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Prepared by owl2009Source: Upper Secondary Social Studies Page 1

Venice A Great City-State of Its Time

Chapter at a glance

y What led to the rise and decline of Venice as a great city-state?y How did Venice respond to changes and challenges?y 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 15th

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

theWestern and Eastern Roman Empires.

Political instability

TheWestern Roman Empire soon declined due to repeated conflict with Germanic tribe from

Central and Eastern Europe. In 476 AD, theWestern 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 5 th and 9th centuries?1.1Geography

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,

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.

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1.2Early settlersThe early settlers in Venice were refugees from Roman cities in the mainland escaping raids by

the Germanic tribes in the 5th

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.

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,

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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 10 th 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 9 th and 15th centuries?2.1Leadership

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 commandof

Pope Innocent III, head of the western Christian world than. The crusade was a militarycampaign 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

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.

2.2Reforms in the governmentThe Venetian government adapted their system of government to meet the demands of the

people and the growing city-state. From the 12th

century, reforms or changes were introduced to

the structure of the government.

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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 threeHeads 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.

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

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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 andmonitored 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 14th

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 andHormuz to buy and later sell these goods to other European states. These 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.

2.4Industrial developmentVenice prospered as the expansion of trade triggered economicdevelopments.

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.

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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 13th

century, the Arsenal was expanded to facilitated production.

Eventually, the Arsenal became the backbone of Venices maritime industry and power.

Manufacturing industriesWith 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.

2.5Innovative practicesOther 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 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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Venice[1]