Which of the following brought great wealth and power to Italian city-states in the 14th century?

A. Conquests by feudal lords

B. Discoveries by the Catholic Church

C. The invention of the printing press

D. Access to trade routes

The answer is d. Access to trade routes. Italy’s location made it ideal for merchants and their ships to do trade in that area. Trading posts were set up to deal with merchants from the Byzantine Empire, Muslims and Europe. As a result commerce prospered in the country.