17)
Which statement BEST explains the economic and political factors that contributed to the rise of Florence as one of the prominent European cities from the 14th to 16th centuries?
A) Florence became Italy's capital in 1865.
B) Galileo, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo all lived in Florence.
C) Florence was a center of trade with stable leadership under the Medici family.
D) The city lies in a basin between hills with ample water sources and a Mediterranean climate.