Renaissance Italy
In the fifteenth century, Italy was not the unified country we know today.
At that time the boot-shaped peninsula was divided into many small
independent states. Naples in the south was ruled by a series of kings.
Popes of the Roman Catholic Church ruled the middle section. To the north
different families controlled the largest and wealthiest city-states of
Florence, Milan, and Venice. They fought wars against each other and
against smaller neighboring states to increase their power.
Click on a location to see what Leonardo did there.