Set in the middle of the Italian Riviera, Genoa is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. But Genoa was also one of medieval Europe's major centers of trade and commerce. In Genoa and the Genoese, 958-1528, Steven Epstein has written the first comprehensive history of the city that traces its transformation from an obscure port into the capital of a small but thriving republic with an extensive overseas empire. In a series of chronological chapters, Epstein bridges six centuries of medieval and Renaissance history by skillfully interweaving the four threads of political events, economic trends, social conditions, and cultural accomplishments. He provides considerable new evidence on social themes and also examines other subjects important to Genoa's development, such as religion, the Crusades, the city's long and combative relations with the Muslim world, the environment, and epidemic disease, giving this book a scope that encompasses the entire Mediterranean. Along with the nobles and merchants who governed the city, Epstein profiles the ordinary men and women of Genoa. Genoa and the Genoese, 958-1528 displays the full richness and eclectic nature of the Genoese people during their most vibrant centuries.

"A milestone in medieval Italian history. . . . This book is a must read for specialists of medieval and early modern Italy, and highly recommendable to anyone interested in the period.--Sixteenth Century Journal

"A learned and intriguing book. . . . It is necessary reading for anyone interested in getting a better view of the historical evolution of the European economy and polity.--Journal of Economic History

"Genoa's history is notoriously intricate, but Steven Epstein has produced order out of chaos; this is a work of lasting value, thoughtful, scholarly, and also readable.--David Abulafia, Cambridge University

"Genoa and the Genoese holds the promise of becoming the history of medieval Genoa in the foreseeable future.--Benjamin Z. Kedar, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

In this comprehensive history of Genoa, Steven Epstein traces the city's transformation from an obscure port into the capital of a small but thriving republic with an extensive overseas empire. His story bridges six centuries of medieval and Renaissance history, interweaving political events, economic trends, social conditions, and cultural accomplishments. Profiling the ordinary men and women of Genoa as well as the n