This is my First time line so be gentle. As the title suggest the timeline is about the unification of Italy under the banner of Milan. the POD is that in 1402 Gian Galeazzo Visconti recovers for the fever that kills him in OTL and makes Milan makes the dominate state in northern Italy.(also sorry in advance for any bad Grammar)
The Rise of Milan: Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1395-1408)
1402: Gian recovers from his illness. Gian had just destroyed a combined force Florentine and Bolognese troops a month earlier. The Florentines and the Venetians combined the troops and begin to make their way to Milan to knock destroy Milan. Gian rushes his troops to a town 75 miles from Milan called Rovato. On one side of the town were Gian and his influential general Facino Cane in command of a force of 12 000 men. On the other side was Venetian- Florentine force of 16 000 under the command of Francesco Novello da Carrara.
A Painting from the aftermath of the Battle of Rovato
The forces collided on the eastern part of town on September 18 1402. As the battle looked like it was be a Venetian victory when Cane struck a devastating cavalry strike to their left flank collapsing their line and killing de Carrara. The entire army was either killed, captured, or deserted. It had been the worst defeat in Venetian history.
The victory gain the respect and the admiration of the much of the Holy Roman Empire and the current emperor Rupert. Gian begins to march on venice conquering trent and many of western territories before it sued for peace.
1403: winter has passed and Gian begins a new offensive to destroy Florence once a for all. Gian quickly begin to conquer the various minor city-states of around Florence. He begins a year long siege on the city. During this time he begins to look for future friends and allies and sees them in Naples, Aragon, Austria, and other states in the Holy Roman Empire. He marries his daughter to King of Naples son, and marrying his other daughter to King of Austria thus securing an alliance with both.
1404: Florence surrenders to Gian on February 13th 1404. In the City of Pavia leaders of Milan, Venice, Florence, various city-states, and Holy Roman Emperor/ King of the Germans Rupert. other states to discuss terms. The Treaty of Pavia ended the Milanese wars. The Treaty gave Milan all of the city states in conquered, Padua, and the coast of and much of the surrounding areas of Florence. Also Venice is forced to pay reparations for 5 years to cover for the damage.
1405-1408: Gian Spends the Next couple of years consolidating his empire. He continues secure his various alliances signing mutual defense pacts with Naples, Austria, Hungary, and Aragon. This time of universal peace in northern Italy created made Milan a major cultural centre that could rival that of Venice, and Rome (kind of like cultural importance of Florence). In 1407 he proclaims the Duchy of Milan to be Renamed the Duchy of Lombardy. This sends shock waves across Italy as a anti-Milan attitude takes hold in Veince, Papal States, Genoa, and Tuscany. On April 17th 1408 Gian Galeazzo Visconti dies of heart attack and leaves his throne to his young son Gian Maria Visconti.
Map of Italy after the Death of Gian Galeazzo Visconti
