AHC: HRE as Mega Swiss Confederation

Your challenge is for the Holy Roman Empire as a whole (or at least, a very large portion thereof) to form a government similar to the Swiss. Basically, if we could recognize it as a sort of federal republic on a broad level, it counts. That should provide enough leeway, I think. Your only restriction on timing is the lifespan of the Holy Roman Empire itself, broadly defined; Charlemagne to Napoleon.

But, don't pick Napoleon, please.
 
But, don't pick Napoleon, please.
I'll pick Napoleon.

More seriously, wouldn't a Confederation of the Rhine that would evolve similarily to a post-revolutionary Swiss Confederation, with a timely death of Nappie in the early 1800's, but where Revolutionnary France still have enough weight to enforce geopolitcal changes without dominating Central Europe (and gradually loosing political influence over it).
Less of a small state federal entities, than an actual confederation between various kingdoms, so closer to the Old Swiss Confederation in some regards.

I agree that a longer lasting Confederation of the Rhine isn't litterally the HRE, but the differences between CR and the XVIIIth HRE are probably much much less important than between Ottonian HRE and XVIIIth HRE.

Would that work? Or do we need something litteraly labelled HRE?
 
I'll pick Napoleon.

More seriously, wouldn't a Confederation of the Rhine that would evolve similarily to a post-revolutionary Swiss Confederation, with a timely death of Nappie in the early 1800's, but where Revolutionnary France still have enough weight to enforce geopolitcal changes without dominating Central Europe (and gradually loosing political influence over it).
Less of a small state federal entities, than an actual confederation between various kingdoms, so closer to the Old Swiss Confederation in some regards.

I agree that a longer lasting Confederation of the Rhine isn't litterally the HRE, but the differences between CR and the XVIIIth HRE are probably much much less important than between Ottonian HRE and XVIIIth HRE.

Would that work? Or do we need something litteraly labelled HRE?

I'd prefer something labeled HRE.
 
I thought much of the swiss autonomy came as a result of opposition to the Hapsburgs...

Another avenue of approach might be a coalition of the Italian cities in the Empire, without actually leaving it until their bonds are firm enough that they don't just split up afterward.
 
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