Which Italian Nation you would’ve wanted to unite a portion of Italy

[Atterdag]

unfortunately, with subsequent events not panning out so well, we'll never know...

Too bad history taking an alternate path is never discussed on this forum

 

[Aghasverov]

Too bad history taking an alternate path is never discussed on this forum

Oh, be assured, whenever I get around to actually writing the TL careening wildly through the dark corners of my cluttered brain, the House of de Beauharnais will have a substantial role to play

 

[GameBawesome]

What about a Napoleonic Italy that became independent under the Beauharnais family after Nap’s death, like he intended?

I debated that too, since I think Eugene was definitely expecting the Iron Crown at some point, and Nap seemed prepared to bestow it on him... unfortunately, with subsequent events not panning out so well, we'll never know...
So, I went with Murat's Naples, as Murat was actually made King of Naples whereas Eugene only ever governed as a Viceroy....

Yes, that is acceptable for an Italian ruler be from outside the country, yet ruled directly in it, and the unify a portion of Italy

 

[LordKalvan]

Venice would be really interesting, although it seems tough. Maybe a POD might be a venetian victory at Agnaldello in 1509, although it seems hard for Venice to beat the forces of the Leaugue of Cambrai alone. Maybe said victory + a nice Venetian diplomacy may draw either the Empire or Spain to Venice's side? If when the dust settles Venice annexes the whole Duchy of Milan, that seems a good start.

A victory at Agnadello is quite possible, but I doubt it would be enough: in the first decade of the 16th century Venice has managed to piss off almost everyone of the potential players, and her position vis-a-vis the Ottomans is pretty weak.
A POD with much more significant potential would be a victory at the battle of Sapienza (known also as 1st battle of Lepanto or battle of Zonchio): not only this victory would have resulted in the failure of the Ottoman siege of Lepanto, but even more importantly would have secured the dogeship for Antonio Grimani in 1501 (and Grimani would have been a much better doge than Leonardo Loredan, and would have avoided the diplomatic blunders of the next decade). In addition, such a victory would have been a considerable boost for new naval tactics (the battle of Sapienza was the first in the Mediterranean featuring round ships as gunnery platforms: IOTL, the largest Ottoman round ship and the Pandora, commanded by Andrea Loredan, exchanged gun volleys before the Venetians boarded the Ottoman ship; during the fight, the Ottoman magazine exploded and the conflagration destroyed also the Pandora).
Whatever happens afterwards, a Venetian victory strengthens considerably the position of the Most Serene Republic.

 

[Piave92]

Ucronic Kingdom of Lombardy - initially Habsburg secondogeniture since Charles V with former Milan, Montferrat and Mantua, attaching to it the bailiwicks of OTL Italian Switerzland to improve the communication with Burgundy, reichsexecution of Savoy during the Austrian Succession War and expansion of the buffer state. Post Napoleon, the Kingdom of Lombardy obtains the Venetian Republic and the Genoese Republic. In 1848, with the subsequent Italian independence Wars, Lombardy detatches from A-H and gains Tuscany, Emilian Duchies and Papal Legations until Ancona (excluded) in the aftermath.

Two Sicilies survives and colonizes Tunisia with the help of the British. Below the situation at 1914 at the eve of WW1.

 

[roderickgibsono]

Did Sicily and Naples had an actual chance of uniting the penisula? Did they not tell that in my history classes?

 

[roderickgibsono]

Ucronic Kingdom of Lombardy - initially Habsburg secondogeniture since Charles V with former Milan, Montferrat and Mantua, attaching to it the bailiwicks of OTL Italian Switerzland to improve the communication with Burgundy, reichsexecution of Savoy during the Austrian Succession War and expansion of the buffer state. Post Napoleon, the Kingdom of Lombardy obtains the Venetian Republic and the Genoese Republic. In 1848, with the subsequent Italian independence Wars, Lombardy detatches from A-H and gains Tuscany, Emilian Duchies and Papal Legations until Ancona (excluded) in the aftermath.

Two Sicilies survives and colonizes Tunisia with the help of the British. Below the situation at 1914 at the eve of WW1.

View attachment 680480

Nice but, I think there is the possibility of a Norman-Sicily keeping Tunisia?

 

[Metempsychosis]

The Pope uniting Italy is fun as a meme, but in reality would’ve been a theocratic nightmare. Bear in mind that even within the OTL Papal States the government was a tyrannical and oppressive thing, such as the infamous time it paved over half of the old town of Perugia to build a fortress to secure its own domination of Umbria.

I like the idea of Catholic Iran-analogue.

 

[NedStark]

A victory at Agnadello is quite possible, but I doubt it would be enough: in the first decade of the 16th century Venice has managed to piss off almost everyone of the potential players, and her position vis-a-vis the Ottomans is pretty weak.
A POD with much more significant potential would be a victory at the battle of Sapienza (known also as 1st battle of Lepanto or battle of Zonchio): not only this victory would have resulted in the failure of the Ottoman siege of Lepanto, but even more importantly would have secured the dogeship for Antonio Grimani in 1501 (and Grimani would have been a much better doge than Leonardo Loredan, and would have avoided the diplomatic blunders of the next decade). In addition, such a victory would have been a considerable boost for new naval tactics (the battle of Sapienza was the first in the Mediterranean featuring round ships as gunnery platforms: IOTL, the largest Ottoman round ship and the Pandora, commanded by Andrea Loredan, exchanged gun volleys before the Venetians boarded the Ottoman ship; during the fight, the Ottoman magazine exploded and the conflagration destroyed also the Pandora).
Whatever happens afterwards, a Venetian victory strengthens considerably the position of the Most Serene Republic.

An earlier POD: Maybe have Francesco Sforza dying in 1441, allowing Venice to swallow Pavia and the rest of Lombardy including Milan by conquest. Next step, Venice attacks and conquers Genoa.