A Light Held For Greece

A Light Held For Greece:
This was a very difficult idea that I'm not sure I did very well but here it is.

In this time-line the Mycenaean culture manages to survive the first Greek Dark Age and manages to centralise the Greeks and deflect the various tribes to the North undergoing their Volkswanderung in various directions. The presence of a strong Greek kingdom sets off many butterflies across the Mediterranean and from there, the world.

The Mycenaean Empire over many centuries (and ups and down) eventually manages to dominate the Mediterranean before collapsing under their own weight. This however establishes a series of economic and cultural links across the successor states before the second migration of barbarian peoples from Northern Europe which spreads it further as the barbarians assimilate portions of the cultural ideas and technology. A second Greek Empire eventually experiences a resurgence and spreads from Gibraltar to the Indus disrupting the demographic and cultural balance further.

Tribes from Central Asia head in different directions and eventually several migrations head into China, shattering the Chinese states into several warring fragments that fail to successfully reunite. This forces several of the coastal Chinese states to look to the South and begin to head overseas and into Indochina, shuffling the many tribes and kingdoms there around further. This forces the Austronesian and Polynesian peoples outwards into the Pacific taking Chinese technology with them.

In what would be Northern France a man would be born espousing the Gods of his homeland and those of the ruling Greeks and would preach of the One True God. He would travel the land enlightening the people around him, gathering numerous disciples as he did so. For his heresy he would be tried and sentenced to death. The local 'Celtic' rulers would execute him in a traditional manner, be hanging. However after his death he would be resurrected and a new faith would be born and after so long would spread across Western and Northern Europe into Central Asia. Over the centuries several nations would completely embrace the Risen Faith and rise to power.

Albean is a militant power ruled over by the High Command of the Albean Imperial Army and Navy. The stratocracy was born after the absolute monarchy was overthrown by quiet revolution over a century beforehand. Albean citizens undergo military training in the levy militias every few months before returning to work. Through its Navy and heavily armed mercantile fleet Albean has managed to build up a substantial and prosperous empire of itself. The use of their merchant fleets was a major boost for colonisation overseas and eventual penetration of the interior led to several hard fought but successful wars that allowed them to subjugate the more organised remaining indigenous kingdoms in order to profit from their subjugation. Albean does still have a High-King but he is merely a figurehead with the real power now in the hands of the Supreme Commander but the monarch does serve to unite the numerous petty kings, noble lineages and indigenous rulers and keep the empire stable.

Marlessia spent most of its history as a number of disparate states. The eventual unification of the numerous Greek, German, Celtic and Etruscan kingdoms led to the present empire. The Empire was for much of history fairly insignificant in history. Much of Marlessia's early history was spent warring with Albean and the various Gottlander states prior to their conquest by the Uegryers. Marlessia is a liberal nation by the standards of the TL due to its multi-ethnic make up. The Marlessian Empire eventually embarked upon colonisation and acquired land in the New World. Marlessia has never been a large colonial influence to the extent of their rival Albean but they have managed to create a moderate prosperity and has begun to exert influence over the Iberian Peninsula. The Empire of Misr has gone through several incarnations throughout its history. The Pharaoh of Misr is now considered a messenger of the Risen Son and blessed by God for his position. This has put Misr at odds with the other followers of the Risen Faith as heretics. Misr is an industrialised and modernising nation and has begun to draw up plans to puppetise the nations of Central Africa.

During the 11th Century a man suffered a revelation from God (or maybe it was a stroke) and began preaching a new message on the true nature of the One God that clashed with the orthodox portrayal of the Risen Father and Son. This religion remained rather localised for decades until the birth of military leader who united the Ugrian tribes of Northern and Central Asia before leading them to victory against their Turkish rivals. The Khaganate spread rapidly over much of Asia and eventually into China and then into Europe. Their conquests were reinforced by the proliferation of their new religion. The Grand Khagan now rules over all followers of the Revelation. The Grand Khagan's empire is a complex construct of vassals, allies and autonomous regions, several of which have their own political power within the Empire. The Khaganate is authoritarian but is definitely meritocratic and even tolerant of other religions if they pay certain taxes to allow the practice of their faith within the Empire's boundary. The empire also has a wide variety of customs which has necessitated a delicate balancing act within the government.

The Middle East is the homeland of a Zoroastrian style religion that managed to spread across the Middle East but was curtailed by the rise of the Risen Faith and the Revelation. However Hinduism managed to spread further than OTL. Whilst Northern India fell to the Tocharian followers of the Revelation that settled there centuries beforehand. Hinduism is prevalent throughout Southern India, Western Indochina and Indonesia and across the lands of the Mascatti. The Mascatti converted during the Middle Ages and built up a complex network of trading posts and cities. These eventually expanded further inland and absorbed the surrounding tribal kingdoms as the colonial era began.

China suffered during the invasion of the Uegryers. The North was completely lost with the exception of an autonomous region at the mouth of the Yellow River. The Chinese remained independent in the South with the border being guarded by the Yangtze. The Empire of Xhian turned towards the sea and began attempting to colonise first regions of Indonesia along with the Philippines. The eventual discovery of Australia provided further land for colonisation for the Chinese. Contact with the Maori would bring technology and Chinese ideas of government to the Maori kings and begin the rise of their own empire across Australasia.

Technologically this world is at roughly Late 19th Century levels with it varying in certain portions of the world. Widespread use of electricity is a very recent innovation, guns have only recently gained smokeless powder and rail-roads criss-cross every major nation. This world is also about to experience a scramble for the last unclaimed portions of land across the globe. The forming of power-blocs and alliances has also begun to affect the politics of the globe and many talking heads across the globe discuss the possibility of a world war, some discuss it with glee and anticipation as a time of potential change and discord.