I’m a well-off Byzantine aristocrat fleeing the fall of the city in 1453. Why do I head to Italy instead of, say, a fellow Orthodox principality in Ukraine/Russia?

by Chimaera187

I’ve always been told fleeing Byzantines bringing their texts to Italy after the fall of the empire is what kickstarted the renaissance, but I’ve always wondered, why Italy? Especially after the schism and bad blood that must have still existed from the fourth crusade, was it just a proximity thing?

LavaMcLampson

There were strong commercial ties between the Venetian and especially the Genoese states and the late Byzantine empire. A Genoan mercenary actually led the defence of the city and most of the ships in the harbour were Genoan or Venetian. Most of those ships got away at the end of the siege although I have no idea which scholars if any were on them vs ones who travelled later.