Venice A Great City-State of Its Time

Chapter at a glance

What led to the rise and decline of Venice as a great city-state?

How did Venice respond to changes and challenges?
Can states sustain themselves in an ever-changing world?

Nations face many challenges over time. These challenges can be caused by
internal or external factors or both. Nations have to adapt to these changes or
they may experience decline if they are not responsive. This is seen in the
experience of Venice which grew to become a maritime empire in the 15 th
century but eventually declined.
Background of Europe from the 1st century
Venice was able to rise as a city-state and prosper in a time of instability in
Europe.
The division of the Roman Empire
in 1 AD, the Roman Empire was the only major power in Europe. However, it
faced many challenges such as external threats, internal strife and little
economic growth. In 285 AD, the Roman Emperor decided to divide the empire
into two parts to better manage the empire. These were then known as the
Western and Eastern Roman Empires.
Political instability
The Western Roman Empire soon declined due to repeated conflict with
Germanic tribe from Central and Eastern Europe. In 476 AD, the Western Roman
Empire collapsed and split into smaller kingdoms and territories.
The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, survived the
next millennium largely because of it favourable geographic position allowed it
control trade in the Adriatic and Black Seas and the Middle East. However, it also
came under attacks by the Germanic tribes in the west and the Muslims
kingdoms in the east.
This was the backdrop against which Venice emerged and eventually grew to
become an empire.

1. What was Venice like between the 5th and 9th

centuries?
1.1
Geography
Venice is located in northern Italy. It consists of clusters of about 120 small
islands situated some three kilometers away from the mainland. These islets
are in a lagoon, protected from the currents of the Adriatic Sea by the longer
islands in the south. Deep channels of water, or canals, run in between the
islets. To the west of the lagoon is the Po River. During the early centuries,
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there were several salt marches on the lagoons which later became a
profitable resource for the Venetians. Venices strategic location contributed
to its development as a city-state and rise as a maritime empire.
1.2
Early settlers
The early settlers in Venice were refugees from Roman cities in the mainland
escaping raids by the Germanic tribes in the 5 th and 6th centuries. Venice was
a suitable area of protection against raids as it was made up of numerous
swampy islands. The Germanic invaders had little knowledge of the sea and,
on realizing that there were no natural or rich resources on the islands, they
turned their attention to the richer areas in the mainland.
Life of early Venetians
Early Venetian settlements consisted of small fishing villages. Venices early
settlers included man who had knowledge of crafts, fishing and salt
production. They became seamen out of necessity as the small land areas of
the islets meant that agriculture could not be practiced on a large scale. They
also depended heavily on the mainland states for food and raw materials.
The Venetians also constructed a system in which rainwater could be
collected in communal wells so that the settlement would have a constant
water supply.
Venetian society
The Venetians created an urban planning system to organised the way they
lived and worked. This system of administration created a sense of belonging
and neighbourliness among the Venetians. This was to be the foundation of
Venices social stability.
Venice was divided into six districts. Each district was further divided into
smaller administrative and social units. As land was scarce, the Venetian built
their houses close to one another.
In the early days, there was hardly any distinction between the rich and the
poor. The rich nobles were only allowed to display their wealth by decorating
the interior and not the exterior of their houses.
Each islets in the lagoon had its own market place and church. The church
with its central square was the most important feature. During festive
occasions, people would gather in the square for celebrations. Such gathering
enabled the rich and poor to interact.
A small percentage of Venetians became more influential as their families had
considerable wealth. This wealth had been obtained either through trade or
was inherited after fleeing the mainland form the Germanic invasions. The
rest of the population was made up of merchants, artisans, fishermen,
craftsmen and salt harvesters.

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Economic activities
As the city-state was surrounded by the sea, early Venetians took advantage
of their knowledge of salt production. Soon, Venice was able to monopolise
salt trade in the region.
The early Venetian boatmen trade salt and fish for grain with the communities
along the Po River. Through establishing trade agreements with the different
communities living by the river, they dominated the region around the river
mouth and its surrounding mainland. They were then able to gain access to
the mainland and its forested areas.
With this accessibility, Venice was able to obtain its source of wood for trading
and shipbuilding. Wood was also trade with Middle East state, such as Egypt,
in return for valuable goods such as gold, spices and incense.
As Venice began to exert a strong commercial influence in the Adriatic Sea
region, it was recognized as a rising trade power from as early as the 7 th
century. The Byzantines even relied on Venice to protect some of their
territories along the Italian shores.
System of government
Even though Venice was a vassal state of the Byzantine Empire, the Venetians
were allowed to choose their own leader through elections. This leaders,
known as the Doge, was the most experienced official and was chosen from
the ruling families of Venice. The Doge was usually appointed for life.
The early Venetian government was organised into a three-tiered structure.
This lasted from the 8th to the 10th centuries.
At the top of the government structure, the Doge was assisted by two
advisers who formed the Ducal Council. The Ducal Councillors selected the
men who were eligible to be nominated for dogeship. Below this was the
General Assembly whose function was to elect the Doge. They also passed
laws on essential issues such as on trade and housing.
1.3

Challenges faced by early Venetians

Piracy
By the 10th century, the Byzantine Empires control of its territories in the
Adriatic Sea was weakening as it faced an increasing threat from the Arabs.
As a result, the Byzantines could not provide Venice with the protection it
needed against increasing piracy in the Adriatic Sea. As Venice had not built a
strong navy, it was not able to defeat the pirates. After several unsuccessful
military attacks on the pirates, Venetians traders decided to pay annual gifts
to them so that they could have safe passage along the Adriatic Sea. Venetian
ships also travelled in convoys for safety.
Maintaining diplomatic relations

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From the 5th century, Venice had established good terms with the Germanic
tribes who had set up kingdoms on the Italian peninsula. At the same time,
Venice remained a vassal state of the Byzantine emperor and the Germanic
kings who were rivals. This balancing act between the West and the East was
necessary as Venice was the middleman for Eastern products which were sold
to countries in Europe.
Furthermore, it was increasingly difficult to trade in the mainland because of
rivalry among the mainland states. Venetian leaders turned to establishing
friendly relations with these states and negotiated for favourable trading
terms to expand its trade. This balancing act of maintaining diplomatic
relations with its neighbours was challenged in the following centuries when
Europe underwent further political, social and economic changes.

Europe at the beginning of the 10th century

After centuries of warfare, the Germanic tribes which invaded Europe began to
settle down and establish kingdoms and cities. With peace, farming resumed and
food production gradually increased. The increase in food production facilitated
the growth of trade as surplus food could be exchanged for other goods.
Consequently, cities became prosperous as they became centres for this trade.
This prosperity led to the rise of institutes of learning which eventually
transformed Europe into centres of art and architecture.

2. How did Venice rise between the 9th and 15th

centuries?
2.1
Leadership
Capable leadership contributed to the rise of Venice. Some made outstanding
contributions in the growth and development of Venice as they were far
sighted.
Esablishing control in Adriatic Sea
Doge Pietro II Orseolo was a capable leader who felt that peace in the region
would boost rade. He reconciled feuding cities, negotiated treaties with major
powers and subdued the pirates in Dalmatia.
Building the Venetian Empire
In the 12th century, Doge Enrico Dandolo directed the Fourth Crusade under
the command of Pope Innocent III, head of the western Christian world than.
The crusade was a military campaign to free Jerusalem from Muslim control.
However, due to changing circumstances, it became a campaign to overthrow
the Byzantine Empire and take over the capital at Constantinople. This event
was to be a turning point in Venices history as it weakened the Byzantine
Empire and helped Venice to rise further. With the capture of Constantinople,
Venice gained recognition from other states. It controlled some of the
important territories which had belonged to the fallen Byzantine Empire.
Expanding the Venetian empire in the Mediterranean Sea
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Doge Pietro Ziani succeeded Doge Erico Dnadolo in 1205 whose capture of
Constantinople marked the beginning of Venices growth as a maritime
empire. With increasing trade competition, there was a need to set up military
outposts along important trade routes.
2.2
Reforms in the government
The Venetian government adapted their system of government to meet the
demands of the people and the growing city-state. From the 12 th century,
reforms or changes were introduced to the structure of the government.
Meeting the challenges of a growing city-state
Creation of the Great Council
The Great Council was created in the 12th century to elect capable members
to all councils in the government. At the same time, it settled disputes
between members of different councils, passed laws, meted out punishments
and granted pardons to criminals.
The members in the Great Council came from the most influential families.
With the growth of the nobility, there was competition to serve in the
government. To prevent this rivalry from destabilizing the government, the
Great Council was expanded in the 13th century. At one point in time,
membership in the Great Council reached 400. In this way, more nobles had
the opportunities to decide on Venices future.
Specialisation of duties
As Venice grew, there was a need to reorganized the duties of the Great
Council. More committees were created to handle the affairs of the state.
During the 13th century, the Council of Forty was created. The council handled
matters of law, finances and coinage.
With the expansion of trade and establishment of foreign relations with more
countries, a 60 member Senate was added to act jointly with the Council of
Forty. The Senate took charge of matters concerning foreign relations,
commerce and the operations of Venetian fleets.
Maintaining checks and balances
Effective checks on power
In the 14th century, the Doge, the six Ducal Councillors and the three Heads of
the Council of Forty formed the Council of Ten. The Council of Ten monitored
the activities of the organization and officials to ensure that there were no
corrupt practices or abuse of power by the Doge or any high ranking official.
Any plot which threatened the government would be crushed before any
serious damage could be done. No one was above the law, and this included
the Doge himself. The Great Council exercised its authority by limited the
power of the Doge. In the course of the Venetian history, there had been
Doges who ere forced into exile or arrested by the Council of Ten for corrupt
practices such as nepotism or attempting to become too powerful.

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Eventually, the Council of Ten became one of the most important branches of
the government, especially in handling confidential and critical matters such
as putting an end to uprisings or handling cases of treason.
Preventing the concentration of power
The Nominating Committee was added to the election process to identity
suitable male candidates for all elected positions through the process of
balloting. The purpose of balloting was to prevent by individual or family from
dominating the government.
As the nobles were not allowed to campaign for support in the election, rivalry
among them was discouraged and no one could be appointed as a result of
personal favour. Nobles who had been appointed were also not allowed to
reject the position. This ensured that all positions of responsibilities in the
government were filled up.
2.3

Trade developments and expansion

Attitude towards trade

The Venetians were skilled diplomats and were able to obtain favourable
trading terms such as having lower tax rates than their competitor. They were
also able to bring highly prized spices from the East. In this way, Venetian
traders maintained a competitive edge over their competitors such as Genoa,
another rising Italian city-state.
The Venetians also possessed an enterprising spirit. To stay ahead of the
competition for trade, the Venetians explored new trade routes, supplies and
markets by travelling to unknown lands. A good example was the Polo family
which took calculated risks to extend trade further from beyond the Middle
East. Their exploration of the overland trade route to China earned Venice
good relations with countries in the Far East, enabling Venice to expand its
trade.
The wealth created by this trade with Asia turned Venice into one of the
greatest cities in Europe. There is evidence to show that foreign traders such
as Arabs, Armenians, Greek, and Africans to travelled to Venice, and even
established permanent trading posts in the city-state.
Innovations in maritime technology
In the late 13th century, there were advances in maritime technology in
Europe in the areas of navigation and weaponry used on ships. These
developments paved the way for oceanic discoveries two centuries later.
Previously, poor visibility caused by bad weather was a serious problem for
travelers. With advanced technology, travels became possible in winter,
enabling Venice to continue to dominate trade in the Mediterranean Sea
throughout the year.

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With their extensive knowledge of shipbuilding, the Venetians designed and

built superior vessels to meet their sailing needs. The vessels or galleys were
rowed by oarsmen and were able to sail swiftly over long distances.
Therefore, unlike traditional sailing ships, the Venetians fleets were propelled
by both oarsmen and sails and need not depend solely on the wind. This also
meant that the merchant and battle fleets were able to travel further, thus
facilitating the expansion of trade and territorial control.
In the 13th century, the first Venetian great galley was built. The great galley
was a combination of a merchant a war vessel. It was superior invention by
the Venetians in comparison to the galleys built by its competitors. It was
formidable enough to discourage most pirates from launching an attack on
Venetians ships.
Efficiency in managing voyages
Maritime technology enable efficiency in arrival and departure of voyages.
Voyages were also more frequent as Venetian traders were able to travel
during winter. The great galleys were also capable of transporting more
goods.
To make full use of the maritime advances and to oversee the rapid expansion
of trade and territorial control, the Senate came up with an effective
management system. It organised and monitored the schedule of trade
voyages. It also grouped the traders and ordered them to travel in convoys as
it was more profitable to trade in large quantities. The efficiency of the
system meant that Venice was able to expand its trade into many regions.
Overcoming trade competitions
The main trade competitor Venice faced was Genoa, which was also
dependent on maritime trade. Genoa competed fiercely with Venice especially
in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
Venice and Goa had a conflict of political and commercial interests which
resulted in many wars. After a series of wars, Venice defeated Genoa in the
late 14th century. From then on, the Venetians were able to control the
Mediterranean Sea and this brought them more international trade.
Trade monopoly
From the 9th century to the 15th century, trading activities in Europe were
dominated by Venice, Genoa and the Hanseatic League. Venice was the most
successful among them. After Genoas defeat by Venice in the 14 th century,
Venice gained monopoly in the Mediterranean region.
As Venice was strategically located at the northern tip of the Adriatic Sea,
Central and Southern Europe relied on the Venetians for goods from the East
such as spices, sugar and even diamonds. Using a combination of overland
and sea routes, Venetian traders went to Arabian ports such as Alexandria
and Hormuz to buy and later sell these goods to other European states. These
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goods were sold at a very high price, enabling the Venetian traders to reap
large profits.
Unlike Genoa and the Hanseatic League, Venice was able to provide a larger
variety of goods from the East. This was made possible as Venices navy
dominated the region. The European states had very little choice other than
to buy them from Venice.
2.4
Industrial development
Venice prospered as the expansion of trade triggered economic
developments.
Trade related industry
The shipbuilding industry benefited immensely from the expansion of trade.
Before the advances in maritime technology, the shipbuilding industry was
small and scattered all over Venice. Around 1100, all the shipbuilders were
centralized at a new location, known as the Arsenal.
The reason for setting up the Arsenal was to prevent overcrowding and
minimize noise pollution at the Bacino San Marco, the main trading port in the
lagoon. When the demand for great galleys increased in the 13 th century, the
Arsenal was expanded to facilitated production. Eventually, the Arsenal
became the backbone of Venices maritime industry and power.
Manufacturing industries
With trade expansion, the Venetians gained more wealth. This in turn led to
an increase in the demand of goods which promoted the growth of
manufacturing industries. The most well-known was the glassmaking
industry, which was concentrated on the island of Murano. Other than
glassmaking, the Venetians also produced items like candles and scented
soap.
New industries also began to emerge. One such example was the printing
industry which was established to serve the large reading public in Venice.
Venices extensive trade connections made it easy to find buyers for the
goods and obtain supplies such as paper.
With new industries, more jobs were created for people and Venice continued
to prosper. This attracted skilled craftsmen such as those from other parts of
Europe to settle down and work in Venice.
2.5
Innovative practices
Other than the development of the industries, the Venetians also developed
and introduced the use of innovative practices in trade and business.
Double-entry book keeping
With different trading partners, merchant had to know the amount of goods in
their possession and the details of recent transaction. To solve this problem,
merchants used double-entry bookkeeping method. It has proven to be a
useful system to record business transactions. The standardization of the
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credit and debit columns and entries which are recorded by date helped the
merchants to meet the needs of their businesses
Giro-banking
Merchants did not have to worry about carrying large amounts of money. With
traders coming from different regions, merchants used to carry different
currencies. With an account in the bank, the merchants could make or receive
payment by making the request at the bank.
With these innovative practices, trade was further facilitated. Many traders
came to Venice because they enjoyed the convenience an efficiency of
Venetians trade-related service.

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