14th century Italy

14th century Italy was a fragmented region of numerous city-states and principalities, including Florence, Venice, and Milan, each thriving through commerce, banking, and trade. The period saw cultural flourishing with advances in art, highlighted by figures like Giotto and Dante. However, it was also marked by political conflicts, wars, and social upheaval, including the Black Death that drastically reduced the population. The century laid the groundwork for the Renaissance, with its focus on humanism, innovation, and the revival of classical learning, shaping Italy’s cultural and economic landscape for centuries to come.