Page 48 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

46  INTRODUCING VENICE AND THE VENE T O

The Growth of the Empire

During the Middle Ages, Venice expanded in power
and influence throughout the eastern Mediterranean,
culminating in the conquest of Byzantium in 1204. At
home, in contrast to the fractional strife of most of the
area, Venice enjoyed a uniquely ordered administration
head ed by the doge, an elected leader whose powers Bocca di Leone
were carefully defined by the Venetian constitution. Such letterboxes were used to
report crimes anonymously and
Real power lay with the Council of Ten and the were often abused (p93).
2,000 or so members of the Grand Council,
from whose number the doge and his
advisers were elected.
Doge Enrico
Dandolo boldly
led the attack on
Constantinople,
despite being
over 90 and
completely blind.

Cangrande I
Founder of the Veronese Scaligeri
dynasty (see p213), Cangrande I
(“Big Dog”) typified the totalitarian
rule of most Italian cities.
Siege of
Constantinople
Marco Polo Facing financial difficulties,
in China
Renowned the leaders of the Fourth
Venetian Crusade agreed to attack
merchant, Marco the capital of Byzantium,
Polo (see p147) as payment for warships
spent over 20 years supplied by Venice. The city
at the court of fell in 1204, leaving Venice
Kublai Khan. ruler of Byzantium.

1204 Conquest of Constantinople; 1260 Scaligeri 1309
Venice’s plunder includes four family rules Present 1325 The names of
bronze horses Verona Doge’s Venice’s ruling families
Palace
1222 University of 1271–95 Marco Polo’s are fixed and inscribed
Padua founded journey to China begun in the Golden Book
1200 1250 1300 1350
1284 Gold ducats first 1310 The Venetian 1348–9
minted in Venice Constitution is passed; Black Death
1301 Dante, exiled from Council of Ten formed plague kills
The Four his native Florence, is 1304–13 Giotto paints the half Venice’s
Horses of San welcomed to Verona by Scrovegni Chapel frescoes population
Marco the Scaligeri rulers (pp184–5) in Padua

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