Effects of Islamic conquest of the Frankish Kingdom(s), in the reign of Pepin the Short, on Ireland and its "Golden Age"

[adrizuz]

The title.
Between the 6th century and the Viking age, the Gaels were beginning to live a period of cultural flourishment as a result of the many prominent Christian figures and their activities in continental Europe. Domestically, this represented a flourishment in insular art, metalworking, literature, sculptures, etc. This would not be interrupted by the Viking age entirely, as the arrival of the Norse then brought greater wealth and the establishment of important settlements like Dublin.
However, the Islamic conquest of the Frankish kingdom(s) (in this scenario in the times of Pepin the Short, around the late 750s), would certainly have some effects on the Gaels and Ireland, and all of this before the first Norse raids even begin.
For one I've thought, based on OTL's case of Spain and Asturias, about perhaps the Christian Gaels who have settled in the lands of the Franks and played important roles in the court, returning to Ireland, fearing Islamic rule and seeing their monastic activities interrupted by Islamic administration, Jizya, etc. (This as most of the more relevant Irish Monks/Saints/Etc of the time were settled outside in places like France mostly). Would they bring with them wealth, other Christians? What implications does this sudden return to Ireland have economically and politically on pre-Viking Ireland?
And outside of this specific idea, what other effects could the Islamic conquest of the Frankish kingdom(s) and the essential fall of major Christian powers in Continental Europe have on Ireland and the Gaels?

Note:
I would appreciate if we do not dwell too much on the how we come to this as it is part of a wider timeline I've been developing and it's all sorted out. I would appreciate if we instead focus on the question I'm asking and we discuss the implications of this in the specific case of Ireland and the Gaels.

 

[Ursogulos]

Gaelic crusaders landing in Normandy during the first crusade??

Okay, cynicism aside, will there be more Saxons travelling to British isles and as a consequence, to Ireland as a result of Muslim conquest of Francia?? Unlike how many think that Muslims would conquer all of Francia, I see a large Saxon confederacy extending into West Francia as a result of Frankish defeat at Muslim hands. Also this will alter the slavic migration that was happening at that time.

 

[Nivek]

And outside of this specific idea, what other effects could the Islamic conquest of the Frankish kingdom(s) and the essential fall of major Christian powers in Continental Europe have on Ireland and the Gaels?

If the Ummayds Keep rolling after a successful Toulouse and Tours(ITTL Tours would be the decisive battle to go north) and destroy the Peppiniads(and that means the Merovigians are still around, what they will do? join the Muslim? accept status as Dhimmi Vassals? stay put? trying to get more real power?), That means France(more precisely Neustrasia and Austrasia) would be a free for all between nobles and the now expanding Muslim..a fertile ground the Ummayds could exploit

Also, the bigger impact is on Italy..the Lombards now would be Neighboor the Muslim and with the Peppiniads/Caroligians destroyed before they usurped the Merogivians, the Lombards will rule North Italy and Rome unopposed...that's another big butterfly

 

[Zygmunt Stary]

Unlike how many think that Muslims would conquer all of Francia, I see a large Saxon confederacy extending into West Francia as a result of Frankish defeat at Muslim hands. Also this will alter the slavic migration that was happening at that time.

The problem is, if Muslims conquer France, Slavs would probably take over what became IOTL central Germany like they did Elbean lands before - the region would be depopulated as result of chaos and anarchy following Frankish collapse and Slavs were anyway spreading there even under Frankish rule + Arabs will launch their raiding further north which would hasten the assimilation of Germanic remnants into Slavic society, and at that point Saxons would have problems with Slavs who presumably will still have border conflicts with them, thus rendering them unable to expand into Francia proper. Most likely there would be still rump Frankish state ("Kingdom of Neustria" or something like that) in most northern parts of OTL France (Arab Paris, Frankish Normandy and Champagne is what I am picturing) and maybe Rhineland if they're lucky.

 

[Ursogulos]

@Teutonic_Thrash what do you make of this?

 

[Nivek]

The problem is, if Muslims conquer France, Slavs would probably take over what became IOTL central Germany like they did Elbean lands before - the region would be depopulated as result of chaos and anarchy following Frankish collapse and Slavs were anyway spreading there even under Frankish rule + Arabs will launch their raiding further north which would hasten the assimilation of Germanic remnants into Slavic society, and at that point Saxons would have problems with Slavs who presumably will still have border conflicts with them, thus rendering them unable to expand into Francia proper. Most likely there would be still rump Frankish state ("Kingdom of Neustria" or something like that) in most northern parts of OTL France (Arab Paris, Frankish Normandy and Champagne is what I am picturing) and maybe Rhineland if they're lucky.

Interesting so the Rhine/valley of Europe would be far different that OTL. And yeah if Arab Paris, that means the merovigians are now under Muslim control?

 

[adrizuz]

The problem is, if Muslims conquer France, Slavs would probably take over what became IOTL central Germany like they did Elbean lands before - the region would be depopulated as result of chaos and anarchy following Frankish collapse and Slavs were anyway spreading there even under Frankish rule + Arabs will launch their raiding further north which would hasten the assimilation of Germanic remnants into Slavic society, and at that point Saxons would have problems with Slavs who presumably will still have border conflicts with them, thus rendering them unable to expand into Francia proper. Most likely there would be still rump Frankish state ("Kingdom of Neustria" or something like that) in most northern parts of OTL France (Arab Paris, Frankish Normandy and Champagne is what I am picturing) and maybe Rhineland if they're lucky.

Certainly I had also concluded certainly that his leads to an indirect Slav wank lol.
However, predicting and understanding the implications for the Gaels is a little harder. I've only identified that there's certainly some impact given their context of the time.

 

[adrizuz]

Interesting so the Rhine/valley of Europe would be far different that OTL. And yeah if Arab Paris, that means the merovigians are now under Muslim control?

This happens when Pepin already deposed Childeric, so no Merovingians.
Btw Nivek since I've seen you around in the thread for my TL, this is for Triple Assassination at Saqifah lol.

 

[Nivek]

This happens when Pepin already deposed Childeric, so no Merovingians.
Btw Nivek since I've seen you around in the thread for my TL, this is for Triple Assassination at Saqifah lol.

Interesting, very interesting, thanks for the tip

 

[hirsch91]

would this reignite the migration period with Franks and the rest moving East much like the Germanic and Slavic tribes moved West when the Huns and the Avars invaded pushed them out of their lands or were they too settled in for that? Eastern Europe, especially modern East Germany and the Pannonian plain would be pretty lightly populated back then.

 

[adrizuz]

would this reignite the migration period with Franks and the rest moving East much like the Germanic and Slavic tribes moved West when the Huns and the Avars invaded pushed them out of their lands or were they too settled in for that? Eastern Europe, especially modern East Germany and the Pannonian plain would be pretty lightly populated back then.

I don't think so. And if anything they'd be stuck between the recently migrated Slavs and Muslims. But no it's not the same, it didn't happen in that same way in Al Andalus in OTL.

 

[Zygmunt Stary]

Interesting so the Rhine/valley of Europe would be far different that OTL. And yeah if Arab Paris, that means the merovigians are now under Muslim control?

Considering how prone to infighting Carolingian (since OP said no Merovingians) dynasty was, I think some members of dynasty would accept Muslim control and agree to legitimize Muslim rule in exchange for benefits, some would flee north (I imagine rump Frankish kingdom centered on say Rouen) and would fight Muslims (tho that could turn out better for them than OTL, Muslim threat would unite nobility of such rump state behind Carolingian king).

However, predicting and understanding the implications for the Gaels is a little harder. I've only identified that there's certainly some impact given their context of the time.

I think there won't be much implications for Gaels, they lived isolated from the rest of Europe.

 

[Nivek]

since OP said no Merovingians)

The dates would be the tail end of Merovingians but only op could answer it