Jean Charles Leonard De Sismondi: 2 books

This is a history of Italy in medieval times, the the creation of the city-states in the wake of the Roman Empire's collapse. 6th century that focuses on the Byzantine Empire and its most famous emperor, Justinian, who attempted to reconquer the former Western Roman Empire. From the preface: "When,...

            In the Middle Ages Italy was occupied by a vast number of political communities, some large, others very small, some self-governing, some under despotic rule. These small states were forever contending with each other, often to the death, for independence, or increase of territory,...