What about a purely Italian HRE?

Can an alternate HRE be centered in Italy as opposed to Germany or France? That is, the Emperor's power comes from his holdings in Lombardia, and his legitimacy from Rome.

I imagine that'd be the closest to a Western Roman restoration, especially once it expands to the entire boot, and I also envision it getting Provence eventually. It might also be alot easier to centralize into a proper nation state once the time comes.
 
Italy was the junior kingdom of Western Europe, really.
Internally divided between pro-Byzantine, pro-Germans, Roman politics; and externally threatened by Saracenic and Maygar raids, Byzantines and neighbours...

While it happened that late carolingian emperors (that weren't really carolingians, but you get my point) were Italian kings or overlords, they didn't lasted much.

Eventually, I really don't see Italy able to create a feudal empire (as HRE is a feudal empire, contrary to Carolingian Empire) by its own.
 
Well, holding the crown of Italy was crucial to being crowned Emperor, so you might have some legal standing with this.
 
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