The middle third of Charlemagne’s realm fragmented in 900s. Two claimants tried to reunify parts of the kingdom in 1000s, but the local noblemen defeated them, preferring the broad autonomy given to them by a distant emperor to closer rule by their own king.

Is rule by largely apathetic, distant foreigners preferable to a bad local government that takes an intense interest in domestic affairs?

Athens under the Romans & Japan under the Americans have done quite well. https://twitter.com/peter_nimitz/status/1127640682988855296?s=21 https://twitter.com/peter_nimitz/status/1127640682988855296