WI Lombard Kingdom turns to an early Republic in 574 AD?

The Lombards had entered the Italian peninsula in 568 AD under King Alboin. Under Alboin's successor, Cleph, they continued to expand at the expense of the Byzantines. Cleph's reign was short and his rule hard. Upon his death, the Lombards did not elect another leader-king, leaving the territorial dukes of the old Roman Provinces in Lombard territories to rule the Kingdom jointly.
The dukes were unable to organise themselves under a single leader capable of continuing their successes against the Empire. When they invaded Provence in 584 or 585, the Frankish kings Gintram and Childebert II invaded Lombardy, took Tridentum, and opened negotiations with Tiberius II, Emperor of the East and nominal overlord of the hard-pressed Exarchate of Ravenna causing the collapse of Dukes regime and the hastily election of Authari as King of the Lombards...
WI there was no war with Franks and the Ducal Council assumed the officialy the governing of Lombardy as a Republic? Could Lombardy had become like Venice? Is this possible?
How is this altering History? Any thoughts?
 
I'm not actually sure if this is possible, as the Romans could conceive of an oligarchic republic, but early germanic society such as the Lombards had wasn't quite up to the idea of a republic. Power still came from the sword in this era, and the history of the Lombards shows that they were incapable of working in together against an outside threat for more then a year or two, only electing kings when they needed apparent unity and quickly intriguing and overthrowing any king that didnt appear strong enough when there was no outside threat. You would need to change the cultural mindset of the Lombards pretty drastically to get what you want.
 
I'm not actually sure if this is possible, as the Romans could conceive of an oligarchic republic, but early germanic society such as the Lombards had wasn't quite up to the idea of a republic. Power still came from the sword in this era, and the history of the Lombards shows that they were incapable of working in together against an outside threat for more then a year or two, only electing kings when they needed apparent unity and quickly intriguing and overthrowing any king that didnt appear strong enough when there was no outside threat. You would need to change the cultural mindset of the Lombards pretty drastically to get what you want.

I disagree. The Things (councils of tribal leaders) that were all so common among Germanic tribes are certainly primitive forms of oligarchic democracies. The concept will definitely be present, so the Lombards adopting this form of government in the absence of a king is not so impossible. It's just the circumstances that would turn them into a republic that would be a bit stickier.
 
I disagree. The Things (councils of tribal leaders) that were all so common among Germanic tribes are certainly primitive forms of oligarchic democracies. The concept will definitely be present, so the Lombards adopting this form of government in the absence of a king is not so impossible. It's just the circumstances that would turn them into a republic that would be a bit stickier.

I agree... If the Rule of the Dukes managed to prevail the Frankish attack i am almost sure that Lombardy would transform itself to a "crowned Republic" an "early Venice" i think...
In such a case i believe that ERE would be more influential upon Lombardy...
 
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