Republic of Venice
The Most Serene Republic of Venice (Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, Venetian: Republica de Venesia), was an Italian state where modern Venice is now. It existed for one thousand one hundred years, from the late 7th century until the late 18th century (1797, when it was conquered by Napoleon). It was an great economic and trading power which was ruled by a leader called the Doge.
Venice was, at its height, the most powerful trading state in Europe. It was based in the lagoon communities of the historically prosperous city of Venice. It held property in many places. This property was known as the Stato da Màr.
There were conflicts with the the Catholic Church in Rome, and with Austria. War with their enemies brought the plague in 1630. In 16 months 50,000 people died in Venice, one third of the population. War with Turkish pirates drained their strength. In 1714 the Turks declared was on Venice, and captured islands of the Peloponnese which had belonged to Venice. The Republic of Venice declined in the 18th century.[1][2]
