Have the empire survive into the 1800s, a decaying bzyantine
empire with its best days long behind it finds itself unable to
modernise and has a revolution. After the revolution the
empire becomes a republic.
Take it one step further! Avoid the Fourth Crusade, the members of that crusade go with the original plan and attack Egypt. The crusade is able to gain small holds mostly around Alexandria but within a century even that crusader state dies. Not drained by the occupying crusader army, and fighting an expensive war the Byzantine Empire manages to survive as a mighty state for several centuries. The Turks aren't able to get a foot hold in Europe and end up settling in the Levant and Mesopatamia Valley and are rivals of the Byzantine Empire.
The Byzantine Empire is a powerful state but corruption, economic stagnation and moral decay has weakened the integrity of the Empire when a young French General, Napoleon Bonaparte's armies arrive. The Royal Family is forced to flee, and Napoleon sets one of his brothers up as the Emperor of Constantinople. After the wars end, the original Byzantine dynasty is restored, but has lost much prestige for fleeing. In 1838, the monarchy is overthrown by a rather liberal, democratic revolution, and a Republic is declared in place of the monarchy.
There it is the Byzantine Republic!
Your challenge is to recreate the Roman republic in the Byzantine Empire.
Weren't republics before the French and American revolutions just oligarchys of powerful families? So a scenario is needed where the powerful families conspire to overthrow the emperor of the day and elect a Doge or something?______________ I have no suggestions, that is what seems to be needed for the empire to become a republic, govt by oligarchy of powerful equals.
thats a great idea we should do a thread about that!
How could a crappy Byzantine state be made to survive until the 19th century?