Genoa, 'La Superba' : The Rise and Fall of a Merchant Pirate SuperpowerGenoa has an incredible story to tell. It rose from an obscurity imposed by its harsh geography to become a merchant pirate superpower that helped create the medieval world. It fought bitter battles with its great rival Venice and imprisoned Marco Polo, as the feuding city states connected Europe to the glories of the East. It introduced the Black Death to Europe, led the fight against the Barbary Corsairs, bankrolled Imperial Spain, and gave the