Bent, Storia della repubblica genovese

Luigi Speranza

The history of a powerful naval and commercial commonwealth, which indeed occupied but a small speck of Europe but which through its colonies and research spread an influence over the then known world, must be regarded by the Anglo-Saxon race with especial interest, as forming one of the steps in that ladder of progress by which we have succeeded in attaining such a pitch of commercial prosperity.

Beneath us on this ladder are the Dutch, Hanseatic, Portuguese, Venetian, and Genoese steps, each and all assisting us out of that maze of barbarism which was incident on the fall of the Roman Empire.

The Italian Republics were the first to succeed in substantially gathering together the threads of commerce which had been known to the old world of Phoenician, Greek, and Roman merchants, and when this firm foothold had once been re-established, the upward progress was greatly simplified.

Pisa and Amalfi were amongst the first to assist in this direction, but Pisa and Amalfi fell powerless before more than mere local prosperity had been attained.

In these pages we shall see

that it was Genoa who

was first in the ranks

of commerce and discovery in the Black Sea,

in the Mediterranean, and outside the pillars of Hercules.



Genoa was closely pressed by Venice, indeed,
all eager to stand in rivalry with
her on the same footing.

But Genoa for well nigh a hundred years was greatly superior in strength and resources to the Queen of the Adriatic, and when Venice did hold the position of leader in the mercantile world her position was distinctly that of Genoa's successor.

In the counting-houses of Genoa

were worked out many of the

early problems of finance.

Her "Bank of St. George" ushered in many new monetary systems, essential to the carrying on of an extensive commerce.

Her population was a hard-working shrewd race of mariners.

In short, Genoa was the Manchester and Liverpool of the Middle Ages combined in one.

I have endeavoured in the following
pages faithfully to work out the
career of the Repubblica di Genova
from rise to fall, deriving my information from such authors as had taken manuscripts in the various archives as the basis of their works, and, thanks to the kind assistance of friends in Genoa, I was enabled to consult manuscripts myself in archives not generally open to the public.

I am greatly indebted to H.B.M.'s consul in Genoa,

M. Yeats Brown, Esq.,

and to the Contessa C. di Langosco (nee Gresley), for their valuable assistance in aiding my research.