History of Venice from 1131 to 1170

1131

The seat of the patriarchate, the supreme ecclesiastical authority of the Republic, is transferred from Grado to Venice.

1133

Construction of the church of San Marziale by the Bocchi family.

1140

Completion of the church of Santa Maria e San Donato in Murano; the date of completion is inscribed on the mosaic floor of the church.

1142

From 1142 to 1144, a conflict arose between Venice and Padua over the division of the waters of the Brenta.

Originally, the Brenta did not flow into the lagoon, but was diverted there by the Paduan people in 1142 to protect their own territory from flooding. As a result, the Brenta river now flowed directly into the lagoon, behind Venice.

However, this diversion caused serious silting of the port of Venice and prevented Venetian boats from using it. This was a situation that the Serenissima could not tolerate, as its survival depended on it.

1143

This is an important date in the foundations of power in Venice. That year, a new assembly was created: the Council of the Wise (Consiglio dei savi or Consilium Sapientium).

From that date onwards, the popular assembly, the Arengo, retained only the power to ratify the decisions of the Council of the Wise and to elect the Doge.

1147

The Republic of Venice obtained new franchises in Crete and Cyprus. At that time, there was a large Venetian quarter in Constantinople.

1148

War between the Greeks and Venetians against Roger of Sicily: Doge Pietro Polani, at the request of Byzantium, leaves Venice at the head of a war fleet.

However, seriously ill, he is forced to turn back at Caorle and dies a few weeks later.

The Venetians win the war against Roger of Sicily, with George of Antioch being defeated by the Venetians at Cape Matapan.

Domenico Morosini is elected Doge of Venice. He is the first member of the Morosini family to be elected Doge. The first Bell Tower of St. Mark's, whose construction had begun in 888, is completed in 1148.

1149

A serious fire broke out in Venice, destroying the Church of San Agostino for the second time. Thirteen Calli were destroyed by the flames.

Venice signs a peace treaty with Sicily at the end of 1149.

1154

Venice signs a peace treaty with Pisa and a trade agreement with Sicily.

1155

Frederick I of Hohenstaufen, Holy Roman Emperor, also known as Frederick Barbarossa (1122-1190), is crowned emperor at St. Peter's in Rome.

1156

Death of Doge Domenico Morosini and election of the new Doge, Vitale Michiel II.

1157

Creation of the Banco Giro (Giro means ‘transfer’) in Venice, in the Rialto district. It is a private bank run by nobles.

1158

Tensions arise between Byzantium and Venice. For greater security, Venetians living in Byzantium are repatriated to Venice. These tensions will last until 1159.

1160

The monks of the Abbey of S. Ilario found the Benedictine monastery of San Gregorio near the Church of the Salute.

1161

Venice breaks off relations with Frederick I of Hohenstaufen, known as Barbarossa, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

1162

Ulrich of Treffen, Patriarch of Aquileia, who was of German origin and naturally sided with Barbarossa, attacked the city of Grado, forcing its patriarch, Enrico Dandolo, to flee to Venice.

Doge Vitale Michiel II immediately raised an army, recaptured Grado and took the city of Aquileia. Ulrich of Treffen was taken prisoner along with twelve of his canons.

To secure his release and as a sign of humiliation, Ulrich of Treffen was condemned to pay the Venetians an annual tribute of a bull and twelve pigs.

The bull and the twelve pigs were slaughtered every year in St. Mark's Square on the last Thursday of Carnival.

The ceremony, with variations, continued for more than eight centuries, until the end of the Republic of Venice.

1163

Verona, Padua and Vicenza join forces with Venice to resist Emperor Barbarossa.

1167

On 1 December 1167, Venice joined the Lombard League's oath against Frederick I of Hohenstaufen, known as Barbarossa. This oath did not result in any military action on the part of Venice. It was therefore merely a treaty of alliance.

On 30 July 1167, after capturing and sacking Rome, Barbarossa installed a new pope, his puppet, the antipope Paschal III.

1170

It was in 1170 that a process of consolidation and transformation of the institutions of the Republic of Venice began.

This process gave rise to the Grand Council and all the other major institutions that would bring stability and continuity to the Republic for nearly six centuries.

The year 1170 was also a year of wars in the Adriatic, some won and some lost...

It was also in 1170 that serious tensions arose between Constantinople and Venice when the Basileus of Constantinople decided to grant commercial privileges to the Genoese and Pisans as well.

This decision directly threatened the commercial interests of the Republic of Venice in the Levant.

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