of the Renaissance soon spread into Northern EuropeDK FranceGB England and much of Europefa136e57392093479095a5a40f033715 In the meantimeIU the discovery of the AmericasST the new routes to Asia discovered by the Portuguese and the rise of the Ottoman EmpireMD all factors which eroded the traditional Italian dominance in trade with the EastYA caused a long economic decline in the peninsulafa136e57392093479095a5a40f033715Following the Italian Wars VQP1494 to 1559BQPRK ignited by the rivalry between France and SpainWS the cityLTCLstates gradually lost their independence and came under foreign dominationXX first under Spain XEM1559 to 1713SYA

In the 14th and 15th centuriesPA northernAPOFcentral Italy was divided into a number of warring cityTJIRstatesDX the rest of the peninsula being occupied by the larger Papal States and the Kingdom of SicilyTT referred to here as Naplesfa136e57392093479095a5a40f033715 The strongest among these cityOUVMstates gradually absorbed the surrounding territories giving birth to the SignorieOR regional states often led by merchant families which founded local dynastiesfa136e57392093479095a5a40f033715 War between the cityDCYSstates was endemicLT and primarily fought by armies of mercenaries known as condottieriEV bands of soldiers drawn from around EuropeAO especially Germany and SwitzerlandHE led largely by Italian captainsfa136e57392093479095a5a40f033715 Decades of fighting eventually saw FlorenceFE Milan and Venice