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Italian Renaissance

Italian Renaissance. 1450-1527. Italian Renaissance. Italian City States . Northern Italian cities began to expand international trade Genoa, Venice, Milan Government structure of city states: Signori (despots) or Oligarchies: Merchants controlled much of Italy by 1300

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Italian Renaissance

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  1. Italian Renaissance 1450-1527

  2. Italian Renaissance

  3. Italian City States • Northern Italian cities began to expand international trade • Genoa, Venice, Milan • Government structure of city states: • Signori (despots) or Oligarchies: Merchants controlled much of Italy by 1300 • This created Comunes: Merchants and Merchant-adventurers. Economic agreement.

  4. Results of Comunes • Italy became very urban. • Cities grew and populations soared like never before. • Great for trade, easy for disease to spread. • Led to political strife • Italy is never politically united; this is there ultimate downfall, but hind sight is 20-20. • POWER CURRUPTS!!

  5. Political control • City states would use Condottieri: mercenary generals of private armies to maintain power. • This opened the doors for foreign armies to invade; They will come and it won’t be pretty for Italy! • Italian Balance of Power relied on alliances of weaker states with stronger states. This would change far to often to create any lasting power.

  6. Italy of Renaissance

  7. Major City States • Florence (including Genoa): Birth of the Renaissance. • Medici Family ruled • Bankers who loved the arts • Allied with other powerful families to control the politics of Florence and protect against other states. • Cosimo and Lorenzo were the first and greatest Medici rulers.

  8. Medici Rulers

  9. Major City States • Duchy of Milan: Ruled by Sforza Family after 1450. • Principle adversary of Venice and Florence until the “Peace of Lodi” 1454. • Peace of Lodi created 40 years of relative peace among the City States.

  10. Ludivico Sforza

  11. Major City States • The Papel States (Rome): • Pope is the political and religious leader • The Papel States controlled most of central Italy.

  12. Major City States • Venice • Most important “port” • Longest lasting independent states • Remains independent until Napoleon conquered it in the early 1800’s. • One of the world’s great navel and trading powers during the 14th and 15th centuries. • Location was its largest asset.

  13. Major City States • Naples; Kingdom of Two Sicilies • Included South Italian region of Naples and the island of Sicily • Only Italian city-state to officially have a “King” • Controlled by France between 1266-1435 • Controlled by Spain after 1435. • Relied heavily on others for protection.

  14. Collapse of the States • First and foremost: They were never unified in their vision. • The idea of Italy was secondary to each individual state. • This allowed for foreign influence and invasion.

  15. Collapse of States • France began invading in 1494. • Invaded Naples at the request of Milan. • Milan wanted to control Naples and weaken Florence (their neighbors). • Milan’s Despot Ludovico “The Moor” convinced French King Charles VIII to Invade. • No turn away foreign invasions after this!!

  16. Florence Disarray • Florence tried to appease France when it invaded. • The people overthrew the Medici Family • Florence’s power was severely weakened • Savonarola allied himself with France and took control • Promised to reform Florence; rid it of decadence.

  17. Savonarola

  18. Florence disarray • Savonarola alienated the people and lost control in 1498. • He was replaced by the Medici family • Revenge is sweet: • They burned him at the stake; But Florence and all of Italy was subject to repeated struggles between France and Spain to control. • Could Italy changed it’s fate? How? • Spain allied itself with The Papel States, Venice, and Naples. France with Florence and Milan.

  19. Machiavelli • “The Prince” 1513 is the quintessential political treatise for the 16th century. • Can be seen in today’s leaders still. • Based on the rule of Cesare Borgia (Son of Pope Alexander VI) • The Ends Justify the Means • Better to be Feared than Loved • Rulers had to be practical and cunning, in addition to being aggressive and ruthless: lion and fox analogy.

  20. Machiavelli

  21. Sack of Rome • Spain and the armies of the HRE Charles V invade and conquer Italy. • This signals the end of the Italian Renaissance in 1527.

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