Republic of Venice

The Most Serene Republic of Venice was a Venetian city-state in Northeastern Italy, based around the city of Venice. It existed from the 9th century until the 18th century (1797). It is often referred to as the Serenissima, which is Latin for its title, "Most Serene."

History

The city of Venice, previously a dependency of the Byzantine Empire, had established its independence of any eastern or western emperor as early as the ninth century. In the High Middle Ages, Venice became extremely wealthy through its control of trade to the Levant, and began to expand into the Adriatic Sea and beyond. The Venetian fleet was crucial to the sack of Constantinople by crusaders in the Fourth Crusade in 1204. As a result of the partition of the Byzantine Empire which followed, Venice gained a great deal of territory in the Aegean Sea, including the islands of Crete and Euboea. Later, in 1489, the island of Cyprus, previously a crusader state, was annexed to Venice.

Related Topics:
Byzantine Empire - Emperor - Ninth century - High Middle Ages - Levant - Adriatic Sea - Constantinople - Fourth Crusade - 1204 - Aegean Sea - Crete - Euboea - 1489 - Cyprus

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In the early fifteenth century, the Venetians also began to expand in Italy, as a response to the threatening expansion of Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. By 1410, Venice had taken over most of Venetia, including such important cities as Verona and Padua. The Venetians also came into conflict with the Popes over control of the Romagna. This led in 1508 to the League of Cambrai against Venice, in which the Pope, the King of France, the Holy Roman Emperor, and the King of Aragon came together to despoil the republic. Although the French were victorious at Agnadello in 1509, the coalition soon fell out among themselves, and Venice found itself without serious territorial loss.

Related Topics:
Fifteenth century - Italy - Giangaleazzo Visconti - Milan - 1410 - Verona - Padua - Pope - Romagna - 1508 - League of Cambrai - King of France - Holy Roman Emperor - King of Aragon - Agnadello - 1509

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At the same time, however, the expansion of the Ottoman Turks in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean proved threatening to the Venetians. In 1570, the Turks invaded Cyprus, which was conquered by 1571 despite the victory of the Holy League (including significant Venetian forces) at Lepanto later that year. The Venetians soon after made peace, confirming the loss of Cyprus. In the seventeenth century, Crete too was lost, after a long conflict.

Related Topics:
Ottoman Turks - 1570 - 1571 - Holy League - Lepanto

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By the eighteenth century, the Serene Republic was largely a shadow of its former glory, although it continued to rule over Venetia, the Adriatic littoral, and the Ionian Islands. In 1797 it was invaded by the French troops of General Napoleon Bonaparte, who partitioned the republic between France and the Austrians.

Related Topics:
Littoral - Ionian Islands - 1797 - General Napoleon Bonaparte

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