Questions tagged [italy]
Italy is a country in Southern Europe, South of Alps, covering all Italian Peninsula.
114 questions
2
votes
1
answer
35
views
What are these 16-Century Italian monetary symbols?
I am trying to read a part of Tartaglia's General Trattato Di Numeri, Et Misure. I have problems with what appear to be shorthand symbols for monetary or weight values. I will be grateful if someone ...
- 21
5
votes
3
answers
343
views
Why are the roads in the Fucino Plateau misaligned by 1.2 degrees compared to the cardinal directions?
The Fucino Plateau, in central Italy, is a wide plain arising from the drainage of the Fucino Lake in the late 1800s.
Looking at it in google maps, its fields are separated by roads set in a precise ...
- 151
3
votes
0
answers
110
views
What is the significance of the differing shapes of the Medici Arms in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi courtyard?
I recently visited the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, which features an inner courtyard displaying four different versions of the Medici arms. I am curious about the significance of the shapes ...
- 139
-2
votes
1
answer
175
views
What were the territorial and political ambitions of Austria-Hungary towards Italy during World War I?
While there are many available explanations and descriptions regarding Italy's war aims against Austria-Hungary during World War I, I have been unable to find much information on Austria-Hungary's ...
1
vote
0
answers
85
views
What were some of the measures put up by the Austrian Empire to encourage Friulian identity?
In "The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919" by British historian Mark Thompson, in the "Year Zero" chapter on page 144 (2009 edition) one reads
Further north ...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
194
views
What originated the border dispute over Mont Blanc Peak?
Italy and France have a border dispute over the summit of Mont Blanc. Official Italian maps claims that the summit is shared while French ones claim the peak is entirely in French territory.
From ...
- 226
3
votes
0
answers
67
views
Did the Issa ally themselves with the Italians or with Ethiopia in the 1930?
Did the Issa ally themselves with the Italians or with Ethiopia in the 1930? I found conflicting statements about this. Wikipedia claims without an immediate citation that:
In the Italian invasion of ...
- 5,548
1
vote
0
answers
103
views
Did Austria-Hungary have to cede land to Italy after occupying Serbia, and was it because of article 7?
Article VII of The Triple Alliance, signed 1912, states the following:
Austria-Hungary and Italy, having in mind only the maintenance, so far as possible, of the territorial status quo in the Orient, ...
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Who is this decorated WWI Italian Army General?
This has been a tough one. I'm trying to identify who this is. He's an Italian General, and a highly decorated one, with four medals of valour, two crosses of war merit (Croce al Merito di Guerra), ...
- 51
3
votes
2
answers
366
views
In the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946), who was entitled to style himself a prince?
The motivation for my question comes from a highly controversial celebrity. In an interview with Piers Morgan, Jordan Peterson stated that Olivia Wilde had married 'a millionaire prince'. I do not ...
- 2,385
2
votes
0
answers
81
views
Can anyone help me identify this uniform? Please help!
I do believe he was part of the Italian military, maybe someone can help me out please.
- 21
4
votes
1
answer
344
views
Why did the San Marco Marine Brigade adopt the winged lion of Venice?
The San Marco Marine Brigade of the Italian Navy adopted the winged lion of Venice — the Leone di San Marco — as its symbol, and the patron saint of Venice — San Marco himself — as its patron saint. ...
3
votes
0
answers
249
views
Why do Italian and Portuguese Marines use naval ranks?
Arguably, most marine infantries use "land ranks", i.e., the ranks used by the ground forces, e.g., 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, etc. For example,
🇪🇸...
2
votes
2
answers
469
views
Why did Mussolini say that people are not really free if they don't have access to the ocean?
On the 10th of June 1940, Benito Mussolini announced his war declaration to the Italian people, and he said (video, at 6:10):
Noi impugnamo le armi per risolvere, dopo il problema risolto delle ...
- 269
2
votes
2
answers
476
views
Why was Napoleon Bonaparte appointed to lead the French campaign in northern Italy?
Napoleon Bonaparte was, seemingly arbitrarily, chosen by the Directory for the position of general of the French Army of Italy. This proved to be a good decision by the Directory, but they had no way ...
- 145
9
votes
1
answer
820
views
What is the true origin of Capri's "Scala Fenicia" ("Phoenician Steps")?
On the small Italian island of Capri (located about 25 miles south of Naples), there is a 2700-plus year old stone stairway which was literally carved into a small mountain. These "921 steps&...
- 345
22
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is there any primary source for Mussolini being called "Juliet"?
So, I have heard a rather amusing, but seemingly apocryphal story (as an answer on game show), that Italians called Benito Mussolini "Juliet", due to his liking of speeches given on ...
- 18k
0
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What were the names of Amerigo Vespucci's ships?
What were the names of the ships that Amerigo Vespucci used during his exploratory cruises?
He was Italian; the American continent was named after him.
- 131
18
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Did the Soviet Union protest against Italy building or acquiring submarines after WW2?
Article 59 of the 1947 Paris peace treaty prohibited Italy from having submarines or aircraft carriers. As far as I can tell, Italy acquired some US-made WW2-era submarines (Gato, Balao, and Tench ...
- 5,548
2
votes
2
answers
574
views
Which specific equipment did Italian submarines lack for Atlantic?
I read the book Kretschmer, in which the author Lawrence Patterson quoted one of Dönitz's report concerning the collaboration with the Italian submarine service. One element given for the bad ...
- 7,392
2
votes
0
answers
87
views
Please help identity this Italian military uniform
All I know about the man in the photo is he was an Italian. Any help on the date/what the rank, etc. was would be appreciated.
- 21
5
votes
3
answers
411
views
What were the alleged crimes that Conradin, King of Sicily and Jerusalem, was accused of?
Conrad V or Conradin, (1252-1268) was King of Sicily, King of Jerusalem, and Duke of Swabia.
The throne of Sicily was usurped by his uncle Manfred in 1258, who in turn was overthrown and usurped by ...
- 19.4k
2
votes
0
answers
277
views
Why did Italy wait 45 days to exit WWII after the fall of Mussolini?
Benito Mussolini was deposed on the 25 of July 1943. From reading the Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_Fascist_regime_in_Italy), it seems that the main reason is that the ...
- 226
2
votes
1
answer
549
views
Why did Italy's Battle for Births fail?
According to Wikipedia:Battle for Births:
The Battle for Births began in 1927: Mussolini introduced a number of measures to encourage reproduction, with an objective of increasing the population from ...
user48734
0
votes
2
answers
773
views
Why did Italian artillery perform so badly during WWII? [closed]
Italian artillery available during WW2 looks pretty numerous, speaking about the different cannons and howitzers available. They also looked efficient, considering range, caliber or accuracy.
In the ...
- 7,392
0
votes
1
answer
112
views
What's a good general history book on Italy, 1400-1600? [closed]
I'm an artist with an interest in artists of the Italian Renaissance. After reading several biographies it's clear that in order to really understand their lives I need to know more about their world....
- 109
3
votes
1
answer
187
views
Where can I find biographical details on Bernardino (Dino) Barozzi?
I am studying some specific aristocratic merchants figures in Italian history and nobilty and I came across the figure of Bernardino (Dino) Barozzi. Dates of birth and death are 1863 and 1942. Any ...
- 29
1
vote
2
answers
327
views
Can anyone help ID the probably World War One, Austrian, Italian, or Czech uniform in the picture?
This is a picture of my grandfather. Paul Boratko. We think he was born in Austria, but married a woman from Slovakia and immigrated to the USA after WWI.
I'm trying to identify the uniform in this ...
- 21
-4
votes
2
answers
261
views
Why Italy during the interwar years and ww2 didn't devote adequate resources to develop weapons against armored fight vehicles (AFVs) including tanks? [closed]
Germany, Britain, France, the USSR and the USA had their own lines of design of AFVs and tanks. Italy, while industrially capable to some degree behind those four nations, had obsolete vehicles for ...
- 153
13
votes
2
answers
208
views
Did Thomas Aquinas's correspondent James of Tonengo become bishop of Vercelli?
Thomas Aquinas wrote the long letter/short treatise De Sortibus at the request of his friend James / Jacobus / Giacomo of Tonengo. James was a candidate to be bishop of Vercelli (Northwest Italy) but ...
- 241
2
votes
1
answer
222
views
Why did Italian immigration to the US decrease from 1900s to 1920s?
Excluding the start of WWI and the later Immigration Act of 1924, what is the reason for this decrease especially from the Italian side.
See ncdemography.org
- 21
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What are the flags in this Yellow Peril Cartoon from Italy?
Can somebody help me to identify the different flags in this Italian Cartoon from 1900?
5
votes
1
answer
454
views
How did the bride's family benefit from providing a large dowry in Renaissance Italy? [closed]
[Please note, I do not personally in any way endorse the inequality of women. I seek to understand better the politics of marriage in Renaissance Europe]
UPDATE: Since this question was closed before ...
- 167
2
votes
1
answer
140
views
How could I find the original text of Leonardo Da Vinci's fable "La fiamma e la candela"?
I have a special interest on fables. By wandering on Gallica, I found out from the work of Joséphin Péladan: Textes choisis : pensées, théories, préceptes, fables et facéties / Léonard de Vinci that ...
- 129
3
votes
0
answers
86
views
Can anyone tell me information about this uniform?
This is my Great-Great Grandfather during WWI in the Royal Italian Army. Looking for any hints that his uniform could tell me about his type of service
- 31
10
votes
3
answers
602
views
Why was the wording on war in Japan's postwar constitution so much stronger than in Germany's or Italy's?
From Hathway and Shapiro (2017):
The Allies supervised the drafting of new constitutions for each of the Axis powers and enshrined the prohibition on war into each state’s own governing documents. ...
user34317
3
votes
0
answers
155
views
Which other primary sources describe rainstorms in 1345–46 Italy?
Bryson's European tour comments on a rainstorm of very long duration in 1345. The best evidence for this I found in Villani's chronicle which described a rainstorm of three months' duration. Which ...
- 10.8k
5
votes
1
answer
230
views
What did the English people during the Peasants' Revolt know about the Ciompi Revolt?
The Ciompi revolt started in Florence in June 1378 and the Peasants' Revolt started in England in May 1381, just three years later.
Did the news about Ciompi Revolt reach England in three years?
Did ...
8
votes
1
answer
498
views
How much debt did Italy remit Germany in the London Debt Agreement?
Italy was one of the signatories of the London Debt Agreement in 1953, pardoning part of previous German debts.
Is there an estimate of the amount owed by Germany to Italy? Various sources cite the ...
- 222
1
vote
1
answer
160
views
Did Stukas support Schmalz Panzer corps and what about air interdiction?
During the campaign of Sicily, mid-summer 1943, British forces of the 8th army fought along the East coast of Sicily against Axis forces. Mid-July, the 5th British division encountered an opposing ...
- 7,392
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are the Swiss flag and the flag/coat of arms of Piedmont related?
Below is a picture of a flag I recently saw in a restaurant, that looked to me like the Swiss flag with a bridge drawn on it:
Through image search I discovered this was actually the coat of arms of ...
- 143
2
votes
1
answer
270
views
What would a small-scale merchant in Renaissance Italy consider a necessity at home?
Presume we have a small-scale merchant in Renaissance Italy. By "small scale" I mean someone who has a shop and a house but isn't big enough to be a "rich merchant". I believe that something like ...
11
votes
1
answer
206
views
Help identify Venetian headpiece
So I’ve been trying to find the technical term for these headpieces usually worn during Venetian Carnevale. I’m unsure if they are medieval in origin or a type of turban. What is the difference ...
- 213
8
votes
1
answer
215
views
Where was the Barberini psalter created?
Would you know where the Barberini psalter was created?
I have checked the on-line sources and cannot find the answer (maybe I have overlooked it?)
It was created in the 11th century. The obvious ...
- 1,541
23
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How did the Allies achieve air superiority on Sicily?
The Allies had freed all of Africa by the start of 1943. Afterwards, they landed in Sicily with a huge air force and fleet. How did they manage to land with the opposition of the Luftwaffe and Regia ...
- 7,392
2
votes
1
answer
685
views
When and how did David become the mascot of Florence?
My understanding is that David, son of Jesse, King of Israel was the mascot of Florence. And that that was the impetus for Michelangelo's statue being created in the first place.
Certainly David the ...
7
votes
2
answers
731
views
Teaching of Mathematics in Italy and in Germany in the fifteenth century
In is book Beyond numeracy, John Allen Paulos tells this story:
A German merchant of the fifteenth century asked an eminent professor where he should send his son for a good business education. The ...
- 4,590
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How did agricultural productivity change in Italy with the fall of the Roman Empire and through the early Middle Ages?
I have heard that overall agricultural productivity decreased with the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. In part at least it must be in relation to a general decrease of population - less people ...
6
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Please identify this WW1 Italian Uniform
Can you tell me anything about the uniform in the picture? I believe the picture was taken around the time of the first WW in Sicily. The insignia on the hat, the hat itself, the boots and sword makes ...
- 61
4
votes
1
answer
623
views
Is the historical consensus that Galileo did not drop balls from the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
A narrative commonly taught in schools and propagated in books is that Galileo Galilei "dropped two spheres of different masses from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that their time of descent ...
- 445