>> Not sure what Pasos is ("Fantasy Island Kingdom" most likely).
> I'm sorry, but I can't bear this nonsense: Nolos could be Marseille,
> instead of Venice, but in that case Pasos "is" Amsterdam or Venice.
> Why inventing a fantasy island kingdom?
What I meant was that in my opinion Pasos doesn't share many recognisable characteristics of Venice. Certainly not enough that I'd say, "Pasos is like Venice." I doubt the authors of Pasos had a clear analogy in mind. Hence, 'fantasy island kingdom'. (And *not*, I stress, '"Fantasy Island" kingdom' -- too weird!).
Whereas Handra shares plenty: the wealth, the sea trade rivalry, the involvement in Crusades to the east, the canals and gondolas, the political scheming...
>> Handra
> I think more probable Pisa or Florence (the former was economically
> stronger, the latter was culturally richer); swamps were everywhere,
> almost, in Italy until Mussolini time.
As were cities built in the middle of huge swamps with canals in place of streets? You surprise me. I thought these features were uniquely Venetian/Handran; I would not expect to find them elsewhere in Italy/Safelster.
The "mainstream" Safelstran cities (Azilos, Tiskos, Tortun, Sentanos...) are our arena for the cut'n'thrust Renaissance era politics of Florence, Milan, Pisa, etc. (And I agree that the pre-Renaissance republics are a *fine* source for inspiration).
> Not that simple: Renaissance was different, subsequential but different,
> from the golden age of italian mariner republics (Pisa, Venice, Amalfi and
> Genoa): it took place two centuries after their ventures and much more in
> Rome, Florence and Milan than in seaports.
Exactly. I am proposing that the "golden age of Italian mariner republics" is being acted out between (Genoese) Pasos and (Venetian) Handra, while the Renaissance-era city-state politicking takes place between the cities around Lake Felster. Two separate parallels.
> We should not forget the cultural, political, economical and religious
> role of the Lowlands in Europe late middle ages or of the Helvetic
> Confederation: see Charles the Bold, Duchy of Burgundy and his battles
> against Swiss elite Pikemen.
You have me at a disadvantage: why shouldn't we forget these? (Assuming, for the nonce, that we ever remembered them).
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Nick
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