Introduction to the Italian Wars

The Italian Wars were perhaps the most important events to happen to Italy during this time period, as Italy was fractured and did not have a strong enough state to unite the peninsula. Because of this, Italy became susceptible to foreign countries in particular the Kingdom of France under the Valois dynasty and the Holy Roman Empire that was dominated by the Habsburg dynasty. Rivalry between these two dynasties would become crucial to understanding why the Italian wars involved France and the HRE with the Kingdom of Spain later partaking in the conflicts. While the political consequences of the wars cannot be overstated the societal impact that these conflicts had on Italy will also be explored as they are vital. It is through looking at all of these consequences of the Italian Wars that a better understanding of the time period can be achieved.