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Question: Anyone studying World history here!? specifically the Renaissance!?
If so!.!.!.my question is, why was the Medici rule during the early 15th century important!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
For one, the family had one of the most powerful banking networks in Europe!. They took a keen interest in finding and buying ancient artefacts like long buried statues and very very old books!. They also financed artists such as Michaelangelo!. They were the leading family in Florence, which was in a creative frenzy at the time!. They also produced a pope, Leo X!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Why Did the Renaissance Start in Italy !?
By 1400, Europe, Asia, and Africa formed a trade network called Silk Road, the trade routes passing the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the deserts of Arabia formed the main arteries!. Europe was located on the point of contact being in this system of transcontinental and transoceanic trade (3)!.
Cities located in northern Italy such as Milan, Florence, and Venice had become very prosperous around the end of the Middle Ages!. These cities were located between western Europe and the eastern seaside of the Mediterranean!. Northern Italy was able to lead the Italian Renaissance due to the Mediterranean, the central location for trade!. They controlled trade with Asia mostly through the silk road!. From Asia, northern Italian cities imported spices, dyes, and silks which were not enough or new in Europe!. Thus they were sold expensively, and northern Italian cities became rich!.
The riches accumulated by the merchants of Venice, Milan, and many other smaller cities supported Italy's political and cultural achievements such as art and architecture!. also, the Italian trade routes covered more than just the Mediterranean, enabling Italy to acquire various foreign exports!. New culture and knowledge came to the Europe through these routes!. These situations enabled Italy to escape from the Dark ages and led artists to create the notion of Humanism!.
II!.2 Why Was Italy Prosperous in the Late Middle Ages !?
The reason northern Italy was so much more prosperous than other European countries was that commerce was extremely developed in northern Italy!. As already mentioned, contact with other cultures through Crusades helped reviving commercial activity!. Trade was increased with the exchange of luxury goods in the Mediterranean region and various commodities such as fish and fur!.
Eventually, commerce soon moved inland, bringing new prosperity to the citizens of cities along major trade routes!. As traffic along these routes increased, existing settlements grew and many non-residents came from the countryside!. Simultaneously the international and inland trade became active centering around the Mediterranean, and the commerce of port cities advanced!. also the merchant families accumulated enormous amount of properties by trade, and they supported the port cities!. Thus, though the northern Italy was not abundant of resources compared to other places of Europe, the advancement created by trade allowed it to prosper!.
There is another geographical aspect of northern Italy that made it become rich!. During the Middle Ages, Italy was divided into many states!. Each states cooperated, but mostly were in competition to live better!. So states pursued to expand activities in order to be better than other states!. The states' struggle to become dominant on commerce and other fields were the motive power for the economy of northern Italy to run actively!.


III!. Economic History of Italy During the Renaissance
III!.1 Italy's Economic Prosperity
The emergence of prosperous cities and rich merchants is the core factor which made the Italian Renaissance possible!. They drew substantial income from their urban subjects in their Italian cities and from foreign consumers!. The commerce kept cities alive!. The capital was accumulated and the ideas were flown into the cities!. During this period, the modern commercial infrastructure including joint stock companies, the international banking system, a systematized foreign exchange market, insurance, and government debt developed (4)!. The Renaissance culture was cultivated in such prosperity in Italy!.
Cities were centers of wealth production and creative mind!. Urban areas of the Italian Renaissance was commercialized and standard price of commodities was fixed!. The cities having particularly dense areas of urbanization were mostly in northern Italy, which acted as the main hubs for international trade in commodities such as wool, cloth, silk, spices, silver and armour (5)!. Merchants provided a ready market for these commodities, and it was only in the city, by the help of skilled artisans, that the manufacture of luxury goods and the complex technology of book production was possible, especially for Venice which was dominant in book printing!.
Commerce alone was not enough to build up the largest fortunes however; the richest merchants acted also as bankers!. Italian banking houses established networks in the later Middle ages playing for huge figures such as princes!. Capital accumulated through trade was eventually able to be spent for other enterprises like banking or to the industry!. Florence was prominent in that field and became the center of this financial industry by banks!. Gradually the flux of money was centered in Florence and led to prosperity!. These alternate enterprises played a big role on the wealth of Florence, the leading cultural center of Www@QuestionHome@Com