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In this video, I explore European countries that no longer exist and how they disappeared from history. From the Duchy of Carinthia, which was absorbed by the Habsburgs in 1335, to the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, a short-lived Austrian province split between Poland and Ukraine after WWII, many states once shaped the continent but later vanished. I also cover the Principality of Transylvania, which lost its autonomy under the Habsburgs, and the Kingdom of Majorca, annexed by Aragon in 1344. Other cases include Westphalia, a Napoleonic client state that collapsed in 1813, and the Duchy of Aquitaine, which was fully integrated into France in 1453. The Kingdom of the Suebi in Iberia fell to the Visigoths in 585 AD, while the Despotate of Epirus, a Byzantine successor state, was gradually taken over by larger powers. In the north, the Teutonic Order State was defeated and secularized in 1525, and the Gaelic kingdom of Dalriada merged into early Scotland by the 9th century. These vanished nations left cultural legacies, but shifting borders, wars, and political changes led to their disappearance.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Europe's Old Countries
00:30 Duchy of Carinthia
02:33 Kingdom of Galicia & Lodomeria
04:32 Principality of Transylvannia
06:30 Kingdom of Majorca
08:07 Kingdom of Westphalia
09:48 Duchy of Aquitaine
11:16 Suebian Kingdom
12:36 Dalriada
13:24 Despotate of Epirus
13:51 Teutonic Order State
15:26 Dalriada
16:29 Patreon Credits
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0:00
Europe has a lot of countries, but what if it had more? What if some of the historical
0:04
countries that disappeared had stuck around? Sure, some current countries wouldn't exist
0:09
in the same way, even sometimes being replaced by them, but it would be an interesting scenario
0:14
So in this video we're going to find out about old European countries that sadly no longer exist
0:30
First, the Duchy of Corinthia. It was a medieval polity that emerged in the year 976 and it was
0:38
when the larger Duchy of Bavaria was divided by Emperor Otto II of the Holy Roman Empire
0:43
Their flag was a horizontal bicolor of red and white. Corinthia became an independent duchy
0:49
within the empire and remained so until 1335, so it's around 400 years of existence as a de facto
0:57
country. It was then absorbed by the Habsburg monarchy. The region had been a key cultural and
1:04
economic bridge between the Germanic world and the Slavic lands to the south, making it a
1:09
strategically significant place throughout its history. The Corinthian rulers often found themselves in conflict with their powerful neighbors, including Bavaria, Bohemia, and Hungary
1:19
However, the duchy remained relatively autonomous, developing its own local traditions, governance
1:24
and legal system. The duchy was very closely tied to the Holy Roman Empire. In the 13 and 14 centuries
1:31
the region became a contested prize in the power struggles of Central Europe. After the death of
1:36
the last Corinthian duke from the house of Gorisia Tyrol, the Habsburgs took control in the year of
1:42
1335, marking the beginning of their long rule over the territory. It would later be fully
1:48
incorporated into the Austrian Empire, losing their independent status. If the Duchy of Corinthia
1:54
still existed today, it would likely be a Germanic-Slavic hybrid state, bridging Austria and
2:01
Slovenia. It would have retained an Alpine cultural identity. The influence of both of
2:07
these cultures would be significant, making it a linguistically and culturally diverse region
2:12
A fun fact, the current flag of the modern Corinthia region of southern Austria flies
2:17
a similar design to the old one, just adding a yellow stripe to it
2:21
In this scenario, Austria would be much smaller than it currently is
2:25
and Slovenia would potentially not even exist, but it could be an interesting scenario
2:30
except for the people that are from these countries, I guess. Nearby, a little to the east, was the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
2:37
It was also a crown land of the Habsburg Empire, formed in 1772 after the first partition of Poland
2:45
And guess what their flag looked like? exactly the same as the Corinthian one, but they were created about 400 years after the first one
2:52
disappeared, so I guess there was no confusion. The region was another historical blend of cultures
2:57
in this case Polish, Ukrainian, Jewish, and Austrian, and it became a strategic administrative
3:03
province for the Austrians. The name Lodomeria was a reference to the medieval principality of
3:08
Volinia, although the Habsburg used it mostly as a symbolic link to earlier claims. The kingdom had
3:14
a complex history of governance under Austria, balancing between bureaucratic rule from the
3:20
empire and autonomy granted to local nobles as was very typical to Polish medieval culture
3:25
In the mid-19th century, the region experienced political reforms, including the Galician
3:29
Autonomy Act of 1867, which allowed for greater local self-government under the Austrian crown
3:36
During World War I, it became a major battleground between Austrian and Russian troops
3:41
leading to devastation and population displacement, and after the war it was absorbed into the newly reformed Second Polish Republic
3:49
Following World War II, it was further divided between Poland and Soviet Ukraine
3:53
If Galicia and Lodomeria still existed today, it might have developed into a multi-ethnic Central European state
4:00
similar to modern Switzerland for instance, balancing its Polish and Ukrainian heritage
4:06
The region's strong economic potential is mostly based on agriculture, but it does have some oil reserves
4:12
and I guess trade would be a big factor because of that, it could have made it a prosperous independent nation
4:17
The Jewish culture which was nearly wiped out during World War II might have continued to flourish contributing to a rich and diverse society Who knows maybe it could have even become a Jewish state within Europe replacing the need for one to be set up in the Middle East
4:32
Continuing in the general area of Central East Europe, we have the Principality of Transylvania
4:37
This one finally had a super cool flag. It was a rounded tip rectangular flag in beige
4:43
with a sort of orange cross on top of which laid a red circle
4:47
inside a circle is a symbol that seems to be a set of three teeth of some animal. Their coat of arms
4:52
was also super cool with an ego head at the top and seven red castle towers on top of green hills
4:59
The Principality of Transylvania was a semi-independent polity that played a crucial
5:03
role in European history from the 16th to 18th century. It was initially part of the Kingdom of
5:08
Hungary. It then became an autonomous principality under Ottoman suzerainty after the defeat of the
5:14
Hungarians in the Battle of Mohax in 1526 and this autonomy allowed it to become a center
5:20
of religious tolerance, hosting Hungarian Protestants, Orthodox Romanians and a significant Saxon-German population
5:28
The Principality became known for this unique multi-ethnic and multi-religious character where the Uniu Trinium Nationum, the agreement between Hungarians, Saxons and Zechelis governed
5:42
much of the region. Maybe the three teeth on the national flag represent these three people, but I'm not sure
5:48
Despite its nominal submission to the Ottomans, Transylvania often acted independently and
5:52
sometimes allied with other European powers against Habsburg or even Ottoman forces themselves
5:58
However, by the late 17th century, again Habsburgs took over, leading to the gradual
6:04
integration into the Austrian Empire. Had the principality survived as a separate entity
6:09
it would likely be yet another diverse Central European nation with a strong Hungarian, Romanian
6:14
and even German cultural influence. The strategic location in the Carpathians would make it a key
6:19
regional player. It would also solve the border dispute between Hungary and Romania today
6:25
Maybe the two of them would be friends trying to take over the third country together instead
6:30
Finally moving out of this region a little, we have the Kingdom of Mallorca in the Mediterranean
6:35
It was short-lived but culturally significant. It existed between 1231 and 1344, created by King James I of Aragon, who, after conquering the Balearic Islands from the Moors, decided to grant them as a separate inheritance to his younger son, James II
6:52
The kingdom included not only the Balearic Islands, but also territories in present-day southern France
6:59
This division of the Aragonese crown led to tensions between Mallorca and the mainland
7:05
as the ruling family and Aragon sought to reclaim these lands. Despite the small size, it became a center of Mediterranean trade and culture
7:13
benefiting from a strategic position between Spain, Italy, and North Africa. The Mallorcan economy thrived on, of course, maritime commerce
7:21
and the kingdom was home to some of the most skilled cartographers and shipbuilders of the medieval world
7:28
The Majorcan School of Cartography produced influential maps, including those used by explorers in the later Age of Discovery
7:36
However, the kingdom's survival was always precarious, it wasn't very strong from a military point of view
7:42
and in 1344, Peter IV of Aragon invaded and annexed the islands
7:47
If the kingdom had survived, it might have developed into a Mediterranean microstate similar to Andorra or Monaco, but with a strong naval tradition and a distinct cultural identity
7:58
The Balearic Islands, instead of being an autonomous community of Spain, could have become a small independent kingdom thriving on tourism and trade
8:07
And now going back to the mainland, we have the very temporary but very interesting German kingdom of Westphalia
8:13
It was an artificial Napoleonic creation that existed between 1807 and 1813 as a client state
8:21
of the French Empire. Actually, a video about all of these fictional states or temporary states
8:26
created by Napoleon across Europe might make for an interesting video, so let me know if you're
8:31
interested in seeing that. This one was carved out of former Prussian and Anoverian lands in
8:37
northwest Germany. It was ruled by Jérôme Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napoleon
8:42
It was a part of his grand plan to restructure Germany under French influence Westphalia was crucial to Napoleon war efforts providing both troops and resources for the Grande Armee It is a very rich region in resources and
8:57
industry, I think even at the time, and despite its modernizing reforms, the state remained deeply
9:03
unpopular as taxation and conscription for Napoleon's wars drained the local economy and
9:09
manpower. The kingdom collapsed in 1813 following Napoleon's defeat and its territories were then
9:14
returned to Prussia and other German states during the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Their flag bore a
9:21
strong Napoleonic influence. It featured a tricolor design with elements resembling the French flag
9:27
If Westphalia had endured as an independent state, it might have developed into an alternative
9:32
German-speaking country, separate from Prussia. It could have retained a unique constitutional and
9:37
social system, different from the later German Empire and could have contributed to the unification
9:42
of Germany not taking place. And now traveling to the southwest, we have the Duchy of Aquitaine
9:48
It was one of the most important medieval territories in what is now France, existing
9:53
in various forms between 768 and 1453. Originally a kingdom under Merovingian and Catalonian rule
10:01
it became a powerful duchy within France. Aquitaine's history was marked by its connection
10:06
to Eleanor of Aquitaine, who inherited the duchy and through her marriages tied it first
10:11
to France and later to England. Her union with Henry II of England in 1152 brought Aquitaine under English control, making
10:20
it a major battlefield in the Hundred Years' War between England and France
10:25
The duchy was known for its distinct culture, its different language, Occitan, and also its
10:30
economic prosperity. Its wine trade flourished under English rule, establishing Bordeaux as a major European port
10:38
However, its position between two competing crowns led to centuries of conflict
10:42
The decisive victory of Charles VII of France at the Battle of Castillon in 1453
10:48
marked the end of English rule in the region and the Duchy's full absorption into the French kingdom
10:54
The flag and court of arms of Aquitaine featured a golden lion on a red field
10:59
if it had remained independent, it could have developed into a separate Occitan-speaking nation
11:05
possibly akin to Catalonia within Spain, but independent, maintaining a distinct regional
11:10
identity rather than being fully absorbed by France, with Bordeaux potentially being their
11:15
capital city. And continuing to move to the southwest, we have the very old but very relevant
11:21
kingdom of the Suebi in the west part of the Iberian Peninsula. It was one of the first post-Roman
11:28
kingdoms, established in Western Europe lasting from 409 to 585 in the northwest of the Iberian
11:36
Peninsula, where modern Portugal and Galicia are. It was founded by the Suebi, a Germanic people
11:41
who migrated into Roman Hispania during the fall of the Western Roman Empire. And like the Visigoths
11:47
who initially settled further east, the Suebi established a stable kingdom with what is now
11:53
Braga in Portugal as their capital. Eventually, they came to expand their control to about a
11:58
third of the Iberian Peninsula in the west. The Suebi were relatively isolated from the conflicts
12:04
of the Mediterranean world and managed to maintain independence longer than many other Germanic
12:08
kingdoms. However, in the late 6th century, the expansionist Visigoth kingdom saw them as an
12:15
obstacle to unifying the Iberian Peninsula. And so, in 585 AD, they were conquered, ending their
12:21
independence and being incorporated into Visigothic Hispania. Had the kingdom survived, it might have formed an early medieval Portuguese state. Rather than Portugal emerging centuries
12:31
later, this could have significantly altered the history of the Iberian Peninsula. And moving from
12:36
all the way west to all the way east of the continent of Europe, we have a Greek predecessor
12:42
state, the Despotate of Epirus. It was one of the Byzantine successor states that emerged after the
12:48
4th Crusade in 1204, and it was located in what is now Northwest Greece and Southern Albania
12:54
It was known for a fierce resistance against both Latin Crusaders and the expanding Second
13:00
Bulgarian Empire. However, their existence was short-lived. They suffered a crushing defeat
13:06
against the Bulgarians at the Battle of Klokotnica in 1230 and the weakened despotates later fell under the influence of many other regional empires Their symbol was the double eagle a common Byzantine emblem
13:20
signifying their claim to imperial legitimacy. If they had remained independent, it might have
13:24
evolved into a small Greek Orthodox kingdom, later evolving into a similar country to what
13:30
modern Greece is, possibly influencing the balance of power between Ottoman, Venetian and other
13:36
Byzantine successor state in the Balkans. Today it remains a historical and cultural region in
13:42
Greece and Albania, but an independent state could have led to a very different modern Balkan map and
13:46
stronger ties to Byzantine heritage in a modern Greek state. And it's really like we're going to
13:52
all corners of the European continent because now we're going to the northeast to take a look at the
13:57
Teutonic state. The Teutonic Order state existed from 1230 to 1525. It covered parts of modern
14:04
Poland, Lithuania and what is now Russian Kaliningrad. Originally founded as a Christian
14:09
military order, the Teutonic Nates were actually invited by the Polish Duke Konrad I of Mazovia
14:15
to help convert and conquer the pagan Prussian tribes. They established their own independent
14:21
state, expanding aggressively in the Baltic region through a campaign known as the Northern
14:26
Crusades. For centuries, they ruled the region as a militant religious state, going to war with many
14:32
of their neighbors like the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and even Poland itself. The order's
14:37
defeat at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 against the Polish and Lithuanians marked the beginning
14:43
of their decline. By 1525 they converted to Lutheranism, secularized and formed the Duchy
14:50
of Prussia initially under Polish suzerainty. Their flag, a white banner with a black cross
14:54
a symbol that remains associated with the order to this day. If they had continued to exist it
14:59
might have evolved into a fourth Baltic nation, this one Germanic in their culture. In its
15:04
geopolitical position, its presence would have significantly altered the balance of power in
15:09
Eastern Europe, possibly preventing the rise of an independent Prussia and the unification of
15:14
Germany as we know it. Although I guess one can argue that they did continue to exist through
15:18
Prussia and then went on to become independent again and unified Germany. So I guess this one
15:24
is a little bit up for debate. And to finish the video, the northwest corner, going all the way to
15:29
what is now Scotland and Ireland, to take a look at the old nation of Dal Riada. It was an ancient
15:37
Gaelic kingdom that existed between the 5th and 9th centuries, straddling the western coast of
15:42
Scotland and northeastern Ireland. Dal Riada was home to the Scotty, a Gaelic-speaking people who
15:47
eventually gave Scotland its name. The kingdom engaged in frequent conflicts and alliances with
15:53
the Picts, the native inhabitants of Northern Scotland, as well as the Angles of Northumbria
15:58
Over time, their influence expanded, particularly under a specific leader, Kenneth Macalpin
16:04
who was credited with uniting the Picts and Scots in the 9th century, forming the early
16:08
kingdom of Abba, a precursor to modern Scotland. This merger with the Pictish kingdom ultimately ended Dal Riata as a separate entity, but
16:17
its Gaelic culture and language remained dominant in the newly emerging Scottish identity, allowing
16:24
us to understand how it was essentially the first predecessor of Scotland
16:29
So, those are some European countries that sadly no longer exist, at least in their initial form
16:35
Which other disappearing countries do you know of that you find interesting? Let me know in the comments
16:39
Thank you so much for watching this video. Remember to subscribe if you want to catch future ones and tell a friend about the channel
16:45
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16:50
We're gonna be very close to that. So if you can help out, I would appreciate it. If not, that's totally fine
16:57
Either way, I will see you next time for more general knowledge
17:06
First I'm using the New computer to record and I'm a little afraid that it's not going to record. So let's see the moving cup
17:15
that I have today is this one. Last video I was just, I was doing this
17:19
I was holding it and not even showing it to you. But it's a bunch of guys, they're like going on a boat
17:27
in what looks like a lake and they're going to this show. They're just watching the movement show
17:33
as you are watching my show, I guess
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