Possible medieval unification of Italy

Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany, was Count of Brescia, Canossa, Ferrara, Florence, Lucca, Mantua, Modena, Pisa, Pistoia, Parma, Reggio, and Verona.

That's pretty much all of central-north Italy excepr for Rome and Genoa, he was father of Matilda of Tuscany whose death ushered the era of Italian City-States as her demesne splintered -so is it possible that if everything goes right for Boniface and his close descendants, they can unify Italy in the 11th or 12th Century?
 
Unlikely given the state of division of Italy, and the presence of two major players that would be opposed to such unification : Papacy and HRE.
And Italian states were too deeply entranched in the Imperial politics and factional conflicts to really have an interest forming a different crown than Imperial's.
Important feudal state, or even personal unions? Sure, but a unification of Italy (and there I'm talking only about the northern half of the peninsula) seems quite out of range with a PoD set after the Xth century.
 
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Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany, was Count of Brescia, Canossa, Ferrara, Florence, Lucca, Mantua, Modena, Pisa, Pistoia, Parma, Reggio, and Verona.

That's pretty much all of central-north Italy excepr for Rome and Genoa, he was father of Matilda of Tuscany whose death ushered the era of Italian City-States as her demesne splintered -so is it possible that if everything goes right for Boniface and his close descendants, they can unify Italy in the 11th or 12th Century?

As Matilda in CK2 I unified northern Italy and took Aragon:D

But in RL not likely
 
Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany, was Count of Brescia, Canossa, Ferrara, Florence, Lucca, Mantua, Modena, Pisa, Pistoia, Parma, Reggio, and Verona.

That's pretty much all of central-north Italy excepr for Rome and Genoa, he was father of Matilda of Tuscany whose death ushered the era of Italian City-States as her demesne splintered -so is it possible that if everything goes right for Boniface and his close descendants, they can unify Italy in the 11th or 12th Century?

Boniface surviving a few more years would make enormously more likely that his eldest son Frederick would survive (and so avoid the problem that Mathilda had to face with her inheritance). The emperor was not quite happy with the wide and rich possessions that Boniface had accrued over the years so there may be some truth in him having arranged a convenient hunting accident (note that Boniface had been always supportive of the empire and had participated in the war against the rebellious count of Champagne). Whoever arranged the accident, it can certainly be butterflied away (but if Henry has his finger in it the problem may not go away).

I suggest you check "Tuscan Sons", a TL of ShadowKnight in which I also participated. Here Boniface dies on schedule but the marriage of Mathilda and Godfrey the Hunchback produces 2 sons and 2 daughters.
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=31338&highlight=Tuscan+sons

The other possibility is Gian Galeazzo Visconti: a weak HRE and a divided papacy (the Great Western Schism) gave him the opportunity to build on the Visconti inheritance and to become lord of the greater portion of Northern and Central Italy. Another untimely death (probably malaria, but there were whispers of poison) took him away on the eve of his greatest success (Florence besieged by his armies was negotiating a surrender). Since he was 52 at the time of his death there is a possibility of him living another 10-15 years, consolidating his domains and assuring the succession.
 
IIRC the problem with the Visconti option was that his will divided his territories between his heirs, as well as making him live a while longer you also need to make him decide to leave it all to only one son. Primogeniture and small appanages for those that lose out seem like the best options.
 
That's true. OTOH after GG was invested as Duke of Milan there is a dignity which is above the others (as there is a dignity for the heir: the title of count of Pavia). The important thing is that GG has started before his death to re-organize his domains and to reform taxation. If he manages to complete these two processes over the next decade the Visconti domains are less likely to fragment: there will be an heir clearly recognized and the other sons will get certainly a lordship but always subordinated to the duke of Milan (same as in France or England the king's sons become dukes but their domains are always subject to the king). The interesting thing is to see if his sons (Giovanni Maria and Filippo Maria) will come out better ruler after having being groomed for 10-15 more years by their father and will be able to sire any children.
 
I think it was a good candidate: Andrea Fortebraccio, known as Braccio da Montone (Perugia, July 1, 1368 - L'Aquila, June 5, 1424) was an Italian nobleman and leader.

He was governor of Bologna, rector of Rome, lord of Perugia, Prince of Capua, Count of Montone Earl of Foggia, Grand Constable of the Kingdom of Naples. With his exploits was the closest to creating a state in central Italy in the fifteenth century.
 
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