What really surprised me is that Bronze of all things used to be the preferred material to build cannons out of before Iron-working of sufficient quality was widespread.
Bronze is actually a structurally superior metal to iron, it's just that once ironworking advanced enough it became so much cheaper than bronze, due to bronze needing tin, that iron became the superior metal thanks to being good enough.
Then later on ironworking evolved into steelworking, and steel was both cheaper and better than bronze, and that was that.
I could see Cortez's arrival overturning the Aztecs in favor of Spanish-aligned tribes, or Cortez getting attacked right off the ship, or even throwing the whole territory into one big mess of disorganized, splintered fighting. Maybe he has to come back for a round two, giving the Romans and allies time to grab more territory, or pushing minor tribes to join them?
The important part is less how the Aztec tributaries react and more that Moctezuma isn't going to let Cortés just waltz on into Tenochtitlan like he did in OTL, which could potentially leave Cortés up shit creek when his crimes catch up with him, as he won't have any gold pillaged from Tenochtitlan during his time in the city and he will have a lot more difficulty blaming Moctezuma for the deaths of the Spanish officials sent after him.
This also means no convenient smallpox epidemic during the Siege of Tenochtitlan which, combined with the extremely advantageous geography, means the Siege is liable to last a lot longer and thus Cortés may well not have enough success and gold to dissuade Charles V from having his shit wrecked.
Excellent. This is why I read Sky's work.
There is a strong, definite historical precedent for soldiers settling in the land they fought in, too. Examples are littered everywhere in human history, including (but by no means limited to) Greeks from Alexander's armies settling in eastern India, German mercenaries settling in America, the mess that is the British/French relationship... and I'm sure there are lots more I've forgotten or don't know about.
Definitely looking forward to wherever the story goes.
Especially Roman soldiers, this sort of thing is exactly how the Roman Empire became so successful the first time around; through assimilation rather than simple conquest. Roman soldiers retiring from the military by getting a chunk of land in the colonies they helped to conquer, building a home on said land and marrying a pretty local woman is pretty much traditional by Roman standards.
Especially Roman soldiers, this sort of thing is exactly how the Roman Empire became so successful the first time around; through assimilation rather than simple conquest. Roman soldiers retiring from the military by getting a chunk of land in the colonies they helped to conquer, building a home on said land and marrying a pretty local woman is pretty much traditional by Roman standards.
In the days of the western empire, sure, but this is the late Byzantines we're talking about. Iirc, the last time they went conquering was the justinian/belisarius reclamation attempts which, though I may be wrong, probably didn't go in the "traditional" manner
In the days of the western empire, sure, but this is the late Byzantines we're talking about. Iirc, the last time they went conquering was the justinian/belisarius reclamation attempts which, though I may be wrong, probably didn't go in the "traditional" manner
Yeah, the Byzantines haven't been doing the ole Roman-Style Conquest and Empire Building for quite a few centuries. But still, the history is there, and Constantine's 'assimilate the natives' divine mandate is enough to fill in the gaps, so to speak.
...Why would they want to live in some tropical hellhole, surrounded by pagans and in constant fear of war, when they could live in the pleasant climate of Elysium and never want for anything?...
This was the part that really stuck to me as someone who grew up in the Bay Area of California. I can totally see the mindset of now being in Heaven-on-Earth so why would you want to leave? Super pleasant weather for 300+ days of the year, untouched and fertile land all around, protect bay, friendly natives with the only known "hostile" natives so far away.
The dichotomy between those who now have it so good versus those who've endured war / innocence lost.
Heres a fun fact about cali. Heres what california would have looked like in 1851 and what it looks like on a good and bad year.
This one's from april 2015 so spring.
As you can see Tulare Lake is fucking gone was are many water ways and greeness. Hell im sure you used to be able to sail down the length of California before all the water got used up. Read the Tulare page it get wild.
Next update will be either the aforementioned State of the Empire update (which I'll do my utmost to avoid being dry statistics and such) or Demetrios' wedding. Whichever one it isn't will be the one after it, and after that, we'll do a similar update for the Purépecha and then we get into the Spanish.
Yeah, it's disappointing that more doesn't come sooner, but writing takes a lot of time, especially when done in free time. Sky writes a lot faster than me, and his stuff is a lot more polished (and it's actually published). I think what we get will be worth the wait. I'm still looking forward to seeing how the empire is coming, and I'm very intrigued in what a Byzantine/Purepecha wedding looks like.
On a different note, I wonder how trade and empire-building have changed over in Eastern Europe with Constantinople gone? Maybe maritime trade takes different routes without it. Maybe the Ottomans have a harder time in Europe without a major city there as sort of a staging ground and stronghold.
On a different note, I wonder how trade and empire-building have changed over in Eastern Europe with Constantinople gone? Maybe maritime trade takes different routes without it. Maybe the Ottomans have a harder time in Europe without a major city there as sort of a staging ground and stronghold.
Considering the strategically valuable location, the Ottoman Empire has likely built a 'New Constantinople' in about the same spot so as to control the Bosporus, it won't be anything like as significant as the original with its ludicrous defenses, but the important part is the ability to control traffic through the Bosporus, not the city itself.
Man, that would be a seriously weird combination. Lots of animal sacrifices probably; human sacrifice is obviously unacceptable, but I doubt the Byzantines would give a damn about stabbing a few llamas.
Man, that would be a seriously weird combination. Lots of animal sacrifices probably; human sacrifice is obviously unacceptable, but I doubt the Byzantines would give a damn about stabbing a few llamas.
It would certainly involve the Eucharist and I am not sure that the Romans would be comfortable with animal sacrifice around the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Considering the strategically valuable location, the Ottoman Empire has likely built a 'New Constantinople' in about the same spot so as to control the Bosporus, it won't be anything like as significant as the original with its ludicrous defenses, but the important part is the ability to control traffic through the Bosporus, not the city itself.
Man, that would be a seriously weird combination. Lots of animal sacrifices probably; human sacrifice is obviously unacceptable, but I doubt the Byzantines would give a damn about stabbing a few llamas.
Particularly not with so much of the Old Testament being instructions for animal sacrifice. I expect the fused culture, after a few generations, will hold those bits up as justification/compromise and quietly downplay the "only kohanim in the temple" part of the old and the "no need to do that anymore" part of the new.
Completely different up in not California where tradition is strong and purepucha influence is weak, but there'll be far more purepucha in the mix down in not Mexico and Christian missionaries always reframed traditional practices anyway
Particularly not with so much of the Old Testament being instructions for animal sacrifice. I expect the fused culture, after a few generations, will hold those bits up as justification/compromise and quietly downplay the "only kohanim in the temple" part of the old and the "no need to do that anymore" part of the new.
Completely different up in not California where tradition is strong and purepucha influence is weak, but there'll be far more purepucha in the mix down in not Mexico and Christian missionaries always reframed traditional practices anyway
To the Orthodox Romans the Eucharist is sacrifice. It is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The reason why Catholic/Eastern Orthodox/Oriental Orthodox don't do animal sacrifice is that they instead sacrifice the Eucharist.
Admittedly animal sacrifices of lambs or less commonly chickens is apparently actually a common practice in the Armenian Apolstolic Church and the Orthodox Twehedo church even today and Kourbania, sacrificing a animal usually a lamb but sometimes calves to certain saints was apparently a extremely common practice in both the Byzantine empire and later ottoman Turk ruled Greece and greek regions of turkey before apparently largely dying out in modern times outside of some remote villages.
Admittedly animal sacrifices of lambs or less commonly chickens is apparently actually a common practice in the Armenian Apolstolic Church and the Orthodox Twehedo church even today and Kourbania, sacrificing a animal usually a lamb but sometimes calves to certain saints was apparently a extremely common practice in both the Byzantine empire and later ottoman Turk ruled Greece and greek regions of turkey before apparently largely dying out in modern times outside of some remote villages.
I'll say I never expected to be digging into late Byzantine and Purepecha marriage practices for research. That's for sure
(The latter is harder than you'd expect, being as there's only 100-200k Purepecha left. Not exactly a large base to work with, even without most of the best sources on the 'Tarascan' being in Spanish.
We talk about people being wiped out by colonizers in the New World...the Purepecha most assuredly had it rough. From about 5 million, down to 100-200k in the modern day, after so many years to recover.)
I think Wikipedia has some articles at least relating to the Armenian and Greek practices of Matagh and Kourbania as well as a article for the serban practice of Dsni Brav.
I think Wikipedia has some articles at least relating to the Armenian and Greek practices of Matagh and Kourbania as well as a article for the serban practice of Dsni Brav.
I'll say I never expected to be digging into late Byzantine and Purepecha marriage practices for research. That's for sure
(The latter is harder than you'd expect, being as there's only 100-200k Purepecha left. Not exactly a large base to work with, even without most of the best sources on the 'Tarascan' being in Spanish.
We talk about people being wiped out by colonizers in the New World...the Purepecha most assuredly had it rough. From about 5 million, down to 100-200k in the modern day, after so many years to recover.)
Or at least some it was unpopular while others seemed to push back against opposition to the practice given that article has one of the monks opposed to the practice in the 18th century being accused of heresy by priests(which was also the period that gives us a example of a bishop condemning the practice as a hold over from the pagan Hellenes.) but regardless its seems to have been something that was apparently still very wide spread in the 19th centuries.
Beyond that practice though there was also apparently a Byzantine practice of slaughtering and roasting animals after the celebration of ecclesiastical festivals which like the Kourmbania also seems to be a hold over from older times.
Or at least some it was unpopular while others seemed to push back against opposition to the practice given that article has one of the monks opposed to the practice in the 18th century being accused of heresy by priests(which was also the period that gives us a example of a bishop condemning the practice as a hold over from the pagan Hellenes.) but regardless its seems to have been something that was apparently still very wide spread in the 19th centuries.
Beyond that practice though there was also apparently a Byzantine practice of slaughtering and roasting animals after the celebration of ecclesiastical festivals which like the Kourmbania also seems to be a hold over from older times.
So a Byzantine\Purepecha wedding is probably going to involve at least one animal sacrifice of some kind, if not multiple.
Also sounds like the Byzantines would probably be more okay with animal sacrifice than one might typically expect, if not actually on board with the practice.
So a Byzantine\Purepecha wedding is probably going to involve at least one animal sacrifice of some kind, if not multiple.
Also sounds like the Byzantines would probably be more okay with animal sacrifice than one might typically expect, if not actually on board with the practice.
I could see the Purepecha glomming on to the idea of animal sacrifice from the Romans, as the Romans syncretize with mesoamerica. They dont do sacrifice as much as their neighbors anyway, so they could probably justify switching to significant animal sacrifice instead.
In any other situation, many would have doubted that states so drastically different as the Roman Empire and the Purépechan Empire[1] would ever find common cause with one another. Religious and ideological differences abounded, and neither state shared a practical border with the other. Vast deserts and mountain ranges divided the Roman sphere from that of the Purépecha and others in that area of Arcadia. And yet, the two would become the strongest- and strangest -of allies. Much of this could be pinned on the actions and beliefs of Demetrios Palaiologos. His time spent in Tzintzuntzan would shape the young man, and push him towards desiring a close alliance between his people and that of his adopted homeland. His arguments, that they were the best hope for allies Rome could find, would sway his father to his side. Less so his elder brother, however, Heraklonas would be remembered as a man who had no desire to 'rock the boat' as the English would say. He would not overrule his father's decisions.
Regardless of the reason, the two Empires would become intrinsically linked to one another. To this day, it seems almost impossible to believe they could ever have not been allied. Few other states can say the same.
---The Grand Alliance, Published 1932, Constantinople
[2]
In the aftermath of the Roman-Aztec War, the two allied powers of Rome and Tzintzuntzan would find themselves drawn ever closer to one another. What had been a fairly informal alliance, due in part to the Purépecha lacking a European concept of 'alliance', was becoming something much more formal. Instead of a few hundred men serving as shock troops, actual trade was opening up between the two states. Ideas, materials, and men flowed back and forth. Slowly, of course, as overland routes were non-existent and the Romans had relatively few ships capable of such a journey. It was not a fast process, nor an easy one.
Yet, it happened nonetheless. This trade, stumbling and slow as it was, drew Rome closer to their native allies. Where before it had been something intended mostly as a punitive action against the Aztec, it was becoming a proper relationship. As the Romans gradually integrated themselves into the Purépechan state and trade networks, they found themselves connected to another state for the first time since they had been removed from Europe. This connection ranged from the military actions of Demetrios, to the missionaries of the Church, and the traders and merchants filling Tzintzuntzan. It was, in every meaningful sense of the word, a relationship as much as an alliance.
All relationships require building blocks, however, and it is important to note what these were in the alliance between Constantionple and Tzintzuntzan.
1. Political
As mentioned, the Purépecha lacked the concept of a formalized alliance, in the way that Europe would understand it. Not that the European relationships of the time would be recognizable to modern eyes either, yet it bears mentioning. Relationships in Arcadia, even in the relatively more 'civilized' areas, were much more informal. Agreements more vocal in nature, and carried between local tribes. As an example, the Aztec and Purépecha were never formally at war in the European sense. No treaties ended their conflict, such as it was. Verbal agreements and general acceptance of terms would cause pauses, yet never truly end the wars. Similarly, the Aztec relationship with their vassal states was less of a formal 'vassal' and more of a 'target allowed to live'. There was little formal relation between them, beyond the Flower Wars.
Contact with the Romans would, rather quickly, change this fact for the Purépecha. The Romans came with formal trade agreements and alliance offerings, intending to create a proper relationship from the ground up. This was Alexios' doing, as his son was no politician. The Emperor had a strong legalistic tilt, as demonstrated by his still-extant Codex, and the relationship with the Purépecha only further emphasized this point. Alexios would, alongside the cazonci Zuangua, sign the 'Agreement of Peace, Trade and Alliance' of 1506, the first building block in the formal alliance between the two states.
This treaty, focused on items as large as trade agreements and as small as what rights Roman priests had in Purépechan temples, became the bedrock of the relationship between Constantinople and Tzintzuntzan.
Of course, with the formalization of relations, came the formalization of government. The Purépecha, lacking any formal diplomats, would hastily assign the son of the cazonci to this role. Irepani, sour as he was at being removed from the front, would prove to be an able conduit between his father and that of his friend and brother in all but blood. Between Irepani and Demetrios, many of the potential flashpoints of the two states were papered over. Irepani, while far from converting to Christianity, shielded priests from more restless citizens. Demetrios, in similar fashion, did what he could to convince the Roman Orthodox Church that converting the Purépecha would be a process that would take time and patience. These were not a few tribals. This was a society the equal of many in Europe, with history and traditions stretching back centuries.[3]
In a change of pace, the Romans found relatively little need to aid the Purépecha on the administrative side of governance. As far back as any could remember, perhaps as far as their semi-legendary founders, the Purépecha state had a strong and stable bureaucracy. One largely rooted in the nobility, of course, yet still functional. It was not too dissimilar from the Romans themselves, and provided a framework to build from. In some ways, even, it gave lessons to the Romans. It was a strange feeling for the Romans to see that, according to surviving records.
Moving on, however, the treaty also formalized other aspects of the Roman and Purépechan relationship...
2. Trade
Formalized trade agreements were something that both states were...not necessarily comfortable with, before their meeting. The Purépecha had seen no need for such a thing, as most of their neighbors were hostile to some extent or another. Trade between villages was a much simpler task, as one village would trade what another needed. It required no truly formal agreements, beyond promises between village leaders. Or city leaders, trading with farms that supplied food.
On the Roman side of the coin, the Romans had been hurt badly in the past by their agreements with the likes of Venice. Tying their economy to anyone was something they were not terribly fond of, as they were well aware of how it could potentially blow back on them. After all, would it be that difficult for another state to cut trade entirely as a bargaining tool? It was not unheard of in the records- living and otherwise -of Constantinople.
Yet, the two states agreed to just such a system of formal trade agreements.
In the end, the reasons for this all tie back to one simple fact. If they were already tied together in politics, in military alliance, in the very blood of their royal lines, was there any reason to make it more difficult for merchants to carry goods? The Purépecha had food and natural resources the Romans lacked, both of which would prove vital in the continued population growth of the Roman state. Similarly, the Romans provided a market for these goods as well as knowledge of metalworking that surpassed the relatively primitive copper smithing of the Purépecha. Where metalworking had been a prized and arcane technology that few mastered, it was quickly becoming commonplace. Bronze replaced copper, and if there were supplies of iron to hand, steel enhanced it yet further.
In this regard, military needs drove economic benefits. Demetrios, among others, pressed mightily for reequipping the Purépechan military with metal weapons. At the minimum, bronze swords, spears and shields. Bronze scale armor. Metal that would make them superior to the Aztec, so long as that lasted. It was recognized, even in far away Constantinople, that the Purépecha needed the advantage.
And so, the military created openings for the merchants. And for the miners, as territory to the northwest of the Purépecha lands proved to be the only reliable source of vital tin in Mesoarcadia. In general terms, despite the vital need for bronze, tin was a relatively scarce metal in Arcadia.
Another trade good that would prove quite vital between the two states was the staple crop of maize. This crop, versatile in production and uses, would quickly become one of the main portions of the Roman diet, only to be rivaled by the potato, when that became available.[4] For the Romans required much food to support their booming population, showing no signs of slowing in growth. The grains of Constantinople would find much aid in the support of maize, the humble staple of Arcadian cuisine becoming one of the bedrocks of the Roman palate. This would lead to the second major population boom in the Roman lands, that would soon propel the population over the one-million souls mark. While the Romans gorged on maize, grain would work its way into the Purépecha diet as well, though never quite to the same extent. Breads were valuable, yet maize remained far more prevalent.
In general, trade between the two powers would be the largest item tying them together, rivaled only by military necessity.
3. Military
The third pillar of the alliance between Constantinople and Tzintzuntzan together would be military in nature. The Purépecha people were still outnumbered and at risk from the Aztec/Mexica forces, even as they modernized and began producing bronze armor in mass quantities. Even as they adapted Roman tactical knowledge into their own formations. Moreover, the Aztec would not be the only threat to the lands of the Purépecha. Europeans would, inevitably, arrive and become a threat that the Purépecha could hardly hope to face alone.[5] This forced them to look to the Romans for aid and support, even as the Romans looked at the Purépecha as a way to expand their own influence.
It was, in many ways, a pragmatic sort of alliance on the grand level. For all that men like Demetrios and women like Shanarani gave it an emotional heart, the alliance was one of necessity. The Romans may have been secure from any sort of enemy- to their knowledge, they had no true idea of what may lurk over the mountains -yet they could not say the same for their erstwhile allies. As the Romans had no desire to see a united land against them, it was extremely pragmatic of them to support the overall friendly Purépecha. It was the kind of decision that many European states would make.
Of course, as mentioned, there was an emotional core to it, courtesy of the first Roman soldiers and missionaries in Purépecha lands. They wanted to support the military of their new friends, as they were friends.
The major aspect to note in this portion of the alliance would be how much it changed both states. The Romans had a well-trained and well-equipped force, yet one that lacked any real experience. The last veterans of the Siege of Constantinople had died or were so old and grey as to be useless for even training. Their knowledge, handed down as it was, did not amount to the same as real experience in battle. The thousands of men in the Roman Army- and, indeed, the Navy -were well drilled rookies. This fact was evident even in Demetrios' own forces, as they had required much training with the Purépecha before truly being ready to face the Aztec in battle.
In contrast to the Romans, the Purépecha possessed a less well trained force, of much more experienced men. Where the Romans had drilled their men thoroughly in the theory of combat, at least those expected to be proper soldiers and not just 'militia pressed into construction work', the Purépecha were much less formal in nature. Men were trained to fight and die, of course, yet drill on the level of the Roman Army was almost unheard of. For all of the relative lack of formality, however, these men were much harder and more experienced. These were warriors who had fought the Aztec and smaller powers their entire lives, who could easily look to those older than them who had done it before their time. There was no shortage of men who had lived in the heat of battle, be it recently or further back in time. These veterans could pass down their knowledge in the more loose-fitting Purépecha training regimens, preparing their successors for further warfare. It was, largely, this fact that allowed Demetrios and his men to be as prepared for war as they were.
There is something to be said for experience over formal training, just as there could be something gained from proper training even if lacking in experience.
It should likely come as little surprise that, as the alliance formalized, so too did the military exchanges. Roman smiths trained the Purépecha on producing metal weapons. Roman soldiers trained them in how to use these weapons and the armor that went with them, as well as how to drill troops in proper military formations of the European style. By contrast, the Purépecha lent their practical experience and tactics better suited to the terrain of Arcadia. It was, on many levels, a kind of symbiotic relationship. As the Romans gave more modern technology and formalized training, the Purépecha provided real experience and different ways of fighting. In some ways it became nearly impossible to say where Roman and Purépecha melded together, as the integration was fairly seamless on the strategic scale. The largest differences remained in equipment and what the soldiers were expected to do. In an age free of local enemies, Roman soldiers were expected to work as construction workers in the vein of the old Legions. Rarely did they see combat. Whereas a Purépechan man could expect to fight many battles in the prime of his life, were he in the military.
As for equipment, it can be summarized as such, in the early period of the alliance:
----
Roman: Largely equipped in the same armor their forefathers had worn during the Siege, and in many cases this would be the exact armor their father or grandfather had worn, the Romans relied on iron and steel. Their traditional armor remained mail, with leather backing it. In rare cases, men would be equipped with iron lamelar armor as well, supplementing their mail and leather. In very few cases, primitive- in comparison to European standard -plate armor would be used by the richest of rich. Demetrios, for instance, possessed a set of fine steel plate that came from an Italian mercenary prior to the Siege. Weaponry was largely static as well, save for minor developments in firearm technology. Roman soldiers were equipped primarily with spears and pikes, with a sword- often a curved paramerion -considered almost a secondary weapon. Ranged combat was, aside from the rare firearms, generally performed by composite recurve bows. Crossbows were relatively rarer, yet still a common sight in Roman armies of the time. Shields were required by all troops on the frontline, as they were expected to bear the brunt of combat, especially in the event of fighting more foes such as the Aztec.
Purépecha:The Purépecha military, shaped as it was by Roman influence, was similar in equipment styling. Their soldiers were clad in bronze and cloth armor, as leather remained a relatively expensive commodity for the Purépecha. The armor, shields and helmets of the Purépecha would- somewhat ironically -draw comparisons by Romans to the ancient Greeks. Save for their darker skin and distinctly non-European facial features, the soldiers of Tzintzuntzan were 'men who could have stood side by side with the Spartans'. This was a simplification, of course, as the bronze armor of the Purépecha was styled more on Roman than ancient Greek styles. Regardless, the older style bronze armor provided much more protection than equivalent armor used by the Aztec and others.
For their own weaponry, the Purépecha continued to use much the same styles as they always had. Swords and shields remained the primary equipment of the best soldiers, even if bronze replaced obsidian and wood. Spears would, while becoming much more prevalent, remain the weapon of peasants and other such troops. Even as the shield wall became a mainstay of anti-Aztec tactics. In the ranged area, bows began to proliferate, both native and Roman in style. Yet dart launchers remained, the atlatl still proving quite deadly in the right hands. In general terms, the Purépecha seemed a strange mix of their native forms and that of classical Rome and Greece.
-----
Despite the differences in weaponry and tactics, one of the great ironies of the early alliance period was that the Purépecha, not the Romans, were the superior power. They possessed a much larger population, despite disease ravaging it. They had a larger and more experienced pool of men to draw upon. They possessed the resources to arm them faster, even if it was in inferior bronze. The only advantage the Romans possessed was, largely, their Navy.
This would not last forever, of course, though it bears mentioning.
4. Religion
In conclusion, it is necessary to mention the proverbial elephant in the room. Religion. The Purépechan faith was, in many ways, similar to that of their neighbors. As isolated as the people were, even down to their language, the similarities in religion showed some crossover. Purépechan religion required sacrifice in much the same manner as their more violent neighbors. This could range from the less deadly blood-letting, to outright human sacrifice. The deities were different- the Purépecha lacked a rain god, as well as a serpent god -the practice was the same, or near-enough. Where the Purépecha differed was in the scale of their sacrifice. They lacked a similar incentive to the Aztec to sacrifice many, many citizens or prisoners. Purépechan faith did not believe in the same gods, nor the same need for blood. Aztec faith believed, among others, that if they did not sacrifice then the rain would not come and crops would wither and die. This was not a factor in Purépechan faith.
In point of fact, it is quite likely that Purépechan faith only required true human sacrifice to their prime sun deity. More minor kinds of sacrifice sufficed for the others.
Of course, this fact would remain a prominent sticking point in relations between the two allies. Any human sacrifice was something that the Romans would not tolerate. Christianity was not a faith conducive to the practice, and the Romans had become ever more secure in their faith since Constantinople had first arrived in Elysium. With the evidence of God's will and his favor to the Second Rome, this should be little surprise. While the Romans were far from zealots, they were still some of the most pious of all Christians.
As such, one of the key facets of the alliance had- even before Demetrios had first arrived -been a promise that the Purépecha would allow Christian priests and missionaries into their lands. That they would tone down, and eventually cease, human sacrifice all together. This was...if not an easy task, at least a doable one. It would be wrong to say that all were happy about this. Even if they did not sacrifice to the extent of the Aztec, the Purépecha still genuinely believed it was necessary to worship their gods. Many were unhappy at the prospect of ceasing such an intrinsic practice in their society. None more so than the priests themselves. It took everything that the political leadership had to keep religious debates from becoming violent, most of the time.
However, as the Romans won victory after victory and drove the Aztec back, it became harder to deny that perhaps these men and their god were favored. It was a little worm of doubt, more than anything, yet it did remain. Any who visited Constantinople found themselves questioning their own faith, at the supposed actions of a God above all others. Some denied it entirely. Those who believed the tales the Romans gave- and those of the natives who had previously been the only inhabitants of that land -were easier to convince. Shanarani became famous as a reformer who pressed for adoption of Orthodox Christianity among her people.
Yet, as of the arrival of Europeans, perhaps ten percent of the Purépecha population were Christian of any kind. It was not a process that would be completed quickly, without outside interference.
As for the Romans themselves, their Orthodox faith remained much the same as it had been prior to the Siege. Native influence had yet to fully integrate into the Church, and it remained Greek and Roman. The primary differences amounted to the Sainthood of Constantine, the doctrine of the aforesaid Saint in regards to Natives, and the very clear and obvious fact that they were the chosen people of God himself. Further changes would come, in time.
5. Conclusion
The alliance between the Emperor of Constantinople and the Cazonci of Tzintzuntzan was an initially shaky construct, formed of necessity. It would slowly become a treaty of friendship and genuine desire to work together. From politics, to trade, to religion and military, it developed into a truly symbiotic relationship. The Aztec menace kept it strong. The economic benefits made it necessary to the continued survival of the states involved. And yet, for all of this, it would be something outside the control of either power that would truly forge the alliance that would see the two Empires into the future.
For the arrival of Europeans, from across the sea, presented everyone in Arcadia with a new threat.
1. This became the common name for the Purépechan state in later years. However, the formal name remained Lands/State of Tzintzuntzan, even if this name fell out of general usage.
2. The Dynastic flag of the Purépechan line of the Palaiologos Family. Or the Demetrian Line, as they are more often known.
3. The history of the formal Purépechan state, centered at Tzintzuntzan, only went back to roughly 1300 AD. However, the history of the people themselves and their cities went back even further. While it would be wrong to ignore the history of the Ohlone and others, in comparison, the Purépecha provided the kind of history that garnered respect. Even in Constantinople.
4. The potato would be introduced largely by the Tawantinsuyu, upon contact with the Romans in the 1510s.
5. Europeans were a threat due largely to their technology and subversion of other native powers, more than in numbers of their own troops. Even the relatively small Romans could provide more 'European' troops than many colonial powers in the early 16th Century.
AN: Apologies on the delay. The last couple months have been less than fun, to say the least. As well as the fact this one fought me pretty hard. A lot of stuff I would have liked to research for this (see: Purépechan religion) is...difficult to find proper sources for. I had to improvise more than I would like. Hopefully it still works out well enough, though.
As for the flag, leaving aside that I am not a flagmaker, that is the closest thing I could find to a Purépechan ethnic flag. Something akin to the Assyrian one was what I wanted, and that mostly fits the bill. It is by no means official, but it was introduced back in the '80s and variations of it are fairly common. The original had a coat of arms in the center, I subbed that out for the Palaiologos coat of arms. I figured an image of the literal marriage of the states/peoples fit for this update.
...on the subject of the marriage in question, that'll probably be next, and hopefully it won't take near as long. That will be even more improvising since I'm currently figuring I will have to primarily just use modern Greek Orthodox weddings as a base, since it is (understandably) hard to find the kind of wedding you'd expect of late period Eastern Rome or the ancestral Purépechan faith.
Wooo! I'm glad the Europeans are finally getting around to meeting these guys wahaha. This is going to be quite jarring to both parties. The natives might be quite wary of the new strangers considering how disruptive the romans were when they arrived.
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