""Genoa: How The Republic Rose And Fell"" by J. Theodore Bent is a historical account of the rise and fall of the Republic of Genoa, a powerful maritime city-state in Italy. The book covers the period from the 11th century to the 16th century, when Genoa was a major player in the Mediterranean world, dominating trade, commerce, and politics. The author explores the city's unique political system, which was based on a complex system of guilds and patrician...