WI Justinian never marries Theodora?

In OTL Justinian fell in love with Theodora about early 520s and they were married in 524 after the death of Empress Euphemia who opposed this marriage...
However before meeting Theodora Justinian was flirting with the idea of marrying a woman from the powerful Anicii family (his uncle Justin I and Empress Euphemia supported that) but the appearance of Theodora and his love on first sight for her cancelled any plans the Empress mught have to marry Justinian with a scion of the Anicii family...
WI Justinian never met or ignored Theodora and married a girl from the Anicii family?
How is History affected if Theodora is never made Empress and Justinian has the backing of the most powerful Roman family through marriage?
 
Briefly...

Justinian has better relations with Belisarius, probably, because of Theodora's dislike for the general. Then again, that dislike is from the Secret History, so is suspect.

Women in medieval Europe and the ERE lose an enormously important role-model. I'd go so far as to state that with no Theodora, the whole view of women in positions of power will change radically.

Most importantly, Justinian might be able to engender an heir or two with a different wife, which will obviously have important consequences. His nephew Justin II will also never marry Theodora's niece Sophia, herself a formidable and headstrong woman.
 
Most importantly, Justinian might be able to engender an heir or two with a different wife, which will obviously have important consequences

Theodora was known to have children from her previous work as a courtesan... So one might assume that perhaps Justinian had the problem...
But had Justinian married a girl from the Anicii family he would have gained enormous support from the most powerful and rich Roman family of his time which could enable him perhaps to continue the Reconquista (in OTL he had to stop because he exhausted the Treasury and the army).
 
But had Justinian married a girl from the Anicii family he would have gained enormous support from the most powerful and rich Roman family of his time which could enable him perhaps to continue the Reconquista (in OTL he had to stop because he exhausted the Treasury and the army).

I think that's a bit of a stretch. Justinian's choice of wife is unlikely to butterfly the great plague that killed off a third of his taxpayers, and nor is having even the wealthiest family onside really going to pay for yet more wars in the West.

Justinian was a dreamer, yes, but he was also a pragmatist, who was willing to ignore all his western wars, and even the Balkans, if Sasanian Persia was looking like a real threat to Syria. I think the best way to have him do better in the West is to have a quieter Persian Great King, not a different Roman Empress.
 
I think that's a bit of a stretch. Justinian's choice of wife is unlikely to butterfly the great plague that killed off a third of his taxpayers, and nor is having even the wealthiest family onside really going to pay for yet more wars in the West.

Justinian was a dreamer, yes, but he was also a pragmatist, who was willing to ignore all his western wars, and even the Balkans, if Sasanian Persia was looking like a real threat to Syria. I think the best way to have him do better in the West is to have a quieter Persian Great King, not a different Roman Empress.

Well i will agree its kinda stretched and having both a quieter Persian King and an Anicii Empress would be ideally for ERE... but the Anicii had a lot to gain from a prolonged campaign in the West... more lands and more money to cover their expenses... The only problem for Justinian in such a case would be that the Anicii might become a threat to him especially if he doesnt have a heir...
 
I like to think a lot of Justinian's inefficiencies in the later years of his rule stem from mental unfitness that resulted from his near death brush with the plague.
 
In addition to this, if the Nika Riots still take place, Justinian I is probably toasted.
Possibly but having the Anicii family in his corner might dissuade the senators from trying a power grab in the first place. Not to mention Hypatius isn't like to be the standard bearer for the Riots since he was aligned with the Anicii and they likely wont be all that supportive of a coup in this situation. So most likely there is some property damage and looting and a couple deaths as well but the Riots never come close to matching what happened in our timeline.
 
No Theodora would probably result in Mono/Miaphysitism dying out, at least within the Empire.

Plus if Justinian married an Anicii lady monophysism wouldnt stand a chance since Anicii family were devout Chalkedonians...
In OTL Justinian tolerated monophysites only because of Theodora and under her influence he donated them the Palace of Hormisda and the church of SS. Sergius and Baccus for their religious needs only to expell them violently after her death...
 
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