What would have been the best overall Medieval Kingdom to live in?

[GloryofGreece]

Mongol's rising empire

Good if you were a competent military man not so good for anyone else, no?

[BjornP]

I'd probably settle for late 6th cent Byzantine southern Italy, if we're going for stability. Far enough removed from the Justinian campaigns in the recent past, and the rise of Islam that I'd had a good lifetime's worth of not having to deal with massive invasions, and far enough removed from the intrigue of Constantinople.

[SuburbanFarmer]

I’d have to say that Egypt and China would be the most stable. China gets the edge, for having relatively advanced medicine, sanitation, and culture. Just avoid the Seven Kingdoms period, and you’d be ok.

[Speaker to Animals]

So, Medieval Eastern Orthodox Constantinople/Byzantine Empire wasn't a civilized place to live comparatively? And there is a narrative saying it was which is inherently anti-western? Really? (I'm ignorant of it) Elaborate some.

I didn't say it wasn't civilized. The question was the best overall place to live in the medieval period. Constantinople/Istanbul was not that place. It was very violent with near constant unrest, terrible riots, and open warfare between various factions led by princes who wanted to be the next emperor. The famous story used to tarnish Latins (the sack during the crusade) was actually a case of one of the Venetians getting trapped in the scheming, and being forced to fight for one of those princes to seize the throne in order to pay debts he claimed for hosting them. The whole narrative of the poor, poor Byzantines getting oppressed by the Latins was not exactly accurate. Latins hated them for this type of thing.

They would even send people into the Latin quarter of the city (mainly Venetian) and desecrate hosts during the Latin mass to foment more violence.

Hard pass.

So was the overthrow and looting of the city really orchestrated by people within the city that just wanted a chance to take power/quick cash grab more than the Crusaders plotting to do it themselves.

Every successful siege has someone from within betraying their own. Letting the outsiders in/opening the gate and so forth. Sad.

No, it was in fact a case of a prince impressing the crusaders to fight for his political cause to take the throne. It wasn't helped by the fact that Latins in general absolutely hated these people and vice versa. The story you get these days is almost like the myths most people believe about the inquisition of the crusades themselves. There are entire subfields in medieval history that just study the origin of these common myths -- even though it seems like most people still believe them today.

[Fife]

Seems like Florence before the Black Death would have been a pretty good set-up.

And maybe Trier would have still felt about as Roman as any place still did then.

[DrYouth]

I would suggest Andalusia 912-1031.

Seems like a vibrant and productive culture.

I'm biased tho... my Dad's side of the family still lives in old town Granada in the shadow of the Alhambra.

[Speaker to Animals]

I would suggest Andalusia 912-1031.

Seems like a vibrant and productive culture.

I'm biased tho... my Dad's side of the family still lives in old town Granada in the shadow of the Alhambra.

Might as well go shack up with ISIS.

[DrYouth]

The common denominator being Islam.

Yes...

Otherwise few parallels.

ISIS is not a exactly hotbed of philosophy, art, science and medicine.

[Speaker to Animals]

The common denominator being Islam.

Yes...

Otherwise few parallels.

ISIS is not a exactly hotbed of philosophy, art, science and medicine.

ISIS is basically Islam 1.0 come back.

[StCapps]

The common denominator being Islam.

Yes...

Otherwise few parallels.

ISIS is not a exactly hotbed of philosophy, art, science and medicine.

ISIS is basically Islam 1.0 come back.

If you had to live in the Islamic world during the Medieval Era, where and when would you live?