Summary of "Storia moderna (2). Le guerre d'Italia (1494-1559) spiegate con cartina interattiva"

Summary of Storia moderna (2). Le guerre d’Italia (1494-1559) spiegate con cartina interattiva

This video explains the complex and prolonged series of conflicts known as the Italian Wars, which took place on the Italian peninsula from 1494 to 1559. It outlines the political fragmentation of Italy at the end of the 15th century, the main phases of the wars, key events, alliances, and the eventual dominance of foreign powers, especially Spain, over much of Italy.

Main Ideas and Concepts

Political Fragmentation of Italy (late 15th century)

Italy was divided into multiple small states, including:
- Duchy of Milan
- Florentine Republic
- Republic of Venice
- Papal States
- Kingdom of Naples (with Sicily and Sardinia under Aragonese Spanish rule)
- Duchy of Savoy
- Republic of Genoa
These states were often in conflict but none had enough power to dominate the others.
The Peace of Lodi (1454) and the Italian League created a fragile balance and political stability among Milan, Venice, and Florence.

External Threats and the Start of the Italian Wars (1494)

Powerful monarchies outside Italy—France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire—eyed the fragmented peninsula.
The Italian Wars began when French King Charles VIII invaded Italy aiming to conquer Naples, supported by Ludovico Sforza of Milan.

Detailed Phases and Key Events

1. First Phase (1494–1495): Charles VIII’s Invasion

Rapid French advance due to weak Italian resistance.
Formation of an anti-French coalition including Spain and the Holy Roman Emperor.
Battle of Fornovo (1495) was fought but had little strategic impact.
Charles VIII retreats to France, but the invasion exposed Italy’s vulnerability.

2. Second Phase (1499–1504): Louis XII’s Campaigns

Louis XII targets the Duchy of Milan and successfully occupies it.
Treaty of Lyon (1504) recognizes French control over Milan; Spain retains Naples.
Cesare Borgia’s attempt (1499–1503) to create a personal state with papal support ends after Pope Alexander VI’s death and successor Giuliano della Rovere opposes him.

3. Third Phase (1508–1513): League of Cambrai and Conflict with Venice

League of Cambrai formed against Venice (France, Spain, Emperor Maximilian).
Battle of Agnadello (1509) defeats Venice, which loses territories but remains independent.
League dissolves; anti-French Holy League forms (including England and Swiss cantons).
France loses Milan after the Battle of Novara (1513).

4. Fourth Phase (1515–1529): Francis I’s Campaign and Rise of Charles V

Francis I reconquers Milan (1515).
Treaty with Spain (1516) confirms French Milan and Spanish Naples.
Charles of Habsburg becomes King of Spain (1516) and Holy Roman Emperor (1519), escalating Franco-Habsburg rivalry.
War resumes (1521), culminating in the Battle of Pavia (1525) where Francis I is captured.
Peace of Madrid reduces French holdings in Italy.
Francis I joins the anti-Habsburg League of Cognac (1526) with the Pope, Florence, Venice, Milan, Genoa, and England.
League defeated; 1527 Sack of Rome by Charles V’s mercenaries.
Peace of Cambrai (1529) installs Francesco II Sforza in Milan; after his death, Milan falls under Habsburg control.

5. Final Phase (1553–1559): French-Spanish Struggle and Spanish Hegemony

France occupies Duchy of Savoy (1553).
Charles V abdicates; his son Philip II of Spain continues the fight against French King Henry II.
Conflict ends with the Peace of Cateau-Cambresis (1559).
Spain recognized as ruler of Milan, Sardinia, and Naples, establishing long-term Spanish dominance in Italy.

Lessons and Conclusions

The Italian Wars illustrate the vulnerability of a politically fragmented region to external powers.

Shifting alliances, betrayals, and continuous warfare characterized this period, showing the complexity of Renaissance politics.
The wars marked the end of Italian independence for many states and the beginning of Spanish dominance in Italy lasting for decades.
The conflict was not just local but a stage for broader European power struggles, especially between France and the Habsburgs.

Speakers and Historical Figures Referenced

The video appears to be a single-narrator educational explanation (no distinct speakers named).
Historical figures referenced include:
- Charles VIII of France
- Louis XII of France
- Cesare Borgia
- Pope Alexander VI and Pope Giuliano della Rovere (Pope Julius II)
- Francis I of France
- Charles of Habsburg (Charles V)
- Philip II of Spain
- Francesco II Sforza