Doges
Doges
Doges
Rome did.
Most Italian Renaissance city-states were run by powerful families, often referred to as dynasties, who exerted control over political and economic affairs. Prominent examples include the Medici in Florence, the Sforza in Milan, and the Gonzaga in Mantua. These families often maintained their power through a combination of wealth, strategic marriages, and patronage of the arts, which helped foster the cultural flourishing of the Renaissance. Additionally, some city-states were governed by oligarchies or republican systems, but the influence of these noble families remained significant.
Most of the Italian Renaissance city-states were led by powerful families or ruling elites. Prominent among them were the Medici family in Florence, who were influential patrons of the arts and politics. In Venice, the Doges held significant authority, while in Milan, the Sforza family rose to power. Each city-state had its own unique leadership structure, but the influence of wealthy families was a common thread throughout the Renaissance period.
city-states
The main type of government used in Italian city-states during the Renaissance was a series of oligarchies ruled by specific families, such as the Medici family or the Borgia family. This was known as the signoria.
Doges
Donatello
The Italian Renaissance was the beginning of a great change in the culture and successes of Europe which marked the transition between the Medieval and Modern times. It made sense for the Renaissance to embark from the surrounding city-states in Italy because of its close and centered location in the Roman Empire. After the dissolving of the Western Roman Empire many cities such as Venice and Florence had become large trade and commerce centers in Italy. Unlike most countries and territories in Europe during the time who were made up of unified states, the Italian peninsula was one of many different political and cultural elements. Unlike the monarchies of France and Spain, who gave absolute power to their rulers, the Italian States kept both Church control and Imperial power at arms length. These ways of political rule can be very closely compared to that of a Republic. During the Renaissance, Papal authority and territory expanded greatly, making the Pope one of Italy's most important and powerful rules. His duties of course still remained with the Church as well. Much of these territories though were given over to minor princes to rule. The political situation in Italy at this time seems to be much different from the rest of Europe.
The three most important characteristics of the Italian Renaissance are urban society, recovery from the plague, and the outlook on human beings.
Lee Clements