4.02 - Italian City-States

1100-1500

Between 1100 and 1500, beginning in Venice, a more formally structured centralized government reemerged in the Italian Peninsula.

Naples

This southern city-state had poor farmland. Despite this, its social structure and economy were largely based on agriculture.

The Republic of Venice

Venice was a trading giant during the Renaissance due to its strategic location on the Adriatic Sea. The Republic of Venice was a very powerful trading state. Its position on the water was a very strategic position to be in, as it attempted to profit from trade in the Mediterranean. In the 15th century a number of palaces were built along the main canal in Venice. The houses are still standing today.

The Duchy of Milan

Milan, ruled by the Sforza family, was one of the most aggressive and wealthiest city-states, conquering much of northern Italy. One of the most famous buildings in Milan is the Piazza del Duomo.

The Papal States (Rome)

Rome was part of the Papal States during the Renaissance and was controlled by the Catholic Church and the pope. St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City is a square structure with Greek columns and pediment. It has one very large dome jutting out of the center. Surrounding the Basilica are a number of houses in Vatican City.

Venice

This was the first major city-state, due in part to its ideal location for trade with the East.

Commune

a medieval town or community

The Kingdom of Naples

Coastal Naples was an important area for trade in southern Italy, but it was less urban than some of the northern city-states. The city itself rises up a large hill in the distance. The Kingdom of Naples was once a very powerful trading kingdom. The modern harbor of Naples is a standing testament to this former glory.

What caused the rise of Italy's city-states?

Europe was slowly emerging from a long period of economic and cultural decline. The population was growing. And Italy was a place that was ripe for prosperity and change. The emphasis on learning and culture had been at a low in Europe during the Middle Ages. But it traveled back from Byzantine and Muslim worlds with the men who had returned there from the Crusades. New ideas flowed through Italy and ushered in a new era in Europe. Italy is a boot-shaped land that stretches for 700 miles from the mountains of the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. This location made Italy a natural travel route between Europe, northern Africa, and the Far East. As a result, several Italian cities became important centers for trade, banking, and other kinds of commerce. Feudalism had never been firmly established in Italy, as it had in other parts of Europe. This allowed these growing cities to expand into the areas surrounding them, taking lands away from nobles. Most of the time, these nobles would then move into the cities and become part of life there. Unlike power that belonged to nobles simply because of their titles and their place in the feudal system, political power in these growing cities belonged to those citizens with the most wealth, such as bankers, merchants, and businessmen. As these cities grew, they struggled over political power. New classes were established. Instead of the feudal system of peasants and nobles, there were the grandi —the old ruling class of the nobility—and the popolo—the people. Italy had also begun to develop a form of democratic government during the 12th century CE, called the commune. It limited the right to vote to men from wealthy families, which meant that the commune was not truly a democracy; but there were increasing opportunities for a new middle-class popolo (many of them wealthy merchants and businessmen) to talk about and participate in their government. These cities that the popolo and grandi inhabited became larger and wealthier, as well as more independent, until they became city-states ruling themselves.

The Republic of Florence

Florence was a shining example of an Italian city-state during the Renaissance. It was a center for art, culture, and banking. Modern Florence still retains much of its former glory. If you look at a panoramic view of Florence, you will see houses and buildings as far as the eye can see. Florence is still known for the beautiful art that was commissioned during this time.

Milan

Milan, a city located on the plains in the northern part of Italy, gained a reputation as the most aggressive of the Italian city-states. It was ruled by the Visconti family and then the Sforza family. While they were strong and often cruel rulers, they formed Milan into one of the most powerful and wealthy of the city-states. Milan was a strong military force and conquered most of northern Italy. The army very nearly conquered Florence as well. However, under the rule of Francesco Sforza, Milan and Florence joined together against the expansion of Venice. Sforza and Cosimo de Medici established a friendship that would maintain a balance of power between them in the north and keep the mountain passes open for the use of traders from Florence. The two leaders signed the Peace of Lodi in 1454 CE, which established their borders. Milan would also be known for its support of the arts. Ludovico il Moro, who ruled Milan in 1480 CE, supported the artist Leonardo da Vinci for almost 20 years. He also created ambitious building plans for canals and irrigation and encouraged framers to grow new crops such as rice.

City-States

The city-states were becoming stronger and more powerful. They had several things in their favor. By being located near the Mediterranean or near important trade routes, they were in the perfect place for trade. And by allowing the wealthy and powerful to control them, rather than the old feudal system, they were more focused on economic activity. Politics and economics worked together to create a new class system and a new kind of government.

Naples

The fifth city-state, Naples, was the farthest south. Its farmland was poor, and yet the region's economy was almost entirely based on agriculture. Naples had never really moved out of the feudal system. It was ruled by a few incredibly wealthy nobles, and most of the peasants lived in terrible poverty. Most of the finance and commerce of Naples was actually handled by men from cities like Florence, so Naples did not have the professional middle class that the other city-states did. Naples became a foothold for foreign powers in Italy. In 1442 CE, Naples was conquered by Alfonso of Aragon, from the Spanish royal family. Alfonso tried to use his position to further the interests of merchants from Catalonia in his home kingdom. Catalonia was becoming a large commercial power to rival the Italian city-states, and Alfonso wanted to acquire more territory along the Italian coast as a way to compete with cities like Venice and Florence. However, Alfonso also supported building, the arts, and education. He founded a university and a school for Greek studies.

Why was Venice the First City-State?

The first major city-state in Italy was Venice. Located on the Adriatic Sea in the northeast of Italy's "boot," it was in the best position for trade with the East. As early as 1000 CE, Venice had already developed a strong economy by carrying goods by ship between Europe and the Byzantine Empire. During the Crusades, Venetian ships carried Crusaders east and brought back riches from those countries. Many Venetian merchants became very rich. It was a city concerned with trade and money making, but also a place where people from all over the world mingled, both European Christians and those who practiced Islam. In this way, ideas and influences from many cultures of the world made their way into Europe and helped fuel the Renaissance. Venice was more concerned with its own affairs than that of the rest of Italy. It had its own constitutional republic. Venice was ruled by a group of wealthy merchants, a group of citizens limited to about 200 families whose names were written in the Golden Book, or Libro d'Oro in Italian. Venice had a head of state called the doge, but he was mostly only for appearances. The real power in Venetian politics was a senate and a group called the Council of Ten. The council was ruthless in dealing with anyone who threatened Venice's economy, since it was the foundation of the republic. Doge: the chief magistrate in the Republic of Venice. Venice was only concerned with its trading and its sea routes, but eventually trade had to expand on land into the rest of Italy. Venice needed to be sure that it would have secure trade routes over the Alps and into Western Europe, as a way to disperse the goods it acquired by sea. And because Venice was built on a series of small islands and had no farmland, it also needed additional territory on land in order to grow the food supply it needed. Venice had no army of its own, so it hired expensive mercenaries to create an army. This army soon conquered the nearby cities of Verona and Padua. Mercenaries: professional soldiers hired to serve in a foreign army. By the 15th century CE, Venice was at the peak of its powers. It was wealthy and its empire stretched from its own lagoon and islands to the Byzantine city of Constantinople. Venice was the greatest trading center in Europe, and its gold coin, the ducat, was valued everywhere because of its reliable worth. It was a city where the aristocrats looked after the city, and even the general public was taken care of.

Why were these five city-states important?

The five Italian city-states grew and flourished at a time when Italy was moving away from the feudalism of the Middle Ages. They helped develop a more democratic system of government. The middle class was given a voice in society. A noble birthright was no longer the only criteria for an individual's importance. The city-states rose to greatness partly because of their locations. Being close to the Mediterranean, these cities were able to access the Byzantine and Muslim worlds of the east and served as a passage for both trade and ideas to Europe. The city-states also opened up a new era of support for the arts and an appreciation for the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome. In this way, they were instrumental in the transition from the medieval to the modern world.

Milan

This city-state in the plains of northern Italy was a strong military power and supporter of the arts.

Rome

This interior city-state was not a major player in industry or trade but was a center for artists, scholars, and the Church.

Florence

This northern city-state was known as a center of banking and trade and was home to wealthy families who supported the arts.

What Made the City-States of Rome and Florence Important?

Venice was just one of five major city-states that flourished in Italy during the Renaissance. The other four included Rome, Florence, Milan, and Naples. At first, these city-states were largely governed by guilds of wealthy citizens, but later powerful individuals or families took control. These families often fought with each other over land and wealth. Rome was the central city of what was actually known as the Papal States. The territory was directly controlled by the pope and the Roman Catholic Church. This area included not only Rome, but also a wide band of territory stretching across the middle section of Italy from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic Sea. The Papal States played a major role in the development of the city-states as independent governments. Rome itself became a center for artists and scholars. Because it had no major industries or trade, it relied on religious pilgrims and church business for its income. But Rome began to see a rebirth under Pope Nicholas V, who promoted learning and the arts as well as the influence of Greek and Roman culture. Nicholas supported the rediscovery of these ancient cultures through writings and art, and the repair of the crumbling relics of ancient Rome. Rome would be the artistic centerpiece of the city-states. FLORENCE! north of Rome was the city-state of Florence, which was known as a center of banking and of trade in woolen cloth. It had the strongest tradition of rule by a democracy. Its population was divided between the members of the guilds, which were organizations of businessmen and craftsmen. There were two types of guilds. One included the wealthiest and most powerful men, and a second type of guild was made up of the less-important businessmen and craftsmen. These factions struggled constantly to control the city's government. The city was also ruled by a series of strong families, the most famous of which was the Medici family. They founded their own bank and were known for their wealth and power as well as their support of the arts. Along with Venice, both Rome and Florence were considered to be the leading cities of the Renaissance, largely because of their support for new ideas and great artists and musicians.

Grandi

a ruling social class made up of former members of the nobility

Popolo

a social class made up of regular citizens

Renaissance

a time of transition in Europe between the medieval and modern era, from the 14th to the 17th century, marked by a revival of art, sciences, and classical thinking.