Power And Economy In Italy Essay

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Power and economy in Italy, Spain, England, and France
Identify two causes for each of the following:
1. The economic rise of the Italian city-states. The Italian city-states had the opportunity to break away from feudalism and prosper greatly other ways because of its geography. The Italian states extended into the Mediterranean sea, and were placed in between most of Europe and the Byzantine Empire. This allowed these city-states to flourish greatly with trade and dealing with the market. Also, the Italian-states were able to gain economic prosperity as they were ruled by wealthy, powerful families. For example, Urbino was ruled by the Montefeltro dynasty. They compensated for the poverty of the city-state, and helped turn it into a strong cultural and intellectual center.
2. The decline in power of the Italian city-states. An attempted alliance system was …show more content…

As Machiavelli says, after a disaster is great time for innovation and change. This is exactly what happened in France: a reestablishment of monarchal government. Also, with the need to prosecute the war, it allowed more authority and power for the king. In addition, King Louis XI retained the taille, which was a permeant tax that brought about a centralized source of income, which meant more power.
4. The centralization of power in England Similar to France, England was affected economically by the Hundred Years’ War. However, Henry VII, the first Tudor king, hoped to change the way England was after the war. So, he ended the private wars of nobility by abolishing “livery and maintenance,” which abolished private armies of wealthy aristocrats. Henry also implemented the Court of Star Chamber to take care of the irresponsible activity of the nobles. He also worked on increasing revenue, avoiding wars, and respected the middle class. These changes, among others, created a strong, centralized form of authority.
5. The centralization of power in

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