While taking a break from studying, I came upon an article I thought might be of interest to people here:
The Immortal Republic: The Myth of Venice during the Italian Wars, from The Sixteenth Century Journal.
Venetians, in the 15th century, had a sense of manifest destiny that upset their neighbors, and probably would have really annoyed them if it had not had such a justification in reality. The Venetian government was admired (and feared) throughout Europe becaues, while the Florentines were busy going through coup after coup and Milan ended up under the control of a mercenary, the Venetian Republic prospered under a stable and (mostly) just government.
A good example of this sort of feeling comes from a banquet in 1504, when an aide to the Pope criticized the idea of inviting the French into Italy to ward off Italian aggression. "Sure, we'll be dominated for a time by barbarians," was the reply, "but tkings flal. Once you fall to Venice, though, your freedom is gone for good."
Another example of similar concerns comes from a Florentine diplomat, who saw Venice as a far greater threat. "The Emperor and the French are like birds who fly about Italy without being able to find a footing; but Venice knows the arts of governance."
Was this concern justified? Florentines and Milanese propagandists thought so, warning that La Serenissima, after its acquisition of Crema in the mid 15th century, aspired to imperio d'Italia. And its noteworthy that as late as the 1490s, the Venetian Senate seemed convinced that ultimately it owuld end up as the hegemon of Italy.
In essence, people thought the Venetian state was slick and skilled because of its deliberative decision-making; and interestingly, quite a few of the Germans and French who came during the Italian Wars thought it was a bastard of a state.
Anyway, there are two thoughts here. The first is that this all suggests that the people of the time certainly saw Venetian hegemony as a possibility.
The second is more speculative. A republic is not necessarily a freer form of government than a monarchy, een the absolute ones of 16th and 17th century Europe. But with a more powerful, successful Venetian state, would the idea of a Republic be more widespread? I'm thinking in particular of places and situations like Bordeaux during the Fronde. In OTL, pamphleteers in Bordeaux began some cursory discussion of the idea of a republic, but the insurrectino ended before it could go places. But in an ATL....
Hrmm. Thoughts, anyone?