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.
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