Region
Venice belongs to the northeastern region of Italy called Veneto. At one point in time, the Republic of Venice controlled the entire northeastern Italy, parts of Slovenia and Croatia, Cyprus, Crete, and a part of Greece.
During the sixteenth century, Venice was greatly immersed in music, theatre, and their love for the arts was so great that at this time, most other European countries only performed music in the king’s court, while in Venice, there were seventeen public theaters. One of the most famous theaters in Venice was called "La Fenice," meaning "The Phoenix."
The fall of Constantinople in 1453, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, in which the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, made it their capital city, and renamed it Istanbul, is considered the end of the Roman legacy. This also started the gradual and long decline of the Republic of Venice, when in 1470 the Venetians lost a major naval battle at Negroponte to the Ottoman Turks.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered North America, leading to a vast new market for European traders. In 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed across Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and found a new route to India. This ended Venice’s monopoly over the spice trade. Up till now, Venice had dominated the spice trade due to the fact that its many ports across the Mediterranean allowed the West to trade with the East. In specific, Venice used the goods produced by its many talented artisans to trade with the East and get spices, then Venice would sell the spices to the surrounding countries. This was a main source of wealth for Venice.
During the sixteenth century, Venice was greatly immersed in music, theatre, and their love for the arts was so great that at this time, most other European countries only performed music in the king’s court, while in Venice, there were seventeen public theaters. One of the most famous theaters in Venice was called "La Fenice," meaning "The Phoenix."
The fall of Constantinople in 1453, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, in which the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, made it their capital city, and renamed it Istanbul, is considered the end of the Roman legacy. This also started the gradual and long decline of the Republic of Venice, when in 1470 the Venetians lost a major naval battle at Negroponte to the Ottoman Turks.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered North America, leading to a vast new market for European traders. In 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed across Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and found a new route to India. This ended Venice’s monopoly over the spice trade. Up till now, Venice had dominated the spice trade due to the fact that its many ports across the Mediterranean allowed the West to trade with the East. In specific, Venice used the goods produced by its many talented artisans to trade with the East and get spices, then Venice would sell the spices to the surrounding countries. This was a main source of wealth for Venice.