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This is a topic that recently saw an otherwise interesting and productive discussion, but IMO was spoiled by an excessively strict and legalistic definition of the Hohenstaufen empire's borders.

So, I'd like to reframe the topic: what would have the Staufen Emperors have to do in order to establish imperial authority and turn the HRE into a successful centralized state (in the period sense) on the model of Capetian France and Plantagenet England that endures up to modern times ?

For the purpose of this discussion, the Staufen HRE necessarily includes the Kingdom of Germany with the Duchy of Bohemia (its rise to a Kingdom is butterflied away ITTL), the Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Burgundy/Arles, the Kingdom of Sicily, the Duchy of Pomerania (being assimilated by the HRE in the Staufen timeline), the Duchy of Silesia (ditto), the Duchy of Greater Poland (it follows the course of Silesia ITTL), Pomerelia (ditto), Venice and Istria, Sardinia and Corsica, Romagna, the March of Ancona, and the Duchy of Spoleto (all assimilated in the HRE as part of the establishment of imperial authority in Italy).

The Papacy may (or may not) keep control of the Patrimony of St. Peter (the Duchy of Rome), but that's the maximum extent of the Papal domains ITTL.

It is assumed as part of the divergence that:

- Henry VI succeeds at making the crown hereditary and he lives another 20-25 years

- Frederick II is raised to think of himself as an Emperor first and king of Sicily second and he lives as long as IOTL or slightly longer (half a decade or so)

- the Empire suffers no dynastic crisis until the early 14th century, Conrad IV and Conrad V proving to be sufficiently competent and long-lived like their ancestors

- the Emperors efficiently split their attention and energies between Germany and Italy-Sicily, never focusing on one section too much and too long at expense of their authority in another

- Sicily may be kept de jure separate from the HRE for a while, for political reasons, but de facto is an integral part of the Empire, and eventually it is legally merged with it

- the HRE does not engage in excessively lengthy and costly wars and mostly focuses on its own state-building during the 13th century, although it is not bound to an isolationist foreign policy

In your opinion what else would be necessary, if any, for the Staufen to establish imperial authority on firm foundations that could and did endure and grow still further as time permitted like the Angevins and Capetians did ?

And what significant changes do you foresee likely happening to Europe and the world as a result of the Staufen HRE's success ?


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