Early Conversion of Scandinavia

In 826, Harald Klak, a king of Denmark, was driven from his kingdom by Horik I and fled to the Frankish Empire. There, he asked Louis I for his support in getting his kingdom back. Louis agreed, on the condition that he would be baptized. He later returned to Denmark, along with the monk Ansgar, to reclaim his kingdom, but was forced from the country again by Horik.

So WI Harald had defeated Horik and ruled Denmark as a Christian? Could Christianity take hold in the kingdom at this time? If it does, what effect does this have on Scandinavia, England, the Baltic, the Franks etc, etc?
 

Germaniac

Donor
He is making a metal album about charlemagne one of the songs is about defeating the Pagans to the north... If there Christians it completely changes the album...
 

Valdemar II

Banned
He is making a metal album about charlemagne one of the songs is about defeating the Pagans to the north... If there Christians it completely changes the album...

Louis/Ludwig I was son of Charlemagne, so it wouldn't change anything. The problem was that Harald Klak did become king of Denmark after this (co-king to Horik/Erik and likely one of Eriks brothers). We don't know why and how Erik succed in throwing him out, but if I should guess likely Harald pissed off both the pagans and nobles, especially because at the end of Eriks reign the nobles power seem to have increased. Erik seemed to have been rather positive toward Christians, but at the same time he disliked the Frankish influence which followed them.

So let imagine that Harald Klak get support enough from Ludwig to keep power, maybe Erik are babtised and swear fealthy to Ludwig. The primary difference are that Denmark has become a Frankish Duchy and the Viking Era has been killed off. Denmark was the most populous country in Scandinavia at the time and without the Danes no Danelagen and Normandy.Of course we still see the Norvegian kingdoms in the British isle, but it will in no way be on the same scale as Danelagen.

In East Europe the Vends are fucked early, in OTL they could play the Danes and Franks aghainst each other here, the Danish dukes will expand their influence to the Northen Wends rather fast.

An interesting question are how Neustria will look without Danish raiding?
 
Thanks Valdemar, really interesting post. So you are suggesting that Erik also converts as part of the POD?

Definately agree with you on the Wends bit.

With no need to protect themselves against Viking raids, the Frankish kings would probably focus less on building fortified cities/castles...

I was also thinking that when/if crusading comes around, the Scandinavians would lead one against the Baltic/Slavic pagans, even more so than OTL.
 

Valdemar II

Banned
Jarl's - dux is not to appear until 1129 and Knud Lavard.

Yes but my point was in this case Denmark would become a Frankish/German Duchy:p, much as what happen to Old Saxony. I think if if thye Franks force the Danes to convert rather than we convert willingly, we would become part of the Frankish Empire.
 
Yes but my point was in this case Denmark would become a Frankish/German Duchy:p, much as what happen to Old Saxony. I think if if thye Franks force the Danes to convert rather than we convert willingly, we would become part of the Frankish Empire.

But if so those jarl's/duces would probably take part in the ongoing infighting within the Frankish empire! :D

Well ok, they just might get the time between subdoing the Saxon tribal Dux and fighting the emperor to go a-crusading in the east... :D:D
 
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