DBWI: Tamerlane Doesn't Convert to Zoroastrianism

spendabuck

Banned
As many know, in the 14th century, Tamerlane conquered much of Persia and, both to gain a historical claim as successor to the Persian Empire and to distance himself from the influence of the Caliphate, converted to Zoroastrianism. Against all odds, Tamerlane was able to convert many of his followers to Zoroastrianism as well, leading to the religion's revival. Even now, Zoroastrianism has many followers from Anatolia to India thanks to Tamerlane's initial conversion. After looking into the history of the Timurid dynasty and the rough political landscape in the Middle East (also thanks to Tamerlane...), I began to think; what would have happened if Tamerlane remained a Muslim instead of becoming a Zoroastrian?

(OOC: This is probably border-line ASB, but I figured it could still happen, it would just be very unlikely.)
 
As many know, in the 14th century, Tamerlane conquered much of Persia and, both to gain a historical claim as successor to the Persian Empire and to distance himself from the influence of the Caliphate, converted to Zoroastrianism. Against all odds, Tamerlane was able to convert many of his followers to Zoroastrianism as well, leading to the religion's revival. Even now, Zoroastrianism has many followers from Anatolia to India thanks to Tamerlane's initial conversion. After looking into the history of the Timurid dynasty and the rough political landscape in the Middle East (also thanks to Tamerlane...), I began to think; what would have happened if Tamerlane remained a Muslim instead of becoming a Zoroastrian?

(OOC: This is probably border-line ASB, but I figured it could still happen, it would just be very unlikely.)

OOC: ASB from the outset, Timur had styled himself as a successor to Genghis Khan and the Mongols and came from a society where the blood of Temujin was wildly respected, that he married a direct descendant of Genghis Khan and tried to restore the Yuan dynasty to power in China. Even if we are charitable and say there is a significant enough Zoroastrian presence, and the Timur may convert it's not going to be that he considers himself a restorer of the Persian Empire.
 
(OOC) I think this isn't entirely ASB. I think a small Zoroastrian revival is possible, albeit I have utterly no idea how it would go down XD. I do think it reaching all the way from Anatolia to India may be a bit ASB though... probably more like Pakistan to Punjab ish.

(IC) I hate to think what an uncontrolled Islamic rule on India could have done. The enlightened Zoroastrian rule fit quite nicely with India which had a long standing history with it... I could easily see Islam wiping out Hinduism as we know it today. Also Agni may have had less of a following, with the Aagsanatani faith appearing as a hybrid between Hinduism and the Zoroastrian faiths.

(OOC) Aagsanatani is a hypothetical faith that gramatically probably doesn't make much sense (Eternal Fire is what I went for?) that would be the Sikhism of this TL, drawing much more inspiration from Agni.
 
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