Italy in the Age of the Renaissance, 1380-1530 (Longman History of Italy)

A stimulating and authoritative survey which examines the main aspects of the history of the Italian peninsula from the 1380s to the 1530s. The analysis takes place within a broad account of the social, religious, political and administrative development of the peninsula at a time when any notion of `Italianness' was far from evident to the majority of Italians. Culturally this was a period of incomparable richness, and the authors give this most familiar aspect of the period its due. However, they argue that `Renaissance Italy' was more influenced by its medieval past and Northern Europe than is often recognised.