ce declined, principally from
the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope.

In these brief notices of the commerce of the principal Italian states,
Venice, Genoa, and Florence, in the days of their greatest glory, we have
purposely omitted any reference to the other states, except stating a fact
or two relating to Amalfi and Pisa, during that period, when they nearly
rivalled the three great states. It will be proper, however, to subjoin to
this account of Italian commerce, as it existed prior to the discovery of
the Cape of Good Hope, some important facts respecting Amalfi, Pisa, Milan,
Modena, &c., in order that our sketch, though necessarily brief, may not be
deficient.

A great rivalship existed between Pisa and Amalfi in the twelfth century,
arising chiefly from commercial jealousy; and this rivalship leading to
war, Amalfi was twice taken and pillaged by the Pisans, who, indeed, during
the zenith of their power, had repeatedly triumphed over the Saracens of
Africa and Spain. Amalfi, however, soon recovered; but we possess no
memorials of her commerce after this period, which deserve insertion here.
Her maritime laws, the date of which is uncertain, seem to have been
generally adopted by the Italian states.

Towards the end of the twelfth century, the power and commerce of Pisa were
at their height: it partook, with Genoa and Venice, of the advantages
derived from the trade of Constantinople. In the beginning of the next
century, however, we find it became a mere auxiliary of Venice. Its
subsequent wars with Genoa, and the factions which arose within its walls,
reduced its commerce so low, about the middle of the fourteenth century,
that nothing respecting it worthy of notice occurs after this period.

The wealth derived by Florence from a traffic in money has been already
noticed. The example of this city was followed by Asti, an inland town of
Piedmont, Milan, Placentia, Sienna, Lucca, &c. Hence the name of Lombard,
or Tuscan merchant, was given to all who engaged in money transactions. The
silk manufacture was the principal one in Italy; it seems to have been
introduced by the Venetians, when they acquired part of the Greek empire.
In the beginning of the fourteenth century, Modena was the principal seat
of this manufacture; soon afterwards Florence, Lucca, Milan, and Bologna,
likewise engaged in it.

Within the period to which the present chapter is confined, there are few
traces of commerce in any other parts o