Venice's Conquest of the Orient (part 3): the extention to Egypt and Asia

Note: this is a follow-up to "A History of Venice by C. Diehl: Venice's Conquest of the Orient (part 1)" and part 2 (duh!). This is also the last in the series focusing on the Conquest of the Orient. Also, you can learn more about the book and my attempt at summarizing its content in the first post of the series, "A History of Venice by C. Diehl: The Origins".

Until the Portugueses discovered the Cap, Egypt was at the heart of trade with Asia, especially India and China, and Venice quickly understood the profits to be made there, and in particular in Alexandria. Only, Christian states had been cautious considering trading with the Muslims since the Cruisades, and even more so since Saladin who turned Egypt into the center of the islamic world; and the same was true on the other side. But such were the advantages for both sides that it was easy to find an arrangement. Venice even defended the idea before the Pope Innocent III (1198-1216), who wanted to ban any relation with the Muslims, saying that not trading would be just too much to lose for Venice to afford it, to which the Pope found nothing to reply.

Venice was also very well received in Egypt and its merchants were granted many priviledges, renewed over the 13th century. There was a whole venetian neighborhood in Alexandria. In return, Venice didn't hesitate to bring prohibited items like weapons, iron, wood, etc. Even after the lost of the Holy Land, when the Popes tried to forbid such trade by all means in hope to weaken Arab rulers, Venice always found a way around, and this during the first half of the 14th century: there was just too much at stake for the Republic not to consider trading, even with people labelled as "enemies of the Christians". However, especially between 1323 and 1344, only one boat could follow the route to Egypt, and thus Venice sook other ways to trade with Central and Eastern Asia.

This is when Marco Polo made his famous journey to China: Asia had just been shaked by the mongolian invasions. At the end of the first half of the 13th century, almost everything between Syria and Beijing belonged to them. Since they were seen as enemies of Islam, and Christian states were hoping to gain them as allies, and probably also to convert them; while they were little successful on the spiritual side, they were successful in creating bonds and, as a result, opening roads within this vast empire that would lead travellers, priests and merchants alike to Persia, India and China. Among them, Marco Polo was the first European to enter China and the book narrating his 24 year-long travel was of unvaluable value for the Venetians and their trade since it detailed with great care the resources and economy of the places visited, and, owed by all the treasures he brought back with him, didn't hesitate to follow in his steps, concluding commercial treaties with Persia and other nations East of the Oural.

By the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century, Venise's prestige had reached a new pic thanks to its trade with Asia: its merchants went to all the corner of the world known at the time, and all the rich and powerful people in Europe wanted to come to Venice and be seen there. More than a thousand families became extremely rich thanks to trade, and trade with Asia was where the biggest benefices were made. But trade alone cannot explain Venice's status as one of the great powers of its time: skillful diplomats, politicians and jurists, reknown scientifics and artists, adventurous travellers, all that too, played a huge role.

In a nutshell, what you need to remember from the "Conquest of the Orient": At the end of the 12th century, Venice was in danger to lose its power built over the past centuries. But the Dodge Enrico Dandolo cleverly used the difficult situation of the Crusader States to gain more power, territories and prestige for Venice at the very beginning of the 13th century. Yet Venice's success also won it a lot of enemies, and for a century and a half, a battle for supremacy over the seas raged between the city of the Dodges and Genoa. In the end though, a peace treaty was signed in 1381, after which Venice recovered, and even surpassed its former glory, while Genoa fell into chaos before being included in the French Empire. Meanwhile, Venice, after the definitive loss of the Holy Land to the Muslims, made the most of the new horizons that were being open at the time: those of Asia, including India and China.

To follow: The Consitution and governance in Venice