Thus the industry was propagated.

It spread into the Italian peninsula; and eventually manufactures of silk velvet, damask, and satin became established in Venice, Milan, Florence, Lucca, and other places.
Indeed, for several centuries the manufacture of silk in Europe was for the most part confined to Italy.

The rearing of silkworms was of great importance in Modena, and yielded a considerable revenue to the State.
The silk produced there was esteemed the best in Lombardy.

Until the beginning of the sixteenth century, Bologna was the only city which possessed proper "throwing" mills, or the machinery requisite for twisting and preparing silken fibres for the weaver.

Thousands of people were employed at Florence and Genoa about the same time in the silk manufacture.