The Genoese Republic is famous not only for its trade relations. She is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. What is known about this city-state?
Base
By the eleventh century, a self-governing commune stood out on the lands of the Italian kingdom . Over time, it will become the Republic of Genoa. At the beginning of its existence, the commune was an important shopping center. She was a serious competitor to Venice.
During the Crusades, Genoa began to expand its territory. To "save the Holy Sepulcher," she provided her ships. Thanks to this, Genoa was able to expand active trade in the Middle East.
Achievements of the Genoese Republic in the Middle Ages:
- thanks to an alliance with the Nicene Empire, she was able to freely trade on the lands of the Byzantine Empire;
- captured islands in the Aegean, for example, the island of Chios;
- control of many Crimean settlements;
- expansion of trade interests in the areas of the Black and Azov Sea;
- victory over Pisa in 1284 and gaining Corsica;
- introduction into the Sicilian economy through an alliance with Aragon.
The rise of the republic was short-lived.
Sunset
In the fourteenth century, the Republic of Genoa waged war with Venice. After the defeat at Chioggio, she began a period of sunset.
Supremacy in the Aegean was weakened by the Ottoman Empire, which was gaining power. Genoa was only able to trade in the Black Sea.
In the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries, the republic fell into decay. The reason for this was the prolonged occupation by France. In 1522, the Spaniards captured and plundered Genoa.
Hopes for the revival of the Genoese republic were associated with Admiral Andrea Doria. To gain independence, he entered into an alliance with Karl Fifth.
Rebirth
Genoa became a junior ally of Spain. This was the beginning of her rebirth. Bankers of the republic funded enterprises in Spain. In 1557-1627, bankers and financiers from Genoa concentrated incredible wealth in their hands.
Genoese bankers developed their power under Philip II. Since 1557, the dominance of the German Fugger banking house in Spain's financial life ceased. The Genoese provided the Habsburgs with a reliable and constant income. Where did Genoa get funds for financial activities?
Everything happened due to the supply of American silver and gold, which went through Seville to the republic.
However, the situation for Genoa began to deteriorate by the seventeenth century. This was due to the decline of Spain and the frequent bankruptcies of the Spanish monarchs. Genoese banking houses began to go bankrupt.
Decision of the Vienna Congress
Decline did not stop in the eighteenth century. The republic even had to sell Corsica. The island was taken over by France. Despite this, the Genoese Republic, in which democracy was carried out through the work of elected Doges and the merchant oligarchy, remained an important center of trade.
Gradually, Genoa lost all of its islands in the Mediterranean. The last colony was captured by Tunisia in 1742. Two decades later, it was occupied by Napoleonic troops. Bonaparte personally overthrew the elite of the city and made its territory part of the Ligurian Republic.
When Napoleon was defeated, Genoa hoped to be reborn. The local elite made a statement, but this was not enough.
In 1814-1815, the Vienna Congress was held. It was decided that the territory of Genoa will go to the Sardinian kingdom. The British army helped to suppress the resistance of the Genoese and implement the decision of Congress.
Colonies
Before you consider all the possessions of a trading city, you should find out where the Genoese Republic was located. It was located in the northwestern part of the coast of the Apennine Peninsula.
Its colonies were located on the islands and along the shores of the Mediterranean, Aegean, Black, Marmara, and Sea of Azov. Some of them are located on the territory of modern Russia and Ukraine.
The most famous colonies of Genoa:
- Corsica
- Tabarca;
- Cyprus;
- Monaco;
- Galata is a modern district of Istanbul;
- Kaffa;
- Yalta;
- Cembalo (Balaclava);
- Alushta;
- Tana - a city of modern Rostov region;
- Mavrolako - modern Gelendzhik;
- Liyash is a modern Adler.
Due to the large number of overseas possessions, the republic was often called the empire. She used the occupied territories as trading points.