduist India had fallen apart into small principalities during the Black Death, several dynasties compete in trying to reunite the continent. After five decades of intermittent warfare, the Gupta, Pallava and Chola re-emerge triumphant.

Nations of Africa

 * Aksumite explorers and missionaries penetrate the jungles in Africa`s heartland, which is populated by indigenous hunters and gatherers. The continent is fully cartographed by the end of the century, although only few Aksumite missions are successfully established in the jungle.
 * Liberian traders make a fortune exporting Yoruba-grown yams to Europe, after the isolation of progesteron from yams has been discovered there and the use of progesteron both in aiding gestation AND, socially more importantly, as a contraceptive has been established.

Nations of Caribia

 * Taino-Ostrogoth sea merchants establish contacts with the Chimú, trading ironware, glassware and rum for silver, artefacts and chili peppers. Taino-Ostrogothic enterprises begin to employ larger and larger numbers of Chimú as wage labourers on high sea fishing boats.
 * Taino-Ostrogoths later also established contacts with the Mapuche, trading horses for silverware.
 * Both among the Chimú and the Mapuche, xenophobic sentiments arise after the contact with the Taino Ostrogothic sea merchants has brought them deathly influenza epidemics.

Nations of Asambada Anutthara
Buddhist monks from Sri Vijaya sail to Papua in the 1140s, trying to proselytise the indigenous population. As a side-effect, Papua and all its surrounding islets are mapped. In the 1170s, other groups of monks move on and discover a very large island South of Papua, which they call Asambadha Anuttara (Sanskrit: the wide south; OTL: Australia). Mapping the continent and establishing new monasteries on its Northern and Western coasts takes many decades.

Nations of the Taipyingyang
Chinese explorers discover the islands of Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei and many others, populated by elaborate stone age civlizations. They map the Western Pacific and sign treaties with the kings and chieftains of the islands concerning trade and free landing for Chinese civilian ships. They return to Chang`an with all sorts of fascinating artefacts.

Salvador79 (talk) 13:53, June 5, 2014 (UTC)

Abrittus