Byzantine Republic... How possible is that???

Byzantin Republic? Survives or collapses?


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Due to his debilitating woundthat he received in the disastrous battle of Pliska, Staurakios was unable to exercise actual authority as Emperor. As his condition worsened, the court was split between the factions of his wife Theophano and his sister Prokopia, who hoped that her husband Michael Rangabes would be chosen as the emperor's heir. As it became clear that Staurakios intended to designate Theophano as his successor (or else to abolish the empire and declare a republic), the supporters of Michael forced the emperor to abdicate on 2 October 811. Staurakios retired to a monastery where he died from the effects of his wound on 11 January 812. Michael Rangabe became emperor, as Michael I.
WI Staurakios and his wife's faction carried on with their threat and the Empire was abolished in favour of a Republic? Would this Republic survived or Byzantine Empire/Republic would be dissolved amongst civil war? What do u think? Discuss...
 
Too many ambitious generals for a Republic. The office of Roman Emperor has now been a divine monarchy for six hundred years; it is unlikely that any ambitious man in Byzantium will have any desire for anything else than the throne.
 
Too many ambitious generals for a Republic. The office of Roman Emperor has now been a divine monarchy for six hundred years; it is unlikely that any ambitious man in Byzantium will have any desire for anything else than the throne.

Agreed. I'm not very up on the Byzantines but from what I've read, by the 800s the Byzantine Empire was rather like its Roman ancestor in the west - full of over-powerful men who believed in the right for one man to rule, and would happily attempt to overthrow anyone in their path if it meant they could take power themselves - at least inasmuch as when there was a power vacuum. In a republic, the enfranchised class wouldn't know how to comport themselves, and inevitably the most powerful would begin looking for ways to seize power. Simply, the great men of the Byzantine Empire didn't want a Republic. They wanted somewhere where the strong ruled the weak, not had to share power in any way. It would only be a matter of time.
 
I agree... at least a strong noble or an ambitious general or even some kinsman of the former Imperial family would have claimed the Crown... Republic would have never gained enough support to fight for her life... Apart from few peasants nobody would have supported a Republican form of government...
 
The only possibility to create a republic would be following Sulla example. Staurakios should have eleminated all the possible threats (starting with Michael Rangabes) and then retire from active politic, retaining, though, enough military power to "vigilate" on the newborn republic.

Of course, this is nearly ASB. All the republican institutions had been emptied of any significate and power since the late roman empire. I doubt that Staurakios could reinvent them and kickstart a republic successfully.
 
The only possibility to create a republic would be following Sulla example. Staurakios should have eleminated all the possible threats (starting with Michael Rangabes) and then retire from active politic, retaining, though, enough military power to "vigilate" on the newborn republic.

Of course, this is nearly ASB. All the republican institutions had been emptied of any significate and power since the late roman empire. I doubt that Staurakios could reinvent them and kickstart a republic successfully.

Thats a good scenario but Staurakios couldnt exercise actual authority due to his wounds from battle of Pliska (a neck wound left him paralysed from the neck down) plus he died in less than a year after his abdication... The only way to exercise power would be through his wife Theophano but i highly doubt it since the memory of the atrocites of her kin Irene the Athenian were still vivid...
 
How about the newly Byzantine Republic evolves to a "crowned Republic" aka something similar to Venetian Republic? Personally i doubt it but it would be something as a compromise between "Republican" and "Imperial" factions...
 
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