Italian States

Republic of Venice

• Wealthiest and most politically stable state in the Italian peninsula
• Known as The Queen of the Seas for being a trading powerhouse.
• Power was concentrated in a closed oligarchy of wealthy merchants.
• Started the concept of diplomacy through envoys.
• Built vessels and leased them to merchants.
• Were influenced by the Orient.
• Its government was composed of three levels:
• the Great Council was composed of around 200 wealthy merchants
• the Council of Ten were 10 merchants who presided over the Great Council
• the Doge was the man who oversaw the Council of Ten; he was elected by the Great Council
• The government controlled the church.
• The roads were canals and there were over 10,000 gondolas.
• Their greatest enemies were Genoa and Milan, with Austria being a rival as well.
• Had an army and navy.
• Along with Florence, exemplifies a 'rebound' after the Calamitous Century (14th).

Duchy of Milan

• Depended on manufacture of woolens, silk, and armor.
• Was ruled by an aristocracy and had a duke.
• Some were despots (hereditary rule), such as the Visconti family.
• Lombardy was the area of Milan.
• It was self-sufficient, wealthy, and the soil was fertile.
• Its location was good, as it controlled the Alps and trade to the north.
• Their enemies were Florence and Venice.
• The Condottieri were the militaries in charge after the death of the last Visconti, these were led by Francesco Sforza, who turned Milan into a Republic.

Republic of Florence

• Was the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance.
• The biggest industries were manufacture of woolens, banking institutions, and trade.
• The florin was Florence's coin, but is soon was adopted by the rest of Europe because of the ability to make checks and Florence's great banking.
• The florin became the 'golden standard.'
• Power was held by an oligarchy of merchants, bankers, and manufacturers.
• Guilds (alliances) were established.
• The Medici were very influential.
• Cosimo de Medici and his grandson, Lorenzo de Medici, were very powerful patrons of the arts.
• Lorenzo was known as 'the Magnificent' and 'the godfather of the Renaissance.'

The Papal States

• Power was held by popes, so it was a theocracy.
• Some of the most notable popes were:
• Nicholas V (1447-1455): scholar, founded the Vatican Library
• Pius II (1458-1464): scholar, poet, and humanist who created the concept of the ideal Renaissance man
• Sixtus IV (1471-1484): patron of the arts, started the Sistine Chapel
• Alexander VI, or Rodrigo Borgia (1492-1503): often said to be the most corrupt for his unfair bulls on exploration, more interested in worldly views than spirituality
• His children were Cesare Borgia (a treacherous military chief) and Lucretia Borgia.
• Julius II (1503-1513): gossiped, 'warrior king', completes restoration of papal authority

Kingdom of Naples

• Controlled by the kingdom of Aragon.
• Alfonso V of Aragon from 1435 to 1458
• Ferdinand I of Aragon from 1458 to 1494
• Was the foundation for the France vs. Aragon conflict
• Had no major artistic contributions.