Proteggere il commercio e difendere il Dominio. Il Golfo della Spezia nella politica militare della Repubblica di Genova (XVI-XVIII sec.)

Abstract

The Gulf of La Spezia had a strategic value even before becoming the first great Maritime Arsenal of the Italian Navy. In the Mediterranean of the early modern age, sailing below the coast was the simplest and most widespread form of protection against pirates. The first phase of fortification of the Gulf, located in the XVI century, fits into this context, that of the Barbary corsairs’ war. The second phase, located in the XVII century, is linked to the first, but only in part. In reality it is the result of tensions between the Republic of Genoa and the Spanish governor of Milan, and the consequent fear that Spain wanted to get its hands on the Gulf of La Spezia in order to have a port, alternative to Genoa and Finale, connecting the Iberian Peninsula, Milan and the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily. The last phase, placed in the XVIII century, is linked to the stimuli coming from the wars between France and Great Britain and to the necessity, for the Republic of Genoa, to reduce military expenses, rationalizing the defence system. All three phases are characterized by planning and construction of fortifications, by assessments and analysis of the strategic value of the Gulf, by debates on the solutions to adopt, with an interesting anticipation of some of the problems that would later re-emerge in the planning of the Arsenal in the nineteenth century.