why was venice good for trade

Why was Venice good for trade? Venice's ability to find excellent labor, raw materials, and capital contributed to their success in trading desirable woolen textiles in exchange for eastern goods. The city's “textile trade was the single most important achievement of the Italian city state

economy” during the 14th century.

Full Answer

Why was the Venice trade so important to the patriciate?

This trade did not contribute less to the wealth of the patriciate than the abundant rest of the trade. In early Modern Times the power of Venice reached its climax, but the tiny super power was unable to confront the enormous powers of the Ottomans and of Spain with their gigantic resources.

Why is Venice important to Italy?

Venice has contributed to this extraordinary development through the promotion of the image of Italy abroad and through the provision of political planning and financial services. Scattered throughout Venice are small boatyards and other traditional luxury craft workshops producing lace, textiles, and furniture.

Why did Venice trade with the Byzantine Empire?

Over the next few centuries, Venice developed as a trading center, happy to do business with both the Islamic world as well as the Byzantine Empire, with whom they remained close. Indeed, in 992, Venice earned special trading rights with the empire in return for accepting Byzantine sovereignty again.

What is the economic history of Venice?

Economic history of Venice. Venice, which is situated at the far end of the Adriatic Sea, was once the richest and most powerful centre of Europe for hundreds of years. The reason being that it gained large scale profit of the adjacent middle European markets.

Why was Venice so good at trading?

Together with the monopoly in the Adriatic Sea and the staple, and the fact that merchants could only trade in Venice with the intermediates that the city provided, Venice was on the way to monopolizing trade between West and East.

How did Venice develop as a trading Centre?

In gratitude for Venetian aid against the Normans, the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus granted Venice unrestricted trade throughout the Byzantine Empire, with no customs dues, a privilege that marked the beginning of Venetian activity in the East (1082).

What goods were available for trade in Venice?

The city was able to acquire many exotic goods used for garments, such as porcelain and pearl from the Far East; gems, mineral dyes, peacock feathers, and a profusion of textiles like silks, cottons, and brocades from Egypt and Asia Minor; minerals from Germany; wool and woven cloth from Flanders and England.

What industry was Venice known for?

The enduring foundation of Venetian wealth was maritime commerce, initially in local products such as fish and salt from the lagoon, but rapidly expanding to include rich stores of merchandise as Venice became the entrepôt between Europe and the Middle East and Asia.

What did Venetians trade?

In 1517, they took over Egypt and terminated most of the Venetian trade in spices. Venice had important connections with Northern Europe. Trade with Flanders was carried out mainly at the Champagne fairs where Italian merchants bought woollen goods and sold silk, spices, alum, sugar and lacquer8.

What advantage did Venice gain by its location?

The geographic location of Venice and its powerful navy were important in establishing it as a major center for trade on the Italian peninsula. For instance, throughout the timeframe of the Middle Ages, Venice grew in both wealth and power due to its ability to control trade between Europe and the Middle East.

Why was Venice so wealthy and powerful?

Venice became rich and powerful through naval trade, as their geographical position allowed them to be the critical middleman between the Middle East and destinations throughout Europe.

What did Venice trade on the Silk Road?

From the East, goods such as silk, cotton, spices, and feathers were brought over in exchange for European goods, such as grain, salt, and porcelain. All of the Eastern goods were brought over through Venetian ports, making Venice a very wealthy and prosperous city.

How does Venice make money?

Economically, tourism is the main source of income for the city. 14 million visitors come to the city every year, making it the largest tourist destination in Italy after Rome. Besides tourism, heavy industry around Mestre is another major source of income.

Why was Venice so important?

The Republic of Venice was a major financial and maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important centre of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century.

Why was the city of Venice so wealthy?

The wealthiest city of all was the birthplace of Marco Polo in Venice. The Venetians were great shipbuilders and sailors. Their skill in shipbuilding contributed to their wealth. Foreign countries would hire Italian shipbuilders to make ships for use in battle and war.

What industries did Venice support?

manufacturing, and silk was one of the most important industries in Italy. any major Italian city. Thus, Mol?'s book is especially welcome. there was an almost free market for workers, at least among the major centers....The Silk Industry of Renaissance Venice.Subject(s):Industry: Manufacturing and ConstructionTime Period(s):16th Century1 more row

What was Venice trading with?

During the 1200s, trade between Egypt, Syria, Southeast Asia, Iran and China was present, especially with their trade of spices, grain, wine, and salt.

Why did Venice expand its textile industry?

The spice trade with the east was the reason for Venice’s expansion of their high quality textile manufacturing. The high quality woolen textiles, for example, that were put on the market were in exchange for supply of spices from the east.

What countries did Venetian merchants establish links with?

Thanks to Marco Polo’s opening of the silk route between Venice and the East in the thirteenth century, Venetian merchants established links between the Mongol Empire, Persia, Armenia, the Caucasus, and Asia Minor.

Why is Venetian dress important?

A large influence in Venetian dress is due to Venice’s huge success in trade. Venice became well known throughout the world for its flourishing trade centers and textile industry, which connected the Western world with the East. Their location gave them an advantage over other Italian cities to connect with other trading ports from across the world. As one Venetian patrician claimed, “For a certain novelty of placement and opportune position, it was by itself the only form in all the universe so miraculously disposed.” Even before the Renaissance, Venice had already been trading with the Islamic world as early as the ninth century, and continued to in the sixteenth century. During the 1200s, trade between Egypt, Syria, Southeast Asia, Iran and China was present, especially with their trade of spices, grain, wine, and salt. The spice trade with the east was the reason for Venice’s expansion of their high quality textile manufacturing. The high quality woolen textiles, for example, that were put on the market were in exchange for supply of spices from the east. Venice’s ability to find excellent labor, raw materials, and capital contributed to their success in trading desirable woolen textiles in exchange for eastern goods. The city’s “textile trade was the single most important achievement of the Italian city state economy” during the 14th century.

What was the most important achievement of the Italian city state economy during the 14th century?

The city’s “textile trade was the single most important achievement of the Italian city state economy” during the 14th century.

Why was Venice important to Europe?

The reason being that it gained large scale profit of the adjacent middle European markets. Venice was the major centre of trade with the Arabs and indirectly the Indians in the Middle Ages.

What was the power of Venice in early modern times?

In early Modern Times the power of Venice reached its climax , but the tiny super power was unable to confront the enormous powers of the Ottomans and of Spain with their gigantic resources. By and by Venice lost its colonies and its monopoly for the trade in the Adriatic Sea.

What was the fate of the Venetians?

With the destruction of Comacchio (883) that controlled the mouth of the Po River, Venetians liberated the trade till Pavia and Piacenza – the more as a treaty with Charles "the Fat" had opened his Realm. Much more difficult was the relation to Istria and even more Dalmatia, where the Narentani, pirates of the Dalmatian coast resisted until 1000, when doge Pietro II Orseolo conquered the northern and central part of the region.

Why did the Nobility use traders?

In addition Italian traders were used to means of payment, which could help avoiding transportation of gold and silver which were expensive and dangerous.

What was the key to trade between 13th and 15th century?

Venice as key of world trade between 13th and 15th century. The Arabian conquest of Jerusalem caused a long lasting deviation of trade routes to Baghdad and Tabriz. Cilician Armenia was now the main hub of trade. In addition the Venetians lost their main ports in Egypt and in 1291 also the most important Akkon.

What were the main exports of the Byzantine Empire?

Byzantine exports, such as luxury silk cloth, spices, precious metals - went through Venice, and from Venice, slaves, salt, and wood were shipped towards Byzantium and the Muslim Levant. After the 9th century, however, Venice became increasingly independent from the Byzantine Empire.

What was the role of the Cambists in Venice?

Cambists played an important role just as well as the later state-controlled banks whose predecessors in Venice was the "wheat chamber" or Camera frumenti .

What is Venice known for?

Venice is a city in Italy, best known today for the many waterways which criss-cross through it. It has developed a romantic reputation built upon by countless movies, and thanks to one startling horror film has also evolved a darker atmosphere. The city has a history dating from the sixth century, and once wasn't just a city in a larger state: ...

What is the history of Venice?

The city has a history dating from the sixth century, and once wasn't just a city in a larger state: Venice was once one of the greatest trading powers in European history. Venice was the European end of the Silk Road trade route which moved goods all the way from China, and consequently was a cosmopolitan city, a true melting pot.

What was the high point of the Venetian expansion?

After heavy discussion, in the fifteenth century, Venetian expansion targeted the Italian mainland with the capture of Vicenza, Verona, Padua, and Udine. This era, 1420–50, was arguably the high point ...

What happened in the 12th century?

The twelfth century saw Venice and the remainder of the Byzantine Empire engage in a series of trade wars, before the events of the early thirteenth century gave Venice the chance to establish a physical trading empire: Venice had agreed to transport a crusade to the " Holy Land ," but this became stuck when the Crusaders couldn’t pay.

When did Venice gain independence?

The city grew richer, and independence was gained in 1082. However, they retained trading advantages with Byzantium by offering the use of their, now considerable, navy. The government also developed, the once dictatorial Doge supplemented by officials, then councils, and in 1144, Venice was first called a commune.

When did Venice become part of Italy?

In the 1860s , Venice became part of the new Kingdom of Italy, where it remains to this day in the new Italian state, and arguments over to how best treat Venice’s architecture and buildings have produced conservation efforts that retain a great sense of atmosphere.

When was Venice founded?

The Origins of Venice. Venice developed a creation myth that it was founded by people fleeing Troy, but it was probably formed in the sixth century C.E., when Italian refugees fleeing Lombard invaders camped on the islands in the Venice lagoon.

What is Venice known for?

One of Venice’s oldest specialties is glassware. The finest products are of exquisite quality, but most of the present-day glass goods are trinkets for the tourist trade. In 1291 many of the glassworking furnaces were relocated on the island of Murano to the north as a precaution against fire. Murano remains the focus of present-day glass production, though the industry has declined considerably. Exhaust fumes from this ancient industry also have contributed to the corrosion of Venice’s stonework.

What is the legacy of Venice?

Legacy of maritime commerce. The landscape of Venice is as much a product of its economic activities, past and present, as of its physical environment. The enduring foundation of Venetian wealth was maritime commerce, initially in local products such as fish and salt from the lagoon, but rapidly expanding to include rich stores ...

What are the activities of the lagoon in Venice?

Other small island settlements such as Burano, Caorle, Malamocco, and Torcello traditionally depended on the local economic activities of the lagoon: fishing and fowling, salt production, and horticulture.

When did the Carnival revive?

The tourist industry has been actively encouraged by the authorities. In the early 1980s they revived the ancient Carnival during February, a complement to the round of events of the Biennale, an international gathering held every other year that includes art, architecture, film, dance, music, and theatre festivals.

What is the Arsenal used for?

Parts of the Arsenal are still used for Italian military purposes, though other parts have been converted into beautiful spaces for art and architecture exhibitions or for theatrical productions. Read More on This Topic. Italy: The Republic of Venice.

Why was Venice important to the Renaissance?

Venice was a great commercial center and maritime power. It was instrumental in the economic expansion of Italy that was so important for the artistic and intellectual flourishing, that was the Renaissance. The Venetians enabled city-states to become wealthy and allowed rich merchants and rulers to patronize the humanists’ scholars and artists. The city was much more receptive to new ideas and technologies than the rest of Italy because it was both a trading power and less dogmatic than the rest of the region.

What was Venice known for?

During the various cataclysms that engulfed northern Italy in the centuries after the fall of Rome, many refugees fled to a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea, sometime in the 5th century AD. Over time, several settlements developed, on some islands and they merged to become a single city, which came to be known as Venice. It became a dependency of Byzantium in the 6th century AD. The relationship with the successor state of the Roman Empire allowed Venice to become a great trading and maritime power by the 11th century AD.

What was the most important commercial center in Italy?

The city was the most important commercial center in Italy, although it had competitors such as Amalfi and later Genoa. The city after the Crusades and the capture of Byzantium was the major commercial power in the region. The trade of Venice helped to create the prosperity that was essential for the Renaissance.