La Serenissima

Most Serene Republic of Venice
Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia Venetian: Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta
697–1797
Flag Coat of arms
The Republic of Venice in 1789
Capital		Eraclea (697–742) Malamocco (742–810) Venice (810–1797)
Languages		Latin, Venetian, Italian
Government		parliamentary merchant republic with elective monarchistic features.
Doge
•	697–717 (first)	Paolo Lucio Anafestoa
•	1789–1797 (last)	Ludovico Manin
Legislature		Great Council
•	Upper Chamber	Senate
•	Lower Chamber	Council of Ten
Historical era		Middle Ages - Early modern period
•	Established1	697
•	Golden Bull of Alexios I	1082
•	Fourth Crusade	1202-04
•	Battle of Lepanto	1571
•	Treaty of Leoben	17 April 1797
•	Treaty Campo Formio	18 October 1797
Currency		Venetian ducat Venetian lira
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire Venetian Province Cisalpine Republic French departments of Greece
Today part of		Italy  Croatia  Greece  Albania  Cyprus  Montenegro  Slovenia  Turkey  Ukraine
a. ^ Paolo Lucio Anafesto is traditionally the first Doge of Venice, but John Julius Norwich suggests that this may be a mistake for Paul, Exarch of Ravenna, and that the traditional second doge Marcello Tegalliano may have been the similarly named magister militum to Paul. Their existence as doges is uncorroborated by any source before the 11th century, but as Norwich suggests, is probably not entirely legendary. Traditionally, the establishment of the Republic is, thus, dated to 697.

The Republic of Venice (Italian: Repubblica di Venezia; Venetian: Repùblica Vèneta), traditionally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice (Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia; Venetian: Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta), was a sovereign state and maritime republic in northeastern Italy, which existed for a millennium between the 8th century and the 18th century. It was based in the lagoon communities of the historically prosperous city of Venice. It was a leading European economic and trading power during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

The Venetian city state was founded as a safe haven for people escaping persecution in mainland Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. In its early years, it prospered on the salt trade. In subsequent centuries, the city state established a thalassocracy. It dominated trade on the Mediterranean Sea, including commerce between Asia, Europe and North Africa. The Venetian navy was used in the Crusades. Venice achieved territorial conquests along the Adriatic Sea. The city became home to an extremely wealthy merchant class, who patronized renowned art and architecture along the city's lagoons. Venetian merchants were influential financiers in Europe. The city was also the birthplace of great European explorers, including Marco Polo, as well as the classical music composer Vivaldi.