AHC: Saint Thomas Christian Empire in South India

self explanatory, very unknown Christian group who claim to be converts from Saint Thomas in the very early years of Christianity. They are Nestorians who were in communion with the church until the Muslim conquests where they were for the most part left to their devices. One idea I had is from wikipedia, a certain King Ayyanadikal Kurakoni of Venad granted them exclusive rights in 849. Maybe he converts, and attempts to flip his Kingdom. Or maybe a later date with the Portuguese encouraging the ST Christians in communion with the Catholic church to take over the area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Christians

Surprise me :)
 

Cryostorm

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How about as the Turkish warlords push south into the Deccan you have a Constantine moment where one of the princes or Kings of the area promises to convert after an unlikely victory and then wins. This then snowballs into a sizable empire in the south and the nation builds a capital at the site of that battle. Centuries later the Europeans come to find the Nestorian, Dravidian Vijayanagara Empire rulling the entire southern cone of India and a sizable trade empire across the Indian ocean.
 
They'd need to be a bigger and wealthier community first. I think this is likely should Yemen become Christian (instead of Jewish) in Late Antiquity, and preferably stay that way (even if it ends up under Axumite rule). This would give more incentives for rulers to convert and for Christian states to be established and persist.
 
Have a conqueror of Tamilakam place a Saint Thomas Christian in charge of one or more of the coastal cities where they had a presence—say, Kodungallur. Maybe as a Lord Mayor sort of situation? Anyway, said ruling faction proceeds to “nepotise” the entire city administration with Christians, who run the city leniently and competently enough to encourage conversion.
 
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