When The Sassanid Civil War is over.Map of Middle East?
Never heard of the Muslims going to Axum. I do suppose that I'm thinking in a too modern way about people's reaction to events, but what I was thinking when I wrote was that the Caliphate is in a tight monetary situation so they are levying heavier jizya taxes to compensate leading to unrest. The Caliphate also is much more maritime focused because of their defeat in their land expansion, this results in tensions with Axum as they attempt to secure trading dominance in the Indian Ocean. I also suppose I should have been more clear about where the Copts are, I was thinking about Coptic tribes and city-states just to the South East of Axum. I haven't been able to find any information on just how far down Africa that Copts lived, so I assumed there was at least some of them on the northern Somali coast.it is a bit Strange that Caliphate took hardline position against Axum, Axum is the nation where Muhammad send some Muslims when their position in Mecca is threatened. There are many writings from Muhammad time that praise Axum. more diplomatic solution should be possible. demanding Copts in Muslim territory to pay jizya or serve in Muslim army would solve problem and collect tax without it looks Caliphate harassing Christians. Note : why there are Coptic nobles in Somalia ? and protesting ? if they accepted and recognized by Muslims as noble there should be treaty about payment including Jizya. if they are foreigner / merchant then they are protesting is strange, taxing foreigner / merchant should be normal practice.
Chinese tribute : Chinese usually grant 'gift' to tribute-payer, the gift often greater than tribute itself. Kangar should receive something from Chinese. establishment of trade town ? right to send merchant to Chinese capital ? 100.000 bolts of silk ? even if Kangar in far weaker military position, they should still receive 'something'.
Sassanite rebels should be granted a name for easier reading. Khurasanite ? Mazdakite ? Mihranite ? even name of their anti-Shah would do. Shapurite ?
Ah yes, I did forget about that, I've added a line about that.
The reason I keep calling them the government and the rebels is because the rebels are just trying to put a puppet on the throne of the same dynasty, so I can't call them by some other dynasty or religious name. I do syppose I could call them Ardashiran or something like that.
I've looked into the politics of the time and it seems that because Pope Honorius is still alive that their will be success on Heraclius' side. I'd still like to see others opinions on this though.What the whole conflict was that is leading to this council is basically a conflict between Monothelitism and Christology. Now I may get this wrong but Monothelitism is basically a more reformed version of the Monophysitism which says that Jesus is literally just God rather than the Son of God and being human, which is what most Christians today believe. Monothelitism is the doctrine that states that Christ has two natures (Man and God) but only has one will where everything Jesus did was a direct action of God or is solely the will of God through Jesus's actions. At the time much of the Eastern Churches, including the Byzantines promoted Monothelitism. Christology is the modern interpretation of Jesus and one that the West and Rome took upon back then where Jesus has not only two natures but two wills, those two wills being his beliefs and ideas in teachings, and those of God that Jesus spreads through his teachings. I know it's really confusing but that's the gist of it.
What happened OTL was that the Byzantine Emperor supported Monothelitism from the 620's to 681 where in the Third Council of Constantinople it was declared a heresy by the majority of Churches, including the Orthodox one. Here I think that the Byzantines might go the route of Christology because of the fact that since Islam is contained in Arabia, there is no need to have a common agreement with the Coptics and Armenians due to the fact that Byzantium still controls these territories and can directly influence its will and ideals of Christiannity upon the populace. I also think that the Emperor might go this roue in order to avoid conflict with the Pope and have a unified Christian stance so that way when Byzantium unified Europe like in Old Rome, then there won't be any heavy theological conflict.