Consequences of a surviving Byzantine Empire on the Reformation

Gian

Banned
Exactly what it says on the tin.

Say one way or another, the Byzantine Empire manages to survive and thrive (maybe the Turks get routed at Manzikert, or one Turkish dynasty (ie Ottomans) convert, take over Constantinople, and expand, or something). How does the consequences of a surviving Empire have on the Protestant Reformation (assuming one does arise) and given that both the Byzantines and HRE continued to claim the legacy of the Roman Empire, could the Orthodox Byzantines support the Protestant powers as a way to get back at the Catholic Hapsburg emperors?
 
Exactly what it says on the tin.

Say one way or another, the Byzantine Empire manages to survive and thrive (maybe the Turks get routed at Manzikert, or one Turkish dynasty (ie Ottomans) convert, take over Constantinople, and expand, or something). How does the consequences of a surviving Empire have on the Protestant Reformation (assuming one does arise) and given that both the Byzantines and HRE continued to claim the legacy of the Roman Empire, could the Orthodox Byzantines support the Protestant powers as a way to get back at the Catholic Hapsburg emperors?

I don't think the Byzantines would be likely to support the Protestants, whose theology would be at least as repugnant to Greek Orthodoxy as it was to Catholicism.
 
There are two big decisions really to have in this scenario.

1) Is Constantinople better than Rome? (I mean, heck - they read the scriptures in their own tongue and debate it endlessly, so not entirely horrifying for the Protestants)
2) Is Constantinople going to be helpful for Rome or hurt them?

Essentially, in my mind, is what relationship the Great Schism, with a Byzantine Emperor on one side, going to have on a Reformation. If the Protestants are find with autocephaly, but otherwise a lot of freedom - numerous bishops could 'defect' to Constantinople.
 
The Manzikert POD is far too early and would easily butterfly away the Reformation, while the POD required for Christian Turks is also too early. For a POD that avoids the fall of Constantinople as well as not butterflying the Reformation, Timur destroying the Ottomans is the best possibility. But, of course, Constantinople would merely be a once-great city dominated by Italian maritime republics, so I'm not sure if that's the best POD for influential Byzantines.
 
1) Is Constantinople better than Rome? (I mean, heck - they read the scriptures in their own tongue and debate it endlessly, so not entirely horrifying for the Protestants)

They also opposed sola scriptura, and their doctrines regarding the priesthood and sacraments were almost identical to the Catholic ones. You might get Catholic bishops and monarchs turning Orthodox rather than Protestant, but this would be just that -- turning Orthodox rather than Protestant. No actual Protestant is going to join or affiliate with the Orthodox Churches, even assuming the Orthodox would want them, which they wouldn't.
 

Deleted member 67076

I'd imagine Byzantine policy would be to try to take advantage of the situation. Say, some states would flip over to Orthodoxy provided the Patriarch gives them Autocephaly. Its basically a win-win situation, not only do rulers get to control their churches now, but they also gain legitimacy from an older, more established branch and don't have to create theology from scratch.

We could see perhaps Sweden, England and a few other states with strong monarchies switch over.
 
The Hussites had some similarities to Orthodox Christianity (if, perhaps, not very deep or widespread similarities). Interestingly, there were apparently negotiations between the Hussites and the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople on church union. And many of the Orthodox considered the Hussite movement to be close to themselves and an offshoot of some kind.

The prospects with the later Protestants are probably way lower than they were with the Hussites. Still, lack of a church union doesn't mean there can't be a political alliance.
 
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