Question

In the 1400s, who ruled the city of Mantua?

1. A hereditary prince with full political sovereignty
2. A committee elected by popular vote
3. A group of appointed nobles
4. A council of religious leaders

Answer 1

In the 1400s, Mantua was governed by a hereditary prince with full political sovereignty, typical of Italian principalities ruled by noble families like the Gonzaga.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the 1400s, the city of Mantua was ruled by a hereditary prince who held full political sovereignty. This governance structure falls under the framework of a principality, where the prince's authority was inherited and exercised over the city-state and its subjects without the need for a collective government as seen in other historical forms of rule.

During this period, such principalities were common in Italy, where families like the Gonzaga, who ruled Mantua, held power for generations. Control was typically consolidated in the hands of a singular ruler rather than being divided among elected committees, councils of nobles, or religious leaders. Although there was a trend in some parts of Europe toward the establishment of representative bodies and more democratic forms of governance, this was not the case in Mantua at the time.