italy in the middle ages: overview -nationality -ruler -structure -politics -religious leader (pope) -territory -empire -east/west/central -north/south -culture -dress -language -rank -literacy -population -health -trade -agriculture -structure -machinery -transportation the dark ages 400-1000 the communes 1000-1300 renaissance italy 1300-1494 stagnation and reform 1494-1789
the dark ages (400-1000) - municipia, semi-independant cities -Odoacer emperor of Roman mpire, marks fall of estern Roman mpire -invasion by Ostrogoths, Gothic ars -Lombards converted to Christianity -Pope sought aid from Franks -clearance of ancient forests -urban population decreasing -wide-spread famine -Lombards adapting indigenous customs -high literacy rate among higher ranks -mainly Greek culture 410. visigoths sack rome 476. fall of western roman empire 493. ostragoths take control of italy -slavery declines, rise in labour mobility -wheat-growing estates latifundia -selling rye and other cereals 527. justinian becomes eastern roman emperor 552. justinian restores roman rule in italy 568. lombard conquest of northern italy 639. muslim armies conquer southern territories of byzantine empire 726. byzantine emperor leo III order all icons in byzantine empire destroyed 800. charlemagne, king of franks, crowned emperor of the west by pope leo III in rome -basic network of roads -resevoirs, water towers, mills -silver, lead and sulphur manufactured 962. otto the great crowned emperor, marking beginning of holy roman empire the dark ages 400-1000 the communes 1000-1300
the communes (1000-1300) -autonomous cities communes -pushing towards autonomy -church losing power to communes -papacy controlled by local noble families -breakdown of centralized political control -creation of independant communes -land cleared with new urgency -cities expanded, constant enlargement of town walls -Florence population: 1000 increased to 100,000 -increased population -allies between milites (military family) and popolo (social groups) -consortie: allied families -merchants, artisans, money-lenders 1018. bulgaria becomes part of byzantine empire -extensive trade -trade in spices extremely profitable -Venice trades salt, lacks agricultural resources -southern ports declining, taxes 1071. battle between muslim seljuk turks under alp arslan and byzantine army under romanus IV diogenes; seljuks win and take most of asia minor from byzantines 1081. alexius I comnenus becomes emperor -temples and civic buildings abandoned or used as quarries -grid patterns in streets -art/architecture used as propoganda 1261. constantinople is recaptured by byzantine emperor michael palaeologus the communes 1000-1300 renaissance italy 1300-1494
renaissance italy (1300-1494) -temporary dictator, podesta appointed -signoris rule communes -Medici holds control over -decline in authority of papacy -pope arrested regarding taxation -plague and insecurities results in reestablishment of papacy as major political force -peninsula continually fragmented -few unskilled workers -huge merchant and artisinal class -civic life full of rituals and processions -Medici prominent family in Florence 1303. nadir came when pope boniface VIII was arrested on order of french king after quarrel over taxation of clergy 1348. black death plagues italy -small artisan workshops -black death, slows -practical education, letter writing, accounting 1447. election of nicolas V as pope 1453. turks capture constantinople; fall of byzantine empire renaissance italy 1300-1494 stagnation and reform 1494-1789
stagnation and reform (1494-1789) -leading families of city states had superiority in late 15th century -French and panish domesticated nobility and acquired new lands -sacking of rome gave rise to militant era of catholic reform -sequence of wars rocked peninsula -art and culture spread north -increase in population -increase in tourism -return of plague; fall in population 1499. louis XII attacks sforza duchy -increase in industry and agrictulture -nobility increased agricultural output by founnding new towns -textile industry flourished -growth in banking -improvement in land and sea communcations 1530. florence fell to imperial forces; increase in population following black death 1519. charles V took imperial title 1527. rome swacked by imperial troops 1630-1. plague returned, drop in population -invention of new water-powered mill -began silk manufacturing 1261. constantinople is recaptured by byzantine emperor michael palaeologus stagnation and reform 1494-1789