Editing Liguria (section)

===Middle Ages===
[[File:La Ligurie de Mercator 1576.jpg|thumb|Map of ancient Liguria, between the river [[Var (river)|Var]] and [[Magra]]. [[Cannes]] was annexed by France in [[Middle Ages]].]]
[[File:Repubblica di Genova.png|thumb|Territories of the [[Republic of Genoa]] (shown in purple)]]

Between the 4th and the 10th centuries, Liguria was dominated by the [[Byzantine]]s, the [[Lombards]] of King [[Rothari]] (about 641) and the [[Franks]] (about 774). It was also invaded by [[Saracen]] and [[Normans|Norman]] raiders. In the 10th century, once the danger of pirates decreased, the Ligurian territory was divided into three marches: Obertenga (east), Arduinica (west) and Aleramica (centre). In the 11th and 12th centuries, the marches were split into fees, and then with the strengthening of the bishops' power, the feudal structure began to partially weaken. The main Ligurian towns, especially on the coast, became city-states, over which [[Genoa]] soon extended its rule. Inland, however, fiefs belonging to noble families survived for a very long time.{{fix|text=vague}}

Between the 11th century (when the Genoese ships played a major role in the first crusade, carrying knights and troops to the Middle-East for a fee) and the 15th century, the [[Republic of Genoa]] experienced an extraordinary political and commercial success (mainly spice trades with the Orient). It was one of the most powerful maritime republics in the [[Mediterranean]] from the 12th to the 14th century: after the decisive victory in the [[Battle of Meloria (1284)]], it acquired control over the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]] and was present in the nerve centres of power during the last phase of the Byzantine empire, [[Genoese colonies|having colonies]] up to [[Black Sea]] and [[Crimean]].

After the introduction of the title of doge for life (1339) and the election of [[Simone Boccanegra]], Genoa resumed its struggles against the [[Marquisate of Finale]] and the Counts of [[Laigueglia]] and it conquered again the territories of [[Finale Ligure|Finale]], [[Oneglia]] and [[Porto Maurizio]]. In spite of its military and commercial successes, Genoa fell prey to the internal factions which put pressure on its political structure. Due to the vulnerable situation, the rule of the republic went to the hands of the [[Visconti of Milan|Visconti family]] of [[Milan]]. After their expulsion by the popular forces under Boccanegra's lead, the republic remained in Genoese hands until 1396, when the internal instability led the doge [[Antoniotto I Adorno|Antoniotto Adorno]] to surrender the title of Seignior of Genoa to the king of France. The French were driven away in 1409 and Liguria went back under Milanese control in 1421, thus remaining until 1435.