violins, &c., which they bought at Venice. Their commerce, especially the
oriental branch of it, increased; and by the conquest of Constantinople by
the Turks, the consequence of which was the expulsion of the Genoese, they
were enabled, almost without a rival, to supply the encreasing demand of
Europe for the productions of the East. Their vessels visited every port of
the Mediterranean, and every coast of Europe; and their maritime commerce,
about the end of the fifteenth century, was probably greater than that of
all the rest of Europe. Their manufactures were also a great source of
wealth; the principal were silk, cloth of gold and silver, vessels of gold
and silver, and glass. The discovery of a passage to the East Indies by the
Cape of Good Hope, the powerful league of Cambray, and other circumstances,
weakened and gradually destroyed their commerce and power.

We have said that they supplied almost, without a rival, the demand in
Europe for the produce of the East. That rival was Florence: the success of
her merchants in a new branch of commerce has been already noticed. The
profits they derived from lending money on interest, and from negociating
bills of exchange, aided by their profits on their manufactures, for which,
particularly those of silk and woollen, they were celebrated so early as
the beginning of the fourteenth century, had rendered Florence one of the
first cities of Europe, and many of its merchants extremely rich. In the
year 1425, having purchased the port of Leghorn, they resolved, if
possible, to partake in the commerce of Alexandria. A negociation was
accordingly opened with the sultan: the result of which was, that the
Florentines obtained some share in the Indian trade; and soon afterwards it
appears that they imported spices into England. It is supposed, that the
famous family of the Medici were extensively concerned in the Indian trade
of Florence. Cosmo de Medici was the greatest merchant of the age: he had
agents and money transactions in every part of Europe; and his immense
wealth not only enabled him to gratify his love for literature and the fine
arts, but also to influence the politics of Italy, and occasionally of the
more remote parts of Europe. In the time of Lorenzo de Medici, about the
close of the fifteenth century, the commercial intercourse between Florence
and Egypt was greatly extended. Florence, indeed, was now in the zenith of
her prosperity; after this period her commer