The
Profits They Derived From Lending Money On Interest, And From Negociating
Bills Of Exchange, Aided By Their Profits On
Their manufactures, for which,
particularly those of silk and woollen, they were celebrated so early as
the beginning of the
Fourteenth century, had rendered Florence one of the
first cities of Europe, and many of its merchants extremely rich. In the
year 1425, having purchased the port of Leghorn, they resolved, if
possible, to partake in the commerce of Alexandria. A negociation was
accordingly opened with the sultan: the result of which was, that the
Florentines obtained some share in the Indian trade; and soon afterwards it
appears that they imported spices into England. It is supposed, that the
famous family of the Medici were extensively concerned in the Indian trade
of Florence. Cosmo de Medici was the greatest merchant of the age: he had
agents and money transactions in every part of Europe; and his immense
wealth not only enabled him to gratify his love for literature and the fine
arts, but also to influence the politics of Italy, and occasionally of the
more remote parts of Europe. In the time of Lorenzo de Medici, about the
close of the fifteenth century, the commercial intercourse between Florence
and Egypt was greatly extended. Florence, indeed, was now in the zenith of
her prosperity; after this period her commerce declined, principally from
the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope.
In these brief notices of the commerce of the principal Italian states,
Venice, Genoa, and Florence, in the days of their greatest glory, we have
purposely omitted any reference to the other states, except stating a fact
or two relating to Amalfi and Pisa, during that period, when they nearly
rivalled the three great states. It will be proper, however, to subjoin to
this account of Italian commerce, as it existed prior to the discovery of
the Cape of Good Hope, some important facts respecting Amalfi, Pisa, Milan,
Modena, &c., in order that our sketch, though necessarily brief, may not be
deficient.
A great rivalship existed between Pisa and Amalfi in the twelfth century,
arising chiefly from commercial jealousy; and this rivalship leading to
war, Amalfi was twice taken and pillaged by the Pisans, who, indeed, during
the zenith of their power, had repeatedly triumphed over the Saracens of
Africa and Spain. Amalfi, however, soon recovered; but we possess no
memorials of her commerce after this period, which deserve insertion here.
Her maritime laws, the date of which is uncertain, seem to have been
generally adopted by the Italian states.
Towards the end of the twelfth century, the power and commerce of Pisa were
at their height: it partook, with Genoa and Venice, of the advantages
derived from the trade of Constantinople. In the beginning of the next
century, however, we find it became a mere auxiliary of Venice. Its
subsequent wars with Genoa, and the factions which arose within its walls,
reduced its commerce so low, about the middle of the fourteenth century,
that nothing respecting it worthy of notice occurs after this period.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 250 of 524
Words from 130194 to 130707
of 273188
