WI Germanus manages to overthrow Emperor Phocas on 603 AD?

In 603, Constantina widow of Emperor Maurice and her three daughters were exiled to a monastery, known as "House of Leo" by Emperor Phocas. The monastery has been tentatively identified with the Monastery of St. Mamas, founded and run by their relative Theoctiste, a sister of Maurice.
Theophanes records that Constantina maintained contact with General Germanus and that both were conspiring against Phocas. Their messages were entrusted to Petronia, a servant girl under Constantina. Petronia proved disloyal and reported the conspiracy to Phocas.
Constantina and all three of her daughters were executed at Chalcedon. Germanus and an unnamed daughter of his were also executed. Theophanes places the deaths in 605/606 but the exact date is in doubt.
WI Germanus & Constantina's plot wasnt betrayed and Phocas was overthrown in less than a year from his ascension? How is this altering History? Any thoughts?
 
In 603, Constantina widow of Emperor Maurice and her three daughters were exiled to a monastery, known as "House of Leo" by Emperor Phocas. The monastery has been tentatively identified with the Monastery of St. Mamas, founded and run by their relative Theoctiste, a sister of Maurice.
Theophanes records that Constantina maintained contact with General Germanus and that both were conspiring against Phocas. Their messages were entrusted to Petronia, a servant girl under Constantina. Petronia proved disloyal and reported the conspiracy to Phocas.
Constantina and all three of her daughters were executed at Chalcedon. Germanus and an unnamed daughter of his were also executed. Theophanes places the deaths in 605/606 but the exact date is in doubt.
WI Germanus & Constantina's plot wasnt betrayed and Phocas was overthrown in less than a year from his ascension? How is this altering History? Any thoughts?

Don_Giorgio

I think it would depend on how much support they get or whether the army and other factions splinter. While Phocas seems to have been an appalling emperor and had the added burden of prompting the Persian intervention he ended the winter campaigning and probably was paying the troops more than Maurice, who has a reputation as a miser. As such this early in his reign I suspect, although not very knowledgeable on the period, he probably still had as lot of support amongst the military? Hence, if the plot succeeds and Phocas is overthrown and presumably killed, you might have further revolts or civil war. If it doesn't then the empire is in a much better position and even if war with Persia continues is going to do better than the virtual annilation it suffered historically.

The other big uncertainty would be what Chosroes II does. How much of his motivation for the war was to avenge Maurice's overthrown, given that the emperor had helped him earlier and I think he was married to one of Maurice's daughters. If that's the major factor that a new regime that sees the usurper himself deposed and with Maurice's widow in a significant position would probably mean a quick peace and good relations for a while. [In which case what Arab conquests almost certainly]. If that was just an excuse to follow traditional Persian aims to expand westward and/or once started he may have trouble reigning in his own nobles then you could still have a lengthily period of conflict, although very likely not as bad for either side as OTL. [Could be an interesting situation then as presumably the Khazer's don't become imperial allies against 1st Persia and then the Caliphate.

Anyway, my thoughts on the issue, for what their worth.

Steve
 
I guess that Khosrau II would be satisfied with the deposition and potential execution of Phocas because he was the assassin of his benefactor Maurice... Germanus then could count upon persian help in case of civil war...
 
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