What are the chances of the Dukes of Burgundy supporting a explorer before 1476? Where there any organized Dutch or Flemish merchant houses that might lead a venture?
Burgundian age of exploration?
- Thread starter Hierophant
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yourworstnightmare
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The best way to have Burgundian explorers is to have the Duchy survive to the 1500s. It would eventually be more Dutch centered and focus on Atlantic trade, I think.
I doubt I'm the only one to initially misread the OP as "Burundian age of exploration".
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Same reason the Dutch did it, even while fighting a war for independence versus the Spanish?
To make money of course!
Historically, to finance the United East India Company, the Dutch basically invented modern capitalism, with joint stock companies, a stock exchange etc. No need for wealthy merchant houses: everybody can buy a share.
No reason they could not do it while still part of the Burgundian state.
Anticlimacus
Banned
But before 1476? Why risking in something that they did not know would be profitable instead of concentrating in what it WAS profitable? It is one thing the Dutch attacking the Spanish Empire and making money and it is another thing opening a market you do not know it is there, that you do not know whether you can control it or not and taking resources from a market that you somewhat control.
They gain knowledge of João Vaz Corte-Reals and Didrik Pinings expedition of 1473, during which Corte-Real and Pining sailed to Greenland and from there presumably to Newfoundland, following the routes of Bjarni Herjulfsson and Leifur Eriksson. They contact Didrik Pining and Hans Pothorst, his companion during the 1473 expedition in 1474/5 and offer them ships to sail back to Vinland, which obviously has to be the large woodland north of China, so all they'll have to do to get to China and all its treasures is to sail south along the coast from there.
Wow great idea. Though in honesty i realize now charles the bold would have to survive to a ripe age to get this accomplished. I know the valois dukes kept court in Bruges which gave me the idea.
Burgundy/Lotharingen would have as much cause as England and Spain to jump into the exploration game. I think the fact that the Hapsburgs owned Spain as well as the low countries stop any competition from the Flemish/Dutch.
On a side note, if Charles won the war he died fighting, is there any chance he could be elected Holy Roman Emperor next election?
Burgundy/Lotharingen would have as much cause as England and Spain to jump into the exploration game. I think the fact that the Hapsburgs owned Spain as well as the low countries stop any competition from the Flemish/Dutch.
On a side note, if Charles won the war he died fighting, is there any chance he could be elected Holy Roman Emperor next election?
Well, he's up against the considerable financial and diplomatic apparatus of the Habsburgs, so he's gonna have a tough time of it.
I remember him being called the richest man in europe. plus their are several electors neighboring him to strongarm.
It's gonna be an interesting election, to be sure.
However, if Frederick III dies in 1494 as in OTL then Charles would be pushing 61, if he's still alive at that point.
That would make him an excellent candidate for all the German electors that were opposed to the Habsburgs: an old guy without a male heir sounds like the perfect man for the job!
The lack of a male heir is probably a bigger problem, the age may not even be a problem since seniority was a big thing at the time.
Plus, the Habsburgs can still pull of a diplomatic coup here; Mary is a very attractive bride with regards to political matching. France wants her, Austria wants her, and so on.
Of course, Charles may turn the tables, but he wasn't exactly the diplomat his father was.
Of course, Charles may turn the tables, but he wasn't exactly the diplomat his father was.
She can still marry Nicholas of Lorraine to preserve the Valois in Burgundy.