Italy History Guide italian History

Italy has to be one of the most historically successful countries in the world. Currently enjoying the world's fastest growing GDPs, Italy has always been home to a thriving civilization. Perhaps Italy's successes are related to its geographical location. Located in Southern Europe, Italy enjoys the mild weather of the Mediterranean and borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. A quick trip by sea brings you from Italy to Greece and Turkey, also previously powerful Empires.

Italy has been populated for nearly 200,000 years; as evidence has been found of Neolithic peoples. The first Greeks immigrated to Italy in the 8th Century BC. The land was later populated by the Etruscan Civilization. For many centuries, the Roman Empire made Italy home to one of the most powerful forces in the world.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, much of the population fled. Italy was re-united under the Holy Roman Germanic Empire led by Pippin the Short, who would go on to create the Vatican. After the year 1000, Italy started to regain its wealth and power and the city of Venice became a strong Mediterranean economic power.

In 1348 the Black Death killed off nearly one third of Italy's population. The plague was followed by the Renaissance, a time in which Italy once again became the center of Western Culture and had a strong influence over the world, especially in areas of art and science.

In 1494 the French King Charles VIII began a series of invasions in competition with Spain. Ultimately took control of Italy for nearly two centuries. In 1713 Austria took over control from Spain and under Austrian rule, Italy once again re-gained some of its former splendor. The French Revolution helped Italy to end some of its Empires and overthrow Monarchs, though the country was still split into many parts.

In 1861, after the Second War of Independence, Italy became a unified country once again. The unified country took on a democratic system at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1924 Italians elected Mussolini, a fascist, who ruled as a dictator until Italy's liberation in 1945. Since then, Italy has experienced growing prosperity and success and, recently, a shrinking population.