>there were exceptions to the rule like prosperous city-republics. This seemed to start because of the "compromise" status of Venice and Rome after Charlemagne

>there were exceptions to the rule like prosperous city-republics. This seemed to start because of the "compromise" status of Venice and Rome after Charlemagne's conquest of Italy; after that the floodgates opened and other cities tried to get away with it. A thousand years later, the kings have finally been kicked out (mostly).