A Great Christian Nation

New, daily updating edition

An idea I’ve occasionally toyed with is what might have happened if Prestor John and one or two of the other rumored Christian kingdoms might have been real. Those were supposed kingdoms of Christians, deep in the heart of Africa and surrounded by pagan savages. The stories provided explorers with an excuse and justification for their own explorations into the heart of Africa and other places.

However, there was not enough meat in that idea, though I did toy with the idea of the Aztecs being Christians when Cortes and Co. arrived. Here is the best I can make for a POD (which is probably ASB material).

In 1502, for example, a catholic priest (I’ll call him Father Brendan) from Ireland sets sail for Rome in a small ship. He is blown a long distance off course and somehow ends up in the Tlaxcallan city. He is somehow spared, although his crewmates are killed), and, when he learns the language, preaches to them about Christianity and Jesus. He is met with scepticism at first, but when he proclaims the local gods to be angels he manages to overcome most of the problems.

He has two other strokes of luck. The first is that he is able to introduce the Tlaxcallans to the wheel (not a proper horse and cart, but a basic rickshaw type arrangement) and the second is that he carries a small form of smallpox with him. This does not kill most of its victims, but it does make them ill for a time. Brendan is able to make most of them better by simply caring for them when they are ill and by teaching others some of Europe's medical methods.

Soon, the smallpox spreads to the Aztecs. Their new ruler is forced to ask for help. Brendan gives it freely, but some of his disciples, for want of a better word, use their need to get many of the Aztecs to become Christians. Christianity soon becomes the most powerful religion in Mexico, and soon spreads to the other cities as well.

(AN: I suspect that Islam would work better as its easier to memorise the Koran than one of the many versions of the bible, that would be an interesting story in itself.)

When Cortes and co arrive, in 1519, they discover themselves greeted by Latin speakers who are recognisable Christians. The justification used by the Spaniards to conquer is only meant for non-Christians, and the new people are recognizably Christians. Suspicions of deceit are soon dispelled when Brendan talks to the Spaniards priests and compares notes. Brendan is partially delighted to receive other copies of the bible, as he had only one copy with him and the Spaniards make him a gift of a few, while they attempt to trade with the Aztecs.

The Spanish wanted land, slaves and gold, perhaps not quite in that order. In order that some form of Christian control was exercised, the Pope (or some of his people) had drawn up a document called the ‘requiremento’ (requisition), that basically stated that they (the Indians) had now to accept the power of the Pope, accept the rule of Spain as the pope’s representative and submit themselves forthwith. It was the most arrogant document in human history, and perhaps one most responsible for bloodshed. The pope must have been drunk, one Indian chief remarked, to give away so much of what belonged to others. In order to ‘help’ the Spaniards on their mission to christianise the Indians, Indians would be allocated to Spanish estates and expected to provide slave labour (encomiendas), needless to say, this provoked terrible abuse and revolts.

Their attempts at trade are not futile, but gold is obviously in shorter supply than in OTL, as here they just can't take it. Cortes faces a number of small rebellions from discontented Spaniards who want more gold. More worriedly, some of the Spaniards are induced to sell guns and instructions on how to make them in exchange for gold.

Brendan is not stupid. He knows that the Spanish want gold and possibly slaves and suspects that they have the power to take them if necessary. He plays to Cortes religion by inducing him to help the christianising process, while dealing with his rival Velazquez to limit Cortes power and handing out the occasional bribe to keep the Spanish divided. He hires some of the more restless of Cortes men to teach the Indians things they need to know, Spanish technology and fighting skills. He is also training a group of diplomats to handle the Spanish after he dies.

Cortes is equally not stupid and suspects a little of Brendan’s plans. He is unable to do much though, as most of his men have left him without the promised gold and his powers are limited by Velazquez. He does know that there are some minor tribes that have not yet accepted Christianity and considers attempting to take them over. He also has another card up his sleeve.

Brendan is Catholic, but the Christianity he’s introduced to Mexico has mutated slightly in some ways and is different in others. Brendan may have assorted the old Mexican gods with Angels, but Cortes suspects otherwise. Worse, Mexican Christianity does not acknowledge the Pope in much more than name, how can it? If Cortes can convince the Pope to declare the Mexican’s on a level with Protestants, he would be able to invade under the guise of defending the one true faith.

So, what happens now? Do the Spaniards decide to try and take over anyway? What effects do the other European diseases have on the Aztecs when they make it over? What happens to Spain without the Mexican gold? Can they finance their bid for mastery in Europe without it? What happens to the other European settlements? What happens when (if) the Spanish find Peru?