Early Modern History of Italy - 6-18-2026 343

The year is 1500 AD. The kingdom of Spain controls the islands of Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia with the cities of Palermo and Cagliari standing proud at their shores. The kingdom of Naples stands in southern Italy having about a third of the mainland with the city of Naples sitting at the coast. The Papacy sits in the middle stretching from the west to east coast of the Italian peninsula with the old city of Rome and the newer city of Bologna to the north. The little kingdom of Siena is surrounded to the north by the kingdom of Florence. The most serene republic of Venice controls the Veneto and parts of Lombardy, along with many colonies in the Pula peninsula, Zadar, many Croatian islands, some Ionian islands, Crete, and other various islands, all ruled from the seat of Venice.  The republic of Genoa  hugs the northern coast of the Ligurian sea including the island of Corsica ruled from the seat of Genoa. The kingdom of Savoy stretches from the northern coast of the Ligurian sea to the southern part of Switzerland and France controls the majority of Lombardy along with the city of Milan. In 1505 AD, Spain conquered Naples. In 1510 AD, the Papacy, France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire all formed a coalition against Venice fearing its rising power and took over most of its territory in the Veneto. In 1514 AD, the Swiss and Milanese fought a successful battle against France and Milan became an independent state. IN 1516 AD, France reconquered Milan and Venice got its land back. In 1522 AD, Milan became an independent state again. In 1536 AD, the duke of Milan died without an heir and the Holy Roman Empire annexed Milan as a vacant state which sparked a war with France. In 1537 AD, France conquered Savoy. In 1556 AD, a 15 month long siege of Siena by Spain and the Holy Roman Empire capitulated it and it became under the rule of Florence. In 1560 AD, Savoy declared independence from France. In 1570 AD, the pope declared the the leader of Florence to be the grand duke of Tuscany, uniting Florence and Siena, forming Tuscany. In 1576 AD, Savoy negotiated with the Spanish to leave Asti and they did, so they claimed it. In 1602 AD, France and Savoy had a war, and in the peace treaty, Savoy had to give lands to France. In 1649 AD, the thirthy years' war came to an end and the treaty of Westphalia was signed, decentralizing the Holy Roman Empire's power and many more states were formed in Italy including Mantua and Massa. In 1701 AD, Spain conquered Mantua and France conquered some smaller states. During the war of the Spanish succession in 1709 AD, Savoy and France were enemies and Savoy conquered some French territories in Italy. In 1713 AD, the war of the Spanish succession was over with a Spanish defeat and the treaty of Utrecht was signed. Spain had to give Naples, Sardinia, and Milan to Austria and Sicily to Savoy. In 1718 AD, Spain conquered Sardinia. In 1719 AD, Austria unconquered Sardinia. In 1721 AD, Austria, along with its allies, forced Savoy to trade the developed island of Sicily to Austria for the poorer island of Sardinia making Savoy become Piedmont-Sardinia. In 1735 AD, Austria lost control of Naples which was now under the thumb of Spain. In 1749 AD, Spain conquered an Italian state and a war came to an end between Austria and Piedmont-Sardinia and Piedmont-Sardinia annexed parts of Austrian Milan. In 1756 AD, Corsica said to Genoa, "I am declaring independence, and it probably is not worth your time to try and stop us!" and Genoa said, "You are right, it is not worth our time. Hey France, do you want to buy this island?" and France said sure thing in 1769 AD! In 1792 AD, the French revolution happened and France became a republic. But the other European powers were terrified because they thought that it might inspire their peasants to rise up against them. France did the only logical thing and declared war on them all. Which actually went pretty well. In 1793 AD, France conquered territories east of the Alps from Piedmont-Sardinia. In 1795 AD, the United Kingdom occupied Corsica according to Geacron. In 1797 AD, France reoccupied Corsica. France sent 2 generals to attack into Germany and 1 to attack through Italy planning a 3-pronged attack to get Vienna. The general to go into Italy was intended to be a side-show, but the commanders name, was, Napoleon Bonaparte and with his superior tactics, he absolutely blasted the Austrians and Sardinians in Italy. Even though he was a general, he created "sister republics" in Italy and even wrote their constitutions. He created the Cisalpine republic in northern Italy, Austria conquered Venice, and the United Kingdom conquered Genoa. In 1801 AD, France conquered an Italian state and Spain conquered Tuscany. In 1803 AD, Napoleon conquered Piedmont and created the Ligurian Republic. In 1806 AD, France occupied Liguria and as a result of another war Austria declared on France, France took most of its coastline and gave it to Italy (a French client state). In 1809 AD, France conquered Tuscany and Italy conquered a northern part of the Papacy. In 1810 AD, France conquered the Papacy. In 1814 AD however, after Napoleons crippling retreat from Russia in the winter, France lost the war, Napoleon was exiled to Elba, and France's monharchy was reinstated. Pretty soon however, one of Napoleon's men had a ship and Napoleon used it to go back to France and to take control. The people cheered his arrival. The people hated the king, so when the king heard that Napoleon was coming, and sent his men to go arrest him. They joined his side and the king fled. Napoleon tried again but he was soon defeated and exiled to Saint Helena. In 1815 AD, the congress of Vienna happened, and Europe's borders were redrawn. The Italian states were reinstated and Piedmont-Sardinia got its lost lands back including Genoa. For more history of Italy, see the next post! -- Written by Vikenait Productions 🌍