202 - Spanish Italy in the early 1500's -The Kingdom of Naples
About this episode
This episode explores the history and significance of the Kingdom of Naples under Spanish rule in the early 1500s.
Episode Overview Having toured Spanish Sardinia and turbulent Sicily, we now complete our circuit of southern Italy by turning to the Kingdom of Naples . Once secured for Spain by the legendary Gonzalo de Córdoba, Naples became one of the crown jewels of the Spanish Empire — wealthy, strategic, and politically delicate. In this episode, we follow the kingdom from consolidation under Spanish rule through internal tensions, shifting viceroys, the Battle of Ravenna, and finally to the dramatic French siege of Naples in 1528 — a moment when the city came dangerously close to slipping from Spanish control. Naples Under Spanish Rule By 1505, Spanish control of Naples was nearly complete. The city of Naples received special privileges compared to the rest of the kingdom: Tax exemptions Legal protections Lower fixed prices on staple goods All royal offices centralized in the capital This preferential treatment helped Naples grow into one of the largest cities in Europe — rivaling Venice and Paris in population and prestige. Social Balance and Political Tensions A delicate equilibrium existed between: The nobility Merchants and professionals The popular classes Unlike Sicily, Naples…
More episodes of A History of Italy
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- 204 - The Rustic War in Trentino
- 203 - Piedmont and the Savoy in the early 1500's - How to lose a duchy
- 201 - Spanish Italy in the early 1500’s - Sardinia and Sicily
- 200th episode 8th anniversary
- 199 – The dying gasp of the Fiorentine Republic and the first duke
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