[quote:Kabraloth]
The idea is not that Otto II. can make the throne heritary - if he did, it probably would have been ignored after Otto III. died, but that Otto III., growing up under a strong father, lives longer as well and establishes a heritary system. This would be three strong emperors, which makes about two generations which have seen a strong, central figure. I find it plausible that at this time, a heritary system could be established.[/quote]
Okay. Agreed. That's true given the successes of Otto II. and the successes still to come (I hope you'll go on with your timeline!). The church really is not that problem right now, the pope always at the side of the emperor.
But what when the pope dies? Who will elect a new one? Clerics? Romans? How many new popes will they elect? Will the emperor have to catch every pope from now on? Probably you're planning more surprises for the ottonians by the church?
Kabraloth said:
The nobles at that time felt like they belonged together, they were very loyal.
Heinrich, the brother of Otto I., participated in a revolt against Otto I., his own brother, and later in a intrigue against him. Otto I. faced revolts of the mighty dukes so the nobles weren't that loyal, Otto II. had to fight Heinrich den Zänker 4 years. Thus every emperor would have problems with the dukes or other mighty nobles, as Otto the Great had. If the emperors live in Italy for a long time, they will loose in Germany and vice-versa, as in OTL.
On the other side, I never understood why the emperors gave most land away to infidel nobles instead of keeping them - only Otto the Great kept at least Frankonia together with his own heritage Saxony. So maybe those strong emperors simply get hold of all or at least most of the duchies and somehow find a way to prevent the local nobles from building up new dynasties and new domains, which could become a danger. Maybe the feudal system of Britain would help (Ligian fidei)?
And I never really understood why the partition of power by Friedrich II. never really worked out: his son was king in Germany, he himself was emperor in Italy. But when his son tried to reestablish imperial power in Germany, Friedrich II. gave the Statutem in favorem principum. What a failure.
[quote:Kabraloth]
The French are ruled by the pro-HRE Hugo Capet who, to first be able to fight against the HRE would have to get rid of the emperor-appointed bishops in his country, which he will be loathe to do.
[/quote]
But Otto I. had to fight several times over Lothringia with the French. 978 the French attacked Otto II. surprisingly at Aachen. Even if Hugo Capet is pro-HRE, he could fight the Ottonians. As stated above, even Otto I.'s brother did.
Hugo Capet swore fealty in your Timeline, but that doesn't mean too much in those days. And the next king could be a new threat to the emperor.
Otto II. was married with Teophanu, but still had to go to Italy 980-983 because of Arab raids AND growing tensions with the Byzantine Empire!