Culture and Politics of Regime Change in Italy c.1494-c.1559

<p>This volume offers the first comprehensive survey of regime change in Italy in the period c.1494–c.1559.</p><p>Far from being a purely modern phenomenon regime change was a common feature of life in Renaissance Italy – no more so than during the Italian Wars (1494–1559). During those turbulent years governments rose and fell with dizzying regularity. Some changes of regime were peaceful; others were more violent. But whenever a new reggimento took power old social tensions were laid bare and new challenges emerged – any of which could easily threaten its survival. This provoked a variety of responses both from newly established regimes and from their opponents. Constitutional reforms were proposed and enacted; civic rituals were developed; works of art were commissioned; literary works were penned; and occasionally aspects of material culture were pressed into service as well. Comparative in approach and broad in scope it offers a provocative new view of the diverse political culture and economic factors which ensured the survival (or demise) of regimes – not only in major polities like Florence Rome and Venice but also in less-well-studied regions like Savoy.</p><p>This book will appeal to researchers and students alike interested in cultural political and military history.</p>