WI the Volga Bulgars went Orthodox, not Muslim, before the Kievan Rus

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
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What if at some point after the Bulgars of the Balkans accepted Orthodoxy, but before the Volga Bulgars accepted Islam in OTL, they instead converted to Orthodoxy as well?

The analog I'm thinking is that possibly newly converted Balkan Bulgar missionaries lead the way, and do some preaching and translations, in Volga Bulgaria. Somewhat how the Anglo-Saxon missionaries were important in Germany, especially Saxony.

Thoughts?
 
I've wondered about this as well. I can imagine it would speed up the de-semi-nomadicization of the Bolgars (I have no idea how nomadic they were at the relevant time) and would probably lead to the conversion of some of the tribes that migrated westward (Pechenegs, etc). Central Asia might be a little more interesting, and the Silk Road might import Christianity into China with greater regularity.

As for Russia, I can see it either going Catholic or becoming a Lithuania-like situation that gets gradually chipped away at by Catholicism. Then again, the Rus could still go Orthodox given their strong, consistent ties with the Byzantines and also maybe as a means of integrating the Bolgars.
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
I'm guessing they would have gone the way of the Hungarian, just Orthodox rather than Catholic.

In what sense would they have gone "the Hungarian way", in terms of their societal development on the Volga? In terms of where they could migrate?
 
What if at some point after the Bulgars of the Balkans accepted Orthodoxy, but before the Volga Bulgars accepted Islam in OTL, they instead converted to Orthodoxy as well?

The analog I'm thinking is that possibly newly converted Balkan Bulgar missionaries lead the way, and do some preaching and translations, in Volga Bulgaria. Somewhat how the Anglo-Saxon missionaries were important in Germany, especially Saxony.

Thoughts?

Ironically, this might actually HURT Orthodoxy in the long run. Consider that, when Vladimir the Great of Keivian Rus sent out his survey to decide what religion he should convert to, he decided to use his Volga Bulgar neighbors as his example of an Islamic society (which, being semi nomadic didn't exactly present the best picture). There's a distinct chance, if they're Orthodox, they:d end up giving a shoddy showing for that faith instead, while his envoys would have to go south to Abbassid Baghdad to get an example of an Islamic empire. Given its the intellectual capital of the world at the time and a rich, glittering metropolis enjoying a golden age, we might end up seeing a Muslim Kiev (with a knock on cultura-religious effect on the rest of the region)
 
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