▁emp ire ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Mediter rane an , ▁with ▁a ▁presence ▁in ▁Mediter rane an ▁islands ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁B ale ar ics , ▁Sic ily ▁and ▁S ardin ia , ▁and ▁even ▁conqu ering ▁Nap les ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 5 th ▁century . ▁Gen o ese ▁mer ch ants ▁inv ested ▁heavily ▁in ▁the ▁I ber ian ▁commercial ▁enter prise ▁with ▁Lis bon ▁becoming , ▁according ▁to ▁Vir g ín ia ▁R au , ▁the ▁" gre at ▁centre ▁of ▁Gen o ese ▁trade " ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 4 th ▁century . ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁would ▁later ▁det ach ▁their ▁trade ▁to ▁some ▁extent ▁from ▁Gen o ese ▁influence . ▁The ▁Nas rid ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Gran ada , ▁neighbour ing ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Gib ral tar ▁and ▁founded ▁upon ▁a ▁v ass al age ▁relationship ▁with ▁the ▁Crown ▁of ▁Cast ile , ▁also ▁ins inu ated ▁itself ▁into ▁the ▁European ▁merc ant ile ▁network , ▁with ▁its ▁ports ▁fost ering ▁inten se ▁trad ing ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Gen o ese ▁as ▁well , ▁but ▁also ▁with ▁the ▁Catal ans , ▁and ▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent , ▁with ▁the ▁Ven et ians , ▁the ▁Flor ent ines , ▁and ▁the ▁Portuguese . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 2 7 5 ▁and ▁ 1 3 4 0 , ▁Gran ada ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁" c ris is ▁of ▁the ▁Stra it ", ▁and ▁was ▁caught ▁in ▁a ▁complex ▁ge opol it ical ▁struggle ▁(" a ▁k ale idos