Sommario
Storia degli Italiani, vol.
11 by Cesare Cantù examines the complex political, social, and cultural landscape of 16th-century Italy under the shadow of foreign domination and internal fragmentation.
The volume details the decline of Italian city-states and republics, replaced by monarchies and principalities as feudal jurisdictions gave way to centralized power.
It explores the impact of the Reformation, which divided Europe and weakened the universal authority of the Church, leading to the rise of secular monarchies.
Cantù describes the political machinations of major powers like Spain, France, and the Papal States, alongside smaller entities like Venice, Savoy, and Genoa, all navigating a precarious balance of power.
The narrative highlights the papacy of Sixtus V, who tackled banditry and administrative corruption to restore order in the Papal States.
Additionally, the volume covers the intellectual and scientific advancements of the period, notably the contributions of Galileo Galilei, whose astronomical discoveries and advocacy for the Copernican system sparked conflict with the Church.
Cantù paints a picture of an Italy caught between its glorious past and a present marked by subjugation, yet still contributing significantly to European culture and science.