History UsefulNotes / TheCityStateEra

Genoa played an important role as a banking center for the Spanish branch of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic House of Habsburg]], which funded its many wars with large loans either repaid with American gold and silver (much to the European economy's inflation) or not at all (much to the Genoese's disgrace). A couple of big names of the Spanish Empire, like UsefulNotes/AmerigoVespucci and UsefulNotes/AmbrosioSpinola, also hailed from Genoa.

Basically UsefulNotes/{{Sicily}} and all of Southern Italy, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was by far the largest of the pre-unification states and, arguably, the poorest. Its capital, Naples, was the third largest city in UsefulNotes/{{Europe}} in the early 19th century but the kingdom itself was poor and underdeveloped and a byword for corruption and poor rule. The royal family were a branch of the Bourbons, the [[UsefulNotes/LetatCestMoi originally French dynasty]] that still reigns in Spain and Luxembourg but aside from their [[UsefulNotes/CharlesIIIOfSpain first exponent]], never achieved much popularity in Italy. In 1860, the kingdom collapsed in the face of Garibaldi's invasion.

Sadly, Venice declined as a major power once alternative routes to the East were found (especially the route around South Africa, at the Cape of Good Hope), and as trade and investment flowed towards the Americas and away from the Mediterranean. The Venetians fought (and mostly lost) several wars with the Ottomans, and lost most of their possessions in the Eastern Mediterranean as a result. By the very end, Venice had degenerated into a gambling center, an association still noticeable in places like Las Vegas or Macao today.

Fun Fact: We owe the word "pants" to Venice, sort of. The word derives from the name of a popular stock character in Italian comedies named Pantaleone. The name Pantaleone identified him with Venice due to St. Pantaleone (the name means "all-compassionate") being a popular saint with the Venetians. The comedic figure was a silly old man who wore tight trousers over his skinny legs, leading people to identify the clothing with the character, leading to the term "Pantaloons", which were shortened to "pants" in the 1840s.

Much of Florence's reputation came from the generous patronage of the Medici family, bankers who, through well-placed bribes and great shows of wealth and prestige, basically ran the city. Their regime reached its apex under the patronage of Lorenzo TheMagnificent. Unfortunately, he died in his prime at 43 years old. His generous patronage -- and his failure to uphold the golden rule of medieval banking, that one doesn't lend to kings (because they don't pay one back) -- left the bank, well, bankrupt. His son and heir, known to history as Piero the Unfortunate, ran away to Rome and drank himself to death. The city was taken over by the fiery populist monk Savonarola, who did his best to undo everything the Medici had created, with his [[BookBurning "Bonfires of the Vanities"]], in which countless works of art were destroyed as corrupting influences. After [[UsefulNotes/PopeAlexanderVI the pope, an old friend of Lorenzo's]], finally toppled Savonarola, the republic was restored. They immediately set to commissioning art to glorify their city-state, including Michelangelo's famous Art/{{David}}. Leonardo was commission to do a fresco of ''The Battle of Anghiari'', but when he took too long, they hired Michelangelo, his great rival, to do [[DuelingWorks a competing fresco of another, more famous battle]] -- that idea may or may not have come from Creator/NiccoloMachiavelli himself. However, it was the Medici who had the last laugh -- Lorenzo's second son became Pope Leo X, and a second Medici became Pope Clement VII (the one who denied Henry VIII a divorce from Catherine of Aragon -- you know, because Catherine's nephew, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, was sacking Rome and holding him hostage). But Clement did manage to grant his cousin the title of Duke of Florence, which was later elevated to Grand Duke of Tuscany after the conquest of Siena in 1555.

The other Italian trading republic to survive until the French Revolutionary Wars (Lucca and San Marino were also republics but weren't known for trade). It was originally a four-way thing between Venice, Genoa, Florence and Pisa, but the latter two ended up becoming parts of other monarchies. Genoa was naturally TheRival to Venice and was also ruled by an elected Doge. Not only Christopher Columbus came from here, but Genoese traders were the first ones who (inadvertently) first brought the Black Death to Europe from their trade posts and colonies in Crimea.

Basically UsefulNotes/{{Sicily}} and all of Southern Italy, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was by far the largest of the pre-unification states and, arguably, the poorest. Its capital, Naples, was the third largest city in UsefulNotes/{{Europe}} in the early 19th century but the kingdom itself was poor and underdeveloped and a byword for corruption and poor rule. The royal family were a branch of the Bourbons, the [[UsefulNotes/LetatCestMoi originally French dynasty]] that still reigns in Spain and Luxembourg but never achieved much popularity in Italy. In 1860, the kingdom collapsed in the face of Garibaldi's invasion.

It was only officially known as the "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies" after UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars, but that had been used informally as a name for many years previously.[[note]] The reason for the name is a little complicated. Until 1282, the two had been a single state, the Kingdom of Sicily, with its capital in Palermo. This came to an end when a revolt, the Sicilian Vespers, drove the French-born king Charles of Anjou to the mainland, replacing him in Sicily with rival claimant Peter of Aragon. However, while most of Europe now referred to Charles' remaining territory as the Kingdom of Naples (after his new capital), he and his successors continued to call it the Kingdom of Sicily... right up until both kingdoms once again came under a single ruler in 1734, making him king of ''both'' "Sicilies".[[/note]] Part of the reason why it had a poor record in war was because it had been a bargaining chip in many of the wars between the great powers and its people were indifferent towards defending their king - because he was probably a foreigner who'd been installed twenty years ago and wouldn't be any different from the one they'd be given by whoever won the war.

Basically Sicily and all of Southern Italy, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was by far the largest of the pre-unification states and, arguably, the poorest. Its capital, Naples, was the third largest city in Europe in the early 19th century but the kingdom itself was poor and underdeveloped and a byword for corruption and poor rule. The royal family were a branch of the Bourbons, the dynasty that still reigns in Spain and Luxembourg but never achieved much popularity in Italy. In 1860, the kingdom collapsed in the face of Garibaldi's invasion.

Some of them were:

For much of its history, UsefulNotes/{{Italy}} was a geographic expression. Before '''1861''', Italy was a collection of city states and principalities, frequently a target for foreign powers. Many of these weren't actually monarchies, but republics ruled by a collection of oligarchs. The city states were mostly rich and concentrated (relying on trade), centres of art and culture, a little like UsefulNotes/{{Dubai}} without the sand.

The only Italian city-state to survive to the present day practically unchanged. It escaped the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars because Napoleon admired it, considering it a model of good governance. Due to its sheltering Garibaldi during the wars of unification, the Kingdom of Italy honored its wishes to remain independent, as did Mussolini. As is traditional for Italian republics, it elects its leaders on very short terms, a matter of months. Bizarrely it was also the first place in the world to democratically elect a Communist government, and the Communists dutifully stood down when they were voted out a few years later.

It was only officially known as the "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies" after UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars, but that had been used informally as a name for many years previously. Part of the reason why it had a poor record in war was because it had been a bargaining chip in many of the wars between the great powers and its people were indifferent towards defending their king - because he was probably a foreigner who'd been installed twenty years ago and wouldn't be any different from the one they'd be given by whoever won the war.

Seen as one of the great centres of the Renaissance, the other being Rome, Florence was the hometown for many if not most of the masters of the Renaissance.

Much of Florence's reputation came from the generous patronage of the Medici family, bankers whom, through well-placed bribes and great shows of wealth and prestige, basically ran the city. It reached its apex under the patronage of Lorenzo [[TheMagnificent il Magnifico]], unfortunately, a combination of his generosity bankrupting the Medici bank and the timidity of his descendants slid Florence into a decline that led to brief domination of Florence by the French and later restoration of the old republican government. However, the Medici's had the last laugh as the Pope (Who was a Medici) granted his cousin the title of Duke of Florence, which was later elevated to Grand Duke of Tuscany after the conquest of Siena in 1555.

It is because of Florence's Legacy that it was chosen to be the capital of a united Italy in 1865 until the final capture of Rome six years later.

This state centered on the city of UsefulNotes/{{Venice}}, but owned mainland territories in the modern day countries of Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Once even ruled UsefulNotes/{{Cyprus}} (the war for which was the backdrop to ''Theatre/{{Othello}}''). Had a large merchant fleet, a powerful navy and controlled a lot of trade to the Middle East for much of its history (including silk, spices, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick slaves]]). Started out as a minor protectorate of the then mighty UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire, before becoming a rival, and eventually masterminding its toppling in 1204 by the 4th Crusade. While the resultant Latin Empire didn't last long (being deposed in 1261 by the Byzantine Empire of Nicaea), the restored Empire was far weaker and helped cement Venice's dominance of the Mediterranean.

A key contribution to the study of European history comes from Venice - the state archives have pretty much all the diplomatic correspondence and ambassadorial reports, containing warts-and-all descriptions of the courts of Europe, their rulers etc.

Greatly seen as one of the great centres of the Renaissance, the other being Rome, Florence was the hometown for many if not most of the masters of the Renaissance.

Much of Florence's reputation came from the generous patronage of the Medici family, bankers whom, through well placed bribes and great shows of wealth and prestige, basically ran the city. It reached its apex under the patronage of Lorenzo [[TheMagnificent il Magnifico]], unfortunately a combination of his generosity bankrupting the Medici bank and the timidity of his descendents slid Florence into a decline that led to a brief domination of Florence by the French and a later restoration of the old republican government. However, the Medici's had the last laugh as the Pope (Who was a Medici) granted the title of Duke of Florence and later, after the capture of Siena, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

It is because of Florence's Legacy that it was chosen to be capital of a united Italy in 1865 until the final capture of Rome six years later.

Genoa possessed the island of Corsica for many years, but failed to put down a radical republican independence movement led by Pasquale Paoli - so they gave up and sold the island to France. The French succeeded, but in the process Corsican revolutionary ideas and a certain Corsican named Napoleon Buonaparte spread to France. Of course the result was the French Revolution and the General Bonaparte who was instrumental in conquering Italy for the French Revolutionaries, who overthrew Genoa, proclaimed a revolutionary Ligurian Republic. After the Congress of Vienna, the region was merged with the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia.

This state centered on the city of UsefulNotes/{{Venice}}, but owned mainland territories in the modern day countries of Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Once even ruled UsefulNotes/{{Cyprus}} (the war for which was the backdrop to ''Theatre/{{Othello}}''). Had a large merchant fleet, a powerful navy and controlled a lot of trade to the Middle East for much of its history (including silk, spices, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick slaves]]).