DBWI: Visigothic king Amalaric does not convert to Catholicism

The Visigothic kingdom in the early 6th century worried about possible Frankish expansion into their territory. Visigothic king Amalaric of the Balt dynasty married Chrothilda, the daughter of the Frankish king Clovis I. Chrothilda was catholic while Amalaric held onto the arianism. Eventually Amalaric converted to catholicism, a feat which Chrothilda is often credited with.

What if Amalaric had stubbornly refused to convert to Catholicism?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalaric
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balt_dynasty
 
The Visigothic kingdom in the early 6th century worried about possible Frankish expansion into their territory. Visigothic king Amalaric of the Balt dynasty married Chrothilda, the daughter of the Frankish king Clovis I. Chrothilda was catholic while Amalaric held onto the arianism. Eventually Amalaric converted to catholicism, a feat which Chrothilda is often credited with.

What if Amalaric had stubbornly refused to convert to Catholicism?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalaric
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balt_dynasty

Well, his reign would likely have lasted longer for one thing. Many of the Visigoths of this period were staunchly anti-Catholic (not to the extent of the reigning dynasty in Vandalia of course - but Carthage always seems to like to take things to the extreme) and, no matter the hagiography which surrounds him, Amalaric was a weak ruler to begin with. However, with no Catholic conversion and martyrdom, its unlikely that you see his son Amalamir fleeing to the Ostrogothic Court and the subsequent Ostro-Frankish alliance to help him regain his throne. Really, losing Amalamir utterly changes the entire history of the region - he was one of those truly strong and competent leaders who was able to transform the Visigothic kingdom and its capital of Toulouse into a shining beacon in the Western world. Without his intervention, you might have seen the Romans manage in their efforts to recapture Italy, or maybe you could have seen the Franks push the Visigoths out of Gaul entirely.

Whatever the case, the GOthic kingdoms would likely not have become the predominant powers in the West and the most culturally important realms during the Middle Ages.
 
Well, his reign would likely have lasted longer for one thing. Many of the Visigoths of this period were staunchly anti-Catholic (not to the extent of the reigning dynasty in Vandalia of course - but Carthage always seems to like to take things to the extreme) and, no matter the hagiography which surrounds him, Amalaric was a weak ruler to begin with. However, with no Catholic conversion and martyrdom, its unlikely that you see his son Amalamir fleeing to the Ostrogothic Court and the subsequent Ostro-Frankish alliance to help him regain his throne. Really, losing Amalamir utterly changes the entire history of the region - he was one of those truly strong and competent leaders who was able to transform the Visigothic kingdom and its capital of Toulouse into a shining beacon in the Western world. Without his intervention, you might have seen the Romans manage in their efforts to recapture Italy, or maybe you could have seen the Franks push the Visigoths out of Gaul entirely.

Whatever the case, the GOthic kingdoms would likely not have become the predominant powers in the West and the most culturally important realms during the Middle Ages.
Inspite of the vast kingdom that Amalaric built being shortlived*. It had a long lasting effect on the development of the west as the institutions it built would continue shape Western Europe till out day. These institutions were continued by the successor states of the Gothic empirea, aswell as in states that were in the orbit of the Gothic Empire and it's successors**.

* It began to disintegrate after Amalaric's death, as it was divided between his son. Three kingdoms emerged that of Spain(Iberia), that of Italy and that of Occitannia. The vassalage of the various Frankish statlets to Gothia also ended with Amalaric's death.
** Western Europe + Maghreb
 
Well, his reign would likely have lasted longer for one thing. Many of the Visigoths of this period were staunchly anti-Catholic (not to the extent of the reigning dynasty in Vandalia of course - but Carthage always seems to like to take things to the extreme) and, no matter the hagiography which surrounds him, Amalaric was a weak ruler to begin with. However, with no Catholic conversion and martyrdom, its unlikely that you see his son Amalamir fleeing to the Ostrogothic Court and the subsequent Ostro-Frankish alliance to help him regain his throne. Really, losing Amalamir utterly changes the entire history of the region - he was one of those truly strong and competent leaders who was able to transform the Visigothic kingdom and its capital of Toulouse into a shining beacon in the Western world. Without his intervention, you might have seen the Romans manage in their efforts to recapture Italy, or maybe you could have seen the Franks push the Visigoths out of Gaul entirely.

Whatever the case, the GOthic kingdoms would likely not have become the predominant powers in the West and the most culturally important realms during the Middle Ages.
Toulouse is a beautifull little town. It has alot of picturesqe sights that should be seen atleast once in every persons life. Under the beautifull surface everything is not as well as it appears. Due to mass tourism, many local feel that they are squeezed out of the town. Rents are up, while the tourist related jobs do not pay enough. Sure students are content with working in the tourist industry for the wages it gives, but when it comes to families to live as they expect. More and more apartments are now rented out to tourists instead of being inhabited by the locals. One tragic consequence is the loss of the Toulouseian dialect. As it's speakers emigrate, and a huge inflow of temporary workers and tourists it is dissapearing.
 
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