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

Which Italian State would you would’ve wanted to unite a good portion of Italy?

  • Republic of Genoa

    Votes: 1 0.5%
  • Republic of Venice

    Votes: 39 19.7%
  • Republic of Florence/Grand Duchy of Tuscany

    Votes: 28 14.1%
  • Duchy of Reggio and Modena/Duchy of Ferrara

    Votes: 1 0.5%
  • Papal States

    Votes: 36 18.2%
  • Duchy of Milan

    Votes: 36 18.2%
  • Kingdom of Sicily

    Votes: 7 3.5%
  • Kingdom of Naples

    Votes: 9 4.5%
  • Kingdom of Two Sicilies

    Votes: 15 7.6%
  • San Marino

    Votes: 16 8.1%
  • Other (Write down below)

    Votes: 10 5.1%

  • Total voters
    198
I am torn between Venice and Rome. Venice has already been mentioned, but when I am talking about Rome. I am not talking about the Papal States. I am talking about the Duchy of Rome, the Roman Commune or the Roman Republic of 1849.
 
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.
That's the appeal, since Papal States-united Italy is a great villain nation since they will inevitably have contradictions between religious and secular goals. Their existence in 19th century Europe means they will be the avatar of reactionary politics.
 
I think the Pope uniting Italy is most interesting one.
It is also almost definitionally impossible. A united Italy would be a significant Power, which would destroy the universal role of the Roman Papacy on a fundamental level. Unless you go the modern Iranian way, with all its political and theological problems.
 
Confederation of equals or bust - whether it's born out of the Lombard League of the late Middle Ages, of the Italic League of the Renaissance, or out of the revolutions of 1848. That said, Milan looks like the most plausible option, if only because the Visconti got close to unifying northern Italy in OTL, but a luckier Matilda of Tuscany might've been able to unify most of Italy as early as the 11th century.
Wholeheartedly agree. Bonus points if Visconti Italy is combined with a permanent Avignone papacy in my (admittedly wet) dreams...
 
Confederation of equals or bust - whether it's born out of the Lombard League of the late Middle Ages, of the Italic League of the Renaissance, or out of the revolutions of 1848. That said, Milan looks like the most plausible option, if only because the Visconti got close to unifying northern Italy in OTL, but a luckier Matilda of Tuscany might've been able to unify most of Italy as early as the 11th century.
A Visconti Italy is where the smart money should go, but I have a special place in my heart for a consolidation of the Canossa domains in the 11th century: however, it would require Bonifacio of Canossa surviving a little longer, say another 5 years or so, in order to secure the inheritance of his son Federico (Matilda would meet significant difficulties , and her marriage with Godfrey the Hunchback never worked).

The Italian League of the 15th century was a temporary stopgap, and would hardly evolve into a real confederation
 
I'm a sucker for the House of Medici, so I voted for Tuscany. Although an Italy that is somehow unified by the Palaiologos dynasty in Montferrat would be extremely interesting, too.
 

kham_coc

Kicked
I'm a sucker for the House of Medici, so I voted for Tuscany. Although an Italy that is somehow unified by the Palaiologos dynasty in Montferrat would be extremely interesting, too.
Oh boy - can you immagine what mussolini could have done with that?
 
Okay, maybe should’ve been more specific. I meant foreign nations that rule from another country, and not in the Italian State. So things like Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy isn’t an option, since Napoleon ruled from France, but something like the Bourbon Kings of Two Sicilies or Murat’s Naples, since they rules in their country, is acceptable
What about a Napoleonic Italy that became independent under the Beauharnais family after Nap’s death, like he intended?
 
If i take this (too) serious, i have to say you split the vote for the Kingdom of two sicilies in three, that has now a clear impact on the outcome of this poll.

I did vote for other. I want to support my favorite italian city, Siena. But any timeline with that, would be ASB.
 

kham_coc

Kicked
It is also almost definitionally impossible. A united Italy would be a significant Power, which would destroy the universal role of the Roman Papacy on a fundamental level. Unless you go the modern Iranian way, with all its political and theological problems.
Maybe you could have a late unification where the Pope is the Figurehead head of state, but i agree it would be untenable.
 
I would go with either:

1) Republic of Venice. Italy becomes a mega-Venice and inherits all of Venice's traditions. It becomes a major trading and seafaring nation which leads it to become a major economic and colonial power.

2) Kingdom of Naples - the south's largest city being the centre of a southern-ruled Italy would make an interesting TL.
 
I would go with either:

1) Republic of Venice. Italy becomes a mega-Venice and inherits all of Venice's traditions. It becomes a major trading and seafaring nation which leads it to become a major economic and colonial power.

2) Kingdom of Naples - the south's largest city being the centre of a southern-ruled Italy would make an interesting TL.
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.
 
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....
 
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