Beautiful waterways and gondolas attract tourists throughout the world to romantic Venice. Located in northeast Italy, the city of canals stretches across many small islands in a saltwater lagoon along the Adriatic Sea.

The lagoon spans the headwaters of the Po River on the south and the Piave River on the north. During the Renaissance period the Venetian Republic became a major sea power and a hub of commerce where the spice trade flourished. Celebrated artistic creations also flowed up and down the famous canals that were often the watery stages of uprisings and crusades.

Over 2000 years the Lombard's invaded northern Italy. Several of them fled into the mudflats of the Lagoon. In 586, the first group of refugees settled in Venice. By sea and land, Ligurians came to Venice and established themselves on the Euganei Hills. Trojans and Venetians came from the Slavonic countries and formed a united community.

Pipin III's worked hard in the mid-8th century to build an empire in Venice. The Venetians united and resisted all of Pipin III's efforts and stayed under Byzantium's power. Eventually, Venetians became independent and developed an anti-Eastern attitude. Afterwards, the naval and commercial power abounded and Venetians were unstoppable.

In 1200, Pirates become a huge problem for Venetians. The rumors of their great riches spread rapidly. The Republic of Venice fought for and snatched the eastern shores of the Adriatic to obtain clear access to commercial trade.

In 697, the first Doge (Duke), the chief magistrate of the Republic of Venice and Genoa, was elected. The Doge carried the titles Duke of Dalmatia and Duke of Istria. The mainland possessions acquired by the Doge to protect the area from threatening surroundings, known as 'Terra Firma', extended across Lake Garda and to the River Adda.

After the Fourth Crusade, the imperial power belonged to Venice. Constantinople was seized and strategic points in the lonian, the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean were taken. In 1204 the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem was established. In 1380, Venice defeated its rival Genoa in the War of Chioggia. Marco Polo's travels represented the enterprising spirit of Venice in the 13th and 14th centuries. Venice had become known as the leading European sea power.

By the 15th century Venice was known as the "Queen of the Seas." The city traded, especially as the main link between Europe and Asia. Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453 and trade with the Levant dwindled. The discovery of America and of the Cape of Good Hope route to Asia -- which transferred commercial power to Spain and other nations to the west of Italy - also contributed to Venice's decline.

The Venetian dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean ended with the fall of Cyprus in 1571, Crete in 1669 and Peloponnesus in 1751. Venice empire fell in 1797, the 'Treaty of Campo Formio', when Napoleon I delivered Venice to Austria. In January of 1798, Austria took control of the city.

The 'Treaty of Pressburg' in 1805 freed Venice from Austria and become part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy. Napoleon's defeat in 1814 meant the return of Venice to Austria. Venice and the rest of Venetia become part of Italy in 1866.

Viggo Preziosto is an author and travel writer. His website RD Venice, is dedicated to his favorite city in the world. Learn more about Venice at http://www.rdvenice.com/articlevenice/

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