Habsburg Italy in the Age of Reform

This essay surveys the main reforms carried out by the Habsburg governments in Lombardy and Tuscany from the 1730s to around 1790 in the light of recent historical literature. Venturi's biographical approach to the theme is discussed in the first part of the essay, which then sets out to compare reforming activities in the two states in the fields of the administration of justice, ecclesiastical policy, and public finance. The drive towards centralization and uniformity is identified as the main aspect of the Milan reform movement, to the liberal and humanitarian tendencies of Peter Leopold's government in Tuscany.