Chapter 1 introduces the three locations which are focal points of this book’s research: the Veneto, the Marche, and Naples. Each was shaped by geography as well as history and exhibited a distinct cultural orientation: whereas the republic of Venice had strong links to Northern Europe through the transalpine trade routes, the region of the Marche was defined by its position within the Papal States and its relationship with the Adriatic, while Naples was for most of the period dominated by Spain. The three regions were independent in cult as well as culture. Each had its own shrines, miraculous images, centres of local pilgrimage, and favourite saints. All three showed a strong interest in religious reform long before the Reformation, and each reacted differently to the turmoil of the Counter Reformation.
