HIS357H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Legnaro, Guelphs And Ghibellines, Petrarch
Document Summary
Around the year 1000 there was a commercial revival in northern italy. Northern italy basically connects the entire continent in terms of commerce. Venice is one of the richest states in italy, through international trade. Florence, many people were getting rich through banking. Medici is the most powerful banking family in florence, but they are international (offices in. London, paris, tunis (north africa), florence, and others) Florentines purchases the best wool (from england and spain) and develop a technology that finely spins the wool. Wool is no longer itchy to wear, people will actually buy it and wear it. Florence was powerful and stable enough to survive the black death. Edward iii of england who owed a lot of money to the florentines, decided to not pay his debt. However, florence still survives the financial and population crisis. The rest of europe is predominating feudal, not a lot of cities, mostly relying on agriculture.
