Points of Divergence

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In discussion of alternative history, a Point of Divergence (POD) is a historical event, with two or more possible postulated outcomes. Typically these represent the actual course of historical events, like "Germany lost WW2" and another, such as "Germany won WW2".

Important in a POD is that it essentially causes history to take a different course; differences preceding it are possible under the condition that they had no significant influence on the course of history, although they may contain elements that will play an important role later (aka the Butterfly rule). In alternative history fiction, the POD is used as the starting point for the extrapolation.

Because of the nature of Keine Zeit, this universe has a large number of POD's, in part because we model each nation and/or culture as a separate entity that is influenced by other nations.

Below follows a short and general list of the points of divergence used in Keine Zeit.

Russia (Russian Empire)

 * "Era of Slavic Expansion": independent groups of Panslavists organized their attempts to build or settle existing colonial settlements in the hope of reaching a majority there and becoming part of the Slavic states. Thus, predominantly Russians or Slavic Port Alexander (New Guinea), Tiyo/Pobedonosovo (Ethiopia/Eritrea), etc. appear on the map.
 * In Asia, Russia and Britain are intensifying the Great Game. Russia (officially or with the help of independent individuals) is destabilizing the situation in British colonies in every possible way.
 * Polish Cyrillic Script is being officially used in Russia instead of Latin.
 * Russia creates an independent Order of Hospitaliers, which later receives rights similar to that of the Cossacks. The existence of this order gives them the right to claim the territory of Rhodes and Malta and leads to the Cold War between Britain, the Vatican, and Russia, which will continue to this day. Over time, the Order of Hospitaliers ceased to be purely Catholic and became a military organization of the Mariavite Church.
 * Russian America remains with the Russian Empire and is being developed with the help of Canada. Gold was discovered in Russian America in 1886. The Canadian government is becoming pro-Russian.
 * Russians manage to capture Constantinople. They remain the rights to it and surrounding territories with the help of the 1915's Constantinople Agreement.
 * The Emirate of Bukhara is a bit more independent.
 * The Grand Duchy of Finland is gradually losing its independence and being annexed by the Russian Empire.
 * The Russian Empire has more control over the domestic policy of the Ottoman Empire, weakening it. Since the Crimean War, the Ottomans lack a functional navy.
 * With the banning and restriction of the Catholic Church in the Empire, the Russian Empire began to support and expand the Old Catholic Mariavite Church as a "permitted" alternative. Over time, it merged with already existing Catholic networks and becomes the official counterpart to Catholicism in the Russian Empire.