ITALIAN TRADE IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Already the Italian city, after the Crusades, were able to use the Mediterranean to trade with Byzantium and the Muslim world - ancient civilizations who put at their disposal a wide variety of products.

Venetian galleys bore spices, silk, fruit and wine sold to
Eastern handicrafts, wool and linen, besides making the coastal shipping between ports Muslims
These products were of high luxury, high value-added which made large profits when no damage occurred with loss of goods due to piracy or shipwreck.

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Products High luxury also facilitated the penetration of Italians within the Europe because they were light, despite the great value, easy to transport by bad roads medieval.
SOURCE:
(SANTOS METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY, COURSE OF HISTORY )