I think you are way overestimating 1600s florence and underestimating 1600s england.
> England is on the edge of Europe, quite provincial, not in great power.
We are talking 1600s england, not 600s england. During Cromwell's time, england was easily a major european power settling colonies in the new world. Far more powerful and far more important that italian city-states like florence.
> To go to Italy was to put yourself right in the centre of European culture
By the time cromwell was born, the italian renaissance was a distant memory. Shakespeare was the one advancing european culture, not dante.
> Especially Florence, where Cromwell ended up, was the epicentre of civilisation and culture.
No. The epicenter of civilization and culture moved west and north of florence by cromwell's time. Spain, France, Netherlands, England, etc were the new drivers of european civilization. Not florence, not italy.
> not just speaking Italian but a bit of German a bit of Spanish, fluent French and also reading Latin,
Pretty much what most educated europeans could do.
Thomas Cromwell was active in English high politics during the 1530's to 1540's. I believe England was just beginning to become a European power at that time. Maybe you are thinking of Oliver Cromwell?
I think they are. Though while being a bit strong, they’re not entirely wrong.
Henry VIII’s England was a major world power, not as huge as it would become under his daughter Elizabeth, but in the list of world powers.
Italy… was not, tho it still held significant cultural sway. It was midway through the renaissance at that time. That is likely what the original poster was referring to (and is right, if a bit over enthusiastic).
The big guns were really Spain & France, and then England & the Netherlands challenging from behind.
It wouldn’t be until Elizabeth that the “British Empire” would really start to be a dominant power, and she laid the foundation for the expansion to come.
> England is on the edge of Europe, quite provincial, not in great power.
We are talking 1600s england, not 600s england. During Cromwell's time, england was easily a major european power settling colonies in the new world. Far more powerful and far more important that italian city-states like florence.
> To go to Italy was to put yourself right in the centre of European culture
By the time cromwell was born, the italian renaissance was a distant memory. Shakespeare was the one advancing european culture, not dante.
> Especially Florence, where Cromwell ended up, was the epicentre of civilisation and culture.
No. The epicenter of civilization and culture moved west and north of florence by cromwell's time. Spain, France, Netherlands, England, etc were the new drivers of european civilization. Not florence, not italy.
> not just speaking Italian but a bit of German a bit of Spanish, fluent French and also reading Latin,
Pretty much what most educated europeans could do.