Say Constantine V conquers Bulgaria during his reign, either by winning a battle that was a defeat IOTL or capitalizing on one of his victories against the Bulgars. His son and successor, Leo IV, lives longer than IOTL (he died at the age of 30), and Constantine VI becomes an emperor on his own right instead of getting sidelined by Irene.
With this, Iconoclasm is in a much stronger position than IOTL since it is validated by a major military victory and a longer lasting Isaurian dynasty. How does this affect the empire's internal and foreign policy, along with its relationship with the papacy? I suppose there could be an earlier version of the Great Schism. How would a permanently iconoclastic ERE interact with Islam on the cultural, philosophical and theological levels?
With this, Iconoclasm is in a much stronger position than IOTL since it is validated by a major military victory and a longer lasting Isaurian dynasty. How does this affect the empire's internal and foreign policy, along with its relationship with the papacy? I suppose there could be an earlier version of the Great Schism. How would a permanently iconoclastic ERE interact with Islam on the cultural, philosophical and theological levels?