Italy in the late Middle Ages was fragmented and tumultuous, with the North thriving while the South suffered. The rise of the merchant class in Northern Italy shifted power from feudal lords to wealthy merchants, boosting trade and weakening old restrictions. This economic shift laid groundwork for the Renaissance, despite Europe facing disasters like the Black Death. Meanwhile, warring city-states like Venice, Florence, and Milan fought for dominance, with Florence's resistance against Milan's Giangaleazzo Visconti highlighting a pivotal moment for the early Renaissance.