Networks in the Early History of Capitalism: Merchant Practices in Renaissance Venice

Drawing on a detailed examination of Venetian commerce in the Middle Ages, this book explores the business practices and structures that enabled merchants to compete in a challenging international market.

Stefania Montemezzo is an economic and social historian with a keen interest in the Renaissance period in Italy. Her research primarily investigates the extensive trade networks of late medieval Venice, focusing on how these networks managed conflicts and facilitated trade across the Mediterranean. She also examines the material culture of the time, particularly the consumption patterns and everyday life of the lower social strata. Stefania received her PhD in Economic History from the University of Verona. Her professional experience includes research fellowships at the University of Bologna, Aalto University in Helsinki, the University of Padua, and I Tatti, The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies. Her work integrates thorough archival research with a nuanced understanding of historical economic and social structures.