DBWI: Interesting POD-"Islam"

A few days ago I was reading a history of Greater Iran, and t one point it mentioned a sect called "Islam". Apparently, this religion was found by some fellow named Mohammed in the 600s AD in Mekka, Arabia, but he escaped to Medyna, where he amassed followers, and returned to Mekka, but was killed in battle. From there, his followers dispersed around that region, especially in Medyna. The last believers died in 1825 AD. This Islam believed that Mohammed was the final prophet, but Jesus was also one. It's name means "Submission" in Arabic. What do you think would have happened had Monammed lived? Also, I thought it was interesting that Mohammed was apparently opposed to what in these days Zoroastrians call the Black Rock of Mekka.
 
After a quick search, it looks like there are almost no sources on how Islamic communities were structured, so any possible Muslim state would be envisioned entirely by guesswork...

As for an Islamic state itself, I doubt it would ever amount to more than a thorn in the sides of Rome and Iran, though that could be enough to hasten/prolong the Oghuz Interregnum between the Sasanian and Mihranian Dynasties (or maybe butterfly the Mihranians altogether :eek: ), and could lead to similar problems in Rome... Maybe the Bulgars sack Constantinople while the empire's attention is focused on Muslim incursion into the Levant?

Come to think of it... I'm not sure I can even picture what Iran would look like without the Mihranian reforms to Zoroastrianism and the imperial expansions into Irystan and Rosistan [1]... Likely that would still happen, just under someone else? Maybe the Pechenegs aren't Zoroastrianized? Khazarian Judaism will certainly develop differently than OTL...

[1] Irystan is roughly OTL south Russia between the Black and Caspian Seas, Rosistan is roughly Kievan Rus'.
 
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Knight

It's not unheard of that Steppe-people have conquered weakened empires. The Mihranian themselves fell in the end to the magyars [1] in the 12th century mostly becouse their over-expansion into Irystan and Rosistan and the civil war that followed. Without that invasion and the flight of large parts of the Mihranian elit from persia to Irystan and Rosistan, Zoroastrianism wouldn't have become so predominant in Irystan and Rosistan as it is. We also have the Turcol [2] invasions of China at the end of the 9th century. But the invaders was fairly quickly assimilated, both the magyars and the turcol had assumed language and costumes from their respective subjects less then 100 years after they assumed power.

I could see Mohammed as the founder of a "Steppe"-dynasty. The arabic Bedouins lived a similar nomadic life to that of the magyars and the turcol. With Islam having so much in common with Christianity I think that the two would easily agree, but I can't see the Arabs get to Constantinople. At most pick a province or two. Persia was in a much worse shape under the Oghuz Interregnum and a invasion at the right time might have brought Mohammed to the throne. From there I would guess that either the Arabs assimilated like most ofter "Steppe"-dynasties or got deposed by an indigenous dynasty.

[1] The magyars lingered longer on the plains and moved to the east after Turkic tribes invaded China (see below).
[2] The revived Persia under The Mihranian kept the nomadic tribes at bay until the late 11th century. With the weakening of tang the Turkic tribes, with numerous other opportunistic nomads, opt to invade china.
 
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