This volume brings together a set of classic essays by Domenico Sella in which he reassesses the economic fortunes of Northern Italy, in particular Lombardy and Venice, during the 16th and 17th centuries. In addition, the literature on the economics and society of northern Italy had hitherto dealt primarily with the major cities, Milan, Florence and Venice, and their celebrated manufactures, extensive commercial activities and banking. By contrast their countryside was largely neglected and its population dismissed as an undifferentiated mass of peasants fully engaged in farming. The essays in this volume represent as many soundings into this "long forgotten" rural world. As it turns out, rural communities often harbored handicraft industries, and the latter appear to have avoided the debacle that hit the urban economies and their celebrated manufactures, highly regulated as they were by the guilds, in the face of international competition.

In his comprehensive overview of 17th century Italy, Professor Sella challenges the old view that Italy was in general decline, instead he shows it to have been a time of sharp contrasts and shifts in fortune. He starts with a balanced and critical analysis of political developments (placing the Italian states in their wider European context) before assessing the state of the economy. He then looks in depth at society, religion, and culture and science and in particular reassesses the influence of the Counter Reformation on Italian life. His book ends with an engrossing account of the life and work of Galileo as well as an overview of the important and often neglected contributions made by other scientists in the later part of the century. This rich and balanced volume is an ideal introduction to early modern Italy, and provides a critical revaluation of a much misunderstood period in the country's history.

In his comprehensive overview of 17th century Italy, Professor Sella challenges the old view that Italy was in general decline, instead he shows it to have been a time of sharp contrasts and shifts in fortune. He starts with a balanced and critical analysis of political developments (placing the Italian states in their wider European context) before assessing the state of the economy. He then looks in depth at society, religion, and culture and science and in particular reassesses the influence of the Counter Reformation on Italian life. His book ends with an engrossing account of the life and work of Galileo as well as an overview of the important and often neglected contributions made by other scientists in the later part of the century. This rich and balanced volume is an ideal introduction to early modern Italy, and provides a critical revaluation of a much misunderstood period in the country's history.

This volume brings together a set of classic essays by Domenico Sella in which he reassesses the economic fortunes of Northern Italy, in particular Lombardy and Venice, during the 16th and 17th centuries. In addition, the literature on the economics and society of northern Italy had hitherto dealt primarily with the major cities, Milan, Florence and Venice, and their celebrated manufactures, extensive commercial activities and banking. By contrast their countryside was largely neglected and its population dismissed as an undifferentiated mass of peasants fully engaged in farming. The essays in this volume represent as many soundings into this "long forgotten" rural world. As it turns out, rural communities often harbored handicraft industries, and the latter appear to have avoided the debacle that hit the urban economies and their celebrated manufactures, highly regulated as they were by the guilds, in the face of international competition.