Republic of Venice
former state in Northeastern Italy (697–1797)
The Most Serene Republic of Venice (Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, Venetian: Republica de Venesia), was an Italian state where current 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 important economic and trading power which was ruled by a leader called a doge.