WI: Alexander captures Darius alive in 330 BCE

[Mort the Reaper]

When Darius III was mortally wounded and left for dead by some conspirators against him, Alexander the Great was disappointed, since he wanted to capture the Persian King alive.

What if he had? Let's say Darius somehow survived and was taken captive by Alexander. What would change?

 

[GodEmperorG]

When Darius III was mortally wounded and left for dead by some conspirators against him, Alexander the Great was disappointed, since he wanted to capture the Persian King alive.

What if he had? Let's say Darius somehow survived and was taken captive by Alexander. What would change?

He would have been treated better than how he was OTL, since I doubt Alexander would murder him in cold blood like the Satrap of Bactria Bessus did. It helps that Alexander got along really well with Darius family that he had captured some time before during the Battle of Issus. Alexander gave him a magnificent funeral after he found his body too, which shows that Alexander held no hard feelings against him.

While exactly what would happen is hard to say, Darius would likely live for awhile, however if the Macedonians throw a drinking party he might die. Those legendary drinking parties the Macedonians threw tended to be rather catastrophic to whoever or whatever pisses them off while highly drunk. As seen by the burning of Persopolis and years prior the split between Phillip II and Alexander that likely laid the ground work for Phillips eventual assassination. Also during the last years of Alexanders campaign he became increasingly paranoid and willing to murder his subordinates at the slightest whiff of trouble, which might put Darius at risk if any hints of rebels supporting his restoration crop up.

If Darius is lucky, he gets to enjoy freedom and retirement from the role of monarch he clearly wasn't fit for, a bit like Nicholas II was during the time after his abdication. Nicholas was reputed to have been very much happier freed of the weight of being Tsar, and Darius character seems to me like someone who would react in a similar manner.

 

[VVD0D95]

He would have been treated better than how he was OTL, since I doubt Alexander would murder him in cold blood like the Satrap of Bactria Bessus did. It helps that Alexander got along really well with Darius family that he had captured some time before during the Battle of Issus. Alexander gave him a magnificent funeral after he found his body too, which shows that Alexander held no hard feelings against him.

While exactly what would happen is hard to say, Darius would likely live for awhile, however if the Macedonians throw a drinking party he might die. Those legendary drinking parties the Macedonians threw tended to be rather catastrophic to whoever or whatever pisses them off while highly drunk. As seen by the burning of Persopolis and years prior the split between Phillip II and Alexander that likely laid the ground work for Phillips eventual assassination. Also during the last years of Alexanders campaign he became increasingly paranoid and willing to murder his subordinates at the slightest whiff of trouble, which might put Darius at risk if any hints of rebels supporting his restoration crop up.

If Darius is lucky, he gets to enjoy freedom and retirement from the role of monarch he clearly wasn't fit for, a bit like Nicholas II was during the time after his abdication. Nicholas was reputed to have been very much happier freed of the weight of being Tsar, and Darius character seems to me like someone who would react in a similar manner.

IU agree with this but had a question of my own

Would Darius be able to spend time with his wife? If so what happens if said wife gets pregnant?

 

[GodEmperorG]

IU agree with this but had a question of my own

Would Darius be able to spend time with his wife? If so what happens if said wife gets pregnant?

He likely would be allowed to spend time with his family just fine, Alexander was real close with Darius mother (mainly because Alexander is a momma's boy and emotionally bonded with older women a lot, like the Queen of Halikarnassos). As to having kids, likely they would be married to any children Alexander has, in the same way Alexander tried to marry most of his officers to Persian women. Alexander himself married one of Darius daughters, and a niece as well.

But again a lot depends on if Alexander keeps going down the road to megalomania he's been on since at the very least the siege of Tyre.

 

[Kome]

Major changes depend on whether Bessus is also captured or not, as Alexander initially only went far east to pursue the Persian remnant army.

So if they just find Darius tied up in a cart where they found his body historically, then no major changes. He'll be kept as a guest, then killed alongside his family in the post-Alexander intrigues.

However if Bessus and the remaining Persian nobles are captured alongside Darius or decide to surrender then we have major changes.

First Alexander will want to return to Babylon to parade Darius around and showcase his victory. After that he won't be continuing the eastern campaign. If he doesn't decide to settle down and start ruling, its fairly likely he heads on a western venture instead.

Second he will pardon any Persian nobles that surrender to him and allow them to keep their satraps in the east, as was his custom. That's likely to be a mistake, as it leaves a good portion of Persia proper and Bactria under their control, and provides a large pool of manpower as the nucleus for a post-Alexander Persian revolt.

 

[VVD0D95]

Major changes depend on whether Bessus is also captured or not, as Alexander initially only went far east to pursue the Persian remnant army.

So if they just find Darius tied up in a cart where they found his body historically, then no major changes. He'll be kept as a guest, then killed alongside his family in the post-Alexander intrigues.

However if Bessus and the remaining Persian nobles are captured alongside Darius or decide to surrender then we have major changes.

First Alexander will want to return to Babylon to parade Darius around and showcase his victory. After that he won't be continuing the eastern campaign. If he doesn't decide to settle down and start ruling, its fairly likely he heads on a western venture instead.

Second he will pardon any Persian nobles that surrender to him and allow them to keep their satraps in the east, as was his custom. That's likely to be a mistake, as it leaves a good portion of Persia proper and Bactria under their control, and provides a large pool of manpower as the nucleus for a post-Alexander Persian revolt.

Now that second scenario would be fascinating. A potential challenge for Alexander IV and later the Seleucids

 

[Byzantion]

When Darius III was mortally wounded and left for dead by some conspirators against him, Alexander the Great was disappointed, since he wanted to capture the Persian King alive.

What if he had? Let's say Darius somehow survived and was taken captive by Alexander. What would change?

There might be Greeks and Macedonians among Alexander's officers who want revenge on Darius. He might be in danger despite the fate Alexander hast set for him.