Iconoclast to Orthodox

[Marcus]

As per the title how does one change from Iconclast to Orthodox?

Thanks

[Poliut]

Post denounce-Iconoclasm deadline? Hope an Orthodox person spawns somewhere (physician might do it), and have him educate your heir.

[Karlington]

Originally posted by Poliut:

Post denounce-Iconoclasm deadline? Hope an Orthodox person spawns somewhere (physician might do it), and have him educate your heir.

Yeah, once it hits year 900 you have to go for conversion the regular way.

[Marcus]

Ah ok its the year 859 now so I can leave it till 900 and just do the regular conversion?

[Karlington]

Originally posted by Sunrise:

Ah ok its the year 859 now so I can leave it till 900 and just do the regular conversion?

You can do a regular conversion any time.

It's better to get rid of Iconoclasm through the decision, though. Here are the requirements from the file:

		potential = {
			is_playable = yes
			religion = iconoclast
			has_dlc = "Charlemagne"
			has_landed_title = e_byzantium
			NOT = { has_character_flag = renounced_iconoclasm }
			NOT = {
				has_alternate_start_parameter = { key = religion_names value = random }
			}
		}
		allow = {
			has_landed_title = e_byzantium
			has_landed_title = c_byzantion
			any_realm_province = { religion = orthodox }
			NOT = { trait = zealous }
			war = no
			NOT = { year = 900 }
		}

[Marcus]

Sorry but I am still confused about this religion issue??
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1868809694

You can see my current situation in the screenshot!

The year is now 901 and an Exarch of mine has just captured the dutchy of Ascalon where one of the counties has the Orthodox religion!

What am I missing here??

Thanks

[klirko]

Originally posted by Sunrise:

Ah ok its the year 859 now so I can leave it till 900 and just do the regular conversion?

...Why in the world would you rather slowly convert ALL of the Byzantine Empire rather than using the decision that converts a large majority?

[Marcus]

I do not want to slowly convert I just want to do it but not sure how or what am I missing? The decision has not come up yet I seem to miss having an orthodox county in my realm although there is one in the duchy that was just recently conquered by one of my vassals?

[Marcus]

I invited 3 orthodox guys to my court do I give them one of my counties and make them court chaplan and convert?

[klirko]

Originally posted by Sunrise:

I invited 3 orthodox guys to my court do I give them one of my counties and make them court chaplan and convert?

I haven't played the Byzantines in forever due to how easy they are now, but as Basilious you should see a decision marked important.

[Crazy Bananazzz]

Originally posted by Sunrise:

As per the title how does one change from Iconclast to Orthodox?

Thanks

Easy. If you're starting in 769, own at least one orthodox province (most of the empire is orthodox), click on the county icon to where it comes up "county of so and so" and right click on the county logo and there should be a button that says "secretly convert to orthodox". It costs 250 piety. Or you could marry an orthodox character and secretly convert that way. Then you can form a secret society or just publically become orthodox by right clicking on your portrait.

Alternatively, you can stay iconoclast then try to become emperor and there will be an option in the intrique menu to convert the empire to orthodox as long as at least one province in the empire is orthodox.

In my current game I converted the empire to orthodox the hard way (without the option) in about 200 years. Easiest way is to become a powerful vassal within the empire then marry a claimant. There are many creative ways to do this.

[Crazy Bananazzz]

Originally posted by BEGOME ORTHODOX:

Originally posted by Sunrise:

As per the title how does one change from Iconclast to Orthodox?

Thanks

Easy. If you're starting in 769, own at least one orthodox province (most of the empire is orthodox), click on the county icon to where it comes up "county of so and so" and right click on the county logo and there should be a button that says "secretly convert to orthodox". It costs 250 piety. Or you could marry an orthodox character and secretly convert that way. Then you can form a secret society or just publically become orthodox by right clicking on your portrait.

Alternatively, you can stay iconoclast then try to become emperor and there will be an option in the intrique menu to convert the empire to orthodox as long as at least one province in the empire is orthodox.

In my current game I converted the empire to orthodox the hard way (without the option) in about 200 years. Easiest way is to become a powerful vassal within the empire then marry a claimant. There are many creative ways to do this.

I forgot to mention it has to be your capital county otherwise you cant convert.

[Marcus]

Ok thanks I am aware of the requirements to do this! The decision to do this in the intrigue menu has never become active unless I missed it along the way!

I am now in the year 914 so the only way to do this now is to have an Orthodox country in my realm right?

How do I convert my capital to Orthodox as I am not able to make an Orthodox guy my court chaplain?

[Miku]

If Iconoclasm is still considered a heresy, you can convert through the "Convert to Parent religion" decision, which costs 500 Piety to take.
Actually nevermind, I checked the conversion_decisions file, and it's disabled for heretical Iconoclast Byzantine Emperors (which I presume is true in your case), if you have the Charlemagne DLC active.
You're prompted to "Renounce Iconoclasm" instead... which you can't since it's too late.
And if Iconoclasm became the mainstream religion, you'll need another method anyway.

One of them is to spend 250 Piety to secretly convert to Orthodox through a demesne County or holy site, a friend, or a spouse, then openly adopt the faith.

The other is to move your capital to an Orthodox County, then "Convert to local religion", which costs 500 Prestige instead.
If Iconoclasm is the new parent religion, this will be the best way.

If taking the secret religion method, if allowed by game rules, you could start a secret society, recruit your vassals, prepare grounds, then mass convert with all your fellow cultists.

However, neither of these methods will be available if your character is Zealous, so you'll have to either lose it, or gain its opposite Cynical (from the Scholarship focus' studying the stars branch, for example).

Afterwards, regardless of your chosen conversion method, you'll need to recreate the Ecumenical Patriarchate, since it doesn't exist in the 769 start date, and the Iconoclast Patriarch won't convert without the "Renounce Iconoclasm" decision (for which you're too late).

"Restore the Ecumenical Patriarchate" requires 1000 Piety and control of the County of Constantinople, and gives the new Patriarch control of the Bishopric (notably, it doesn't make him your vassal, as far as I know).

However, given so much time has passed, most -if not all- of your realm (again, assuming it's the Byzantine Empire) should be Iconoclast, both vassals and provinces.

Considering the difficulty of converting provinces back to Orthodox (heresies are 1.5x resistant to conversion from perceived heresies, on top of possibly being further slowed down by low Orthodox Moral Authority), you should either stay Iconoclast, or convert to any other Christian denomination if you want to use most Christian artifacts.

If the secret society method is available to you, that would be the most effective one, as not only it instantly converts all cultists and their demesne Counties, but also gives them the "True Believer" flag that prevents further conversions, on top of giving a huge boost to Orthodox Moral Authority (due to converted rulers, and regaining control of holy sites).

[Marcus]

Thanks Miku that is great much appreciated! I am Emperor of a rather big Byzantine Empire! Started as count of Panarmos 768 start and through plotting and scheming got my 2nd ruler elected as Emperor and am now on my 6th Emperor and very strong 57K and waiting for a long defensive pact 27% to go in 133 months

Many hours in this game but recently returned so gotten a bit rusted!

I married an orthodox woman but not had the option to secretly convert! Do I need a specific focus to do that?

I think when I started I disabled secret societies and cults not sure!

Thanks for your trouble!

[Marcus]

Not to worry I have secretly converted and now openly converted so hopefully there will be some nice drama ahead

Many thanks