What if Cola di Rienzo was successful in his plan to restore the Roman Republic and uniting Italy:

At the death of the pope Clement VI in 1352, Cola would claim dictatorship status and after having
implemented a few reforms to secure his position and strengthen Rome, he would appoint a new
puppet pope. He would have then managed to create a decentralized Roman federation of Italian states.
Thanks to the support from the federation, the trade republics would have been able to keep their
holdings in the Mediterranean. In 1351, due to his diplomatic help in settling the problems between
Naples and Hungary, Cola had gained a strong friend in Louis I of Hungary which would prove useful in
the next years. The rebirth of the Roman ideals (precursor of the renaissance) led the Roman Federation
and its members to look east with contempt at the remnants of the Byzantines. In 1354, The Roman
Federation with the help of the Hungarians and the Bulgarians would come to the aid of the Byzantines
and crush the ottomans at the battle of Gallipoli, blocking them from further Balkan expansion and
signing a peace treaty for the next 100 years (Peace treaty duration to be decided). After this event, the
people of the Roman Federation enjoyed a long period of prosperity and peace known as the Pax Italica
which lasted until 1444 (possible involvement in other wars, alliances, rivalries and diplomatic relations
to be decided).

With this mod I plan to create a mechanic similar to the HRE dedicated to Italy, this will be the Roman
Federation (RF). The leader of this federation would be the Roman State (replacing the papal state). This
Roman State (RS) would have a senate and a military dictator but I also want the pope (and all the
mechanics related to it) to still exist in the game. basically this mod will transfer all the mechanics
related to the papacy to the RS. The government form of the RS to be a consulship made of one military
dictator (selected by the player choice of one of the army generals on death of the previous ruler) and
the pope himself. I’m also considering having events that can introduce other historical figures like
generals and advisors who could claim the title of dictator if the player decides to do so.

Other plans include events, national ideas, modifiers as well as policies in a way to represent as
realistically as possible the best case scenario following Cola di Rienzo’s success inspired by his Statutes
of Justice and his Buonostato.

- Permanent modifier for Rome’s defense

- Modifier to represent his real life project that expanded Rome’s standing army
- Stability modifier to represent his justice system
- Tax modifier to represent his tax reforms

At the same time, this being a work of fiction, I’m drawing inspiration from the death of Cesar and the
transition from republic to empire with the advent of August. This will be represented in the way the RF
and RS will be led by a military dictator given that most of the time roman emperors were successful
generals and only rarely was the imperial succession really passed down from father to son.
Following the national mission tree will lead the player to a choice of becoming an empire or a republic
changing the government form.

The RF mechanics will include reforms (In the style of the HRE) and the end game goal for playing this
mod and playing as the RS is, obviously, to form the Roman Empire. But also allowing the added bonus
for the opportunity to reopen the roman temples and convert to Gentilism (another word for paganism),
a new religion, which would change the figure of the Pope to the figure of the Pontefix Maximus. This
religion would be taking inspiration from other base game pagan religions but with the roman gods, and
some events.

What work needs to be done:

- Decide events, policies, modifiers, RF reforms to implement that represent Cola's work and
ideals.
Background story (e.g. who succeeded Cola? etc)

- What could've happened to the real HRE had this happened? And what of the rest of Europe in
1444.

- Learn to code

I don't want the mod to be overpowered: the early game should be set in establishing the merchant
republics in Mediterranean and going through the missions to unify gradually.
E.g one of the missions could allow to get Venice's 'Terraferma' and leave Venice with its non-Italian
colonies as well as the city of Venice itself, which will be then able to be annexed later on.

The first part of the game could also have a path to northern expansion into Switzerland and
preparation for attacking France in the early 1500s and Ottos in the late 1500s. I'm thinking about
missions directed at conquering parts of Spain/ Africa/Balkans in the first part of the game, to then finish
the job throughout the 1500. Late 1600 can be focused on conquering the UK.

Colonies could also be an option since realistically, had there been an Italian Federation in the 1400s
there would definitely be enough wealth to attempt colonizing.

The mod will strongly encourage cooperation with Byzantine – there will be a path to do a personal
union through the RS national mission.

Another possible modifier can be the Pax Italica modifier that grants [Prestige? Stability? – 0.5 Unrest?]