There is probably no better way to get replies on this board than to make a post about the Byzantines haha-too many Roman fans.
Dalmatia Ascendant
There is probably no better way to get replies on this board than to make a post about the Byzantines haha-too many Roman fans.
Update!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The Dalmatian Campaign of the Istrian War was the principle theatre of conflict throughout the years 1202 to 1204. It's course was largely guided at first by the actions of Venice, which, armed with a huge fleet and gifted with the initiative, seemed unstoppable for a time. The remnants of the Triestine fleet were seized and added to that of Venice, and Muggia was forced to yield its own ships to the Republic. The Polasi fleet had escaped to join with the League of Dalmatia after the Battle of Brioni Grande, though the city itself had fallen into Venetian hands.
With Istria as a secure base of operations, Venice's strategic situation was improved still further. The Fall of Crepsa on the 31nd of October was only made possible through the use of southern Istria as a launching point for the assault. The official declaration of war* on the 11th of November** 1202 from the League of Dalmatia did little to alter this, but it did prompt Doge Enrico Dandolo to respond with force. So too did the severing of diplomatic ties from Pisa on the 16th of November and Genoa on the 19th.
Now with Crepsa as a base, the island cities of Veglia and Arba were vulnerable to a Venetian attack. Most of the Veglian and Arban fleets had relocated to Zara, while a not-insignificant portion of their governments and population had fled to the mainland city of Reka and its environs. Nevertheless, the capture of these islands was regarded as a strategic necessity and required to reestablish the initiative in Venice's favour. Dandolo issued the order to invade just three weeks after Crepsa was secured.'
Extract from - The Istrian War
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*I realise that actual declarations of war were infrequent at best in that day and age, but as the express purpose of the League of Dalmatia is to expel the Venetians from Istria, it makes sense for them to 'officialise' the war.
**A coincidence, I did not intend to make the declaration of war on the same day as the Armistice of the First World War!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic situation after the fall of Crepsa:
You may notice that Venice has occupied more of Istria, and that more of the Dalmatian hinterland has joined the cities against the Venetians.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The Dalmatian Campaign of the Istrian War was the principle theatre of conflict throughout the years 1202 to 1204. It's course was largely guided at first by the actions of Venice, which, armed with a huge fleet and gifted with the initiative, seemed unstoppable for a time. The remnants of the Triestine fleet were seized and added to that of Venice, and Muggia was forced to yield its own ships to the Republic. The Polasi fleet had escaped to join with the League of Dalmatia after the Battle of Brioni Grande, though the city itself had fallen into Venetian hands.
With Istria as a secure base of operations, Venice's strategic situation was improved still further. The Fall of Crepsa on the 31nd of October was only made possible through the use of southern Istria as a launching point for the assault. The official declaration of war* on the 11th of November** 1202 from the League of Dalmatia did little to alter this, but it did prompt Doge Enrico Dandolo to respond with force. So too did the severing of diplomatic ties from Pisa on the 16th of November and Genoa on the 19th.
Now with Crepsa as a base, the island cities of Veglia and Arba were vulnerable to a Venetian attack. Most of the Veglian and Arban fleets had relocated to Zara, while a not-insignificant portion of their governments and population had fled to the mainland city of Reka and its environs. Nevertheless, the capture of these islands was regarded as a strategic necessity and required to reestablish the initiative in Venice's favour. Dandolo issued the order to invade just three weeks after Crepsa was secured.'
Extract from - The Istrian War
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*I realise that actual declarations of war were infrequent at best in that day and age, but as the express purpose of the League of Dalmatia is to expel the Venetians from Istria, it makes sense for them to 'officialise' the war.
**A coincidence, I did not intend to make the declaration of war on the same day as the Armistice of the First World War!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic situation after the fall of Crepsa:
You may notice that Venice has occupied more of Istria, and that more of the Dalmatian hinterland has joined the cities against the Venetians.
Last edited:
Update!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Veglia and Arba were unable to resist the Venetian assault for more than a week. With the command of Dalmatia vested in the hands of the Zaratin Comes, the fleets of the northern islands were gathered at Zara preparing for the coming onslaught rather than engaging Venice directly. Their leaders, also at Zara, petitioned Begna for the dispatchment of a relief force - a request which was denied by the 'Dalmacie Princeps'. Without control of their own fleets, neither Veglia nor Arba could do anything themselves.
The Venetian invasion of the islands began on the 21st of November - the last opportunity before the end of the campaign season to deal a heavy blow. And heavy it was. Venetian forces simultaneously made landfall at important settlements across the two islands, while the Grand Fleet destroyed or captured what little remained of the Veglian and Arban fleets. After just five days, most of the islands were in Venetian hands and the cities under siege. Without a large portion of their military, and no relief force foreseeable, Veglia surrendered on the 28th and Arba followed on the 30th.
By the beginning of December, Venice held the initiative in the war, dominated the northern Adriatic and was secure in its conquests with the end of the campaign season. To all, the Venetians were certainly winning the conflict and looked set to inherit all of the Dalmatian coast.
Yet they could not foresee what awaited them at Zara.'
Extract from - The Decline and Fall of the Republic of Venice
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Veglia and Arba were unable to resist the Venetian assault for more than a week. With the command of Dalmatia vested in the hands of the Zaratin Comes, the fleets of the northern islands were gathered at Zara preparing for the coming onslaught rather than engaging Venice directly. Their leaders, also at Zara, petitioned Begna for the dispatchment of a relief force - a request which was denied by the 'Dalmacie Princeps'. Without control of their own fleets, neither Veglia nor Arba could do anything themselves.
The Venetian invasion of the islands began on the 21st of November - the last opportunity before the end of the campaign season to deal a heavy blow. And heavy it was. Venetian forces simultaneously made landfall at important settlements across the two islands, while the Grand Fleet destroyed or captured what little remained of the Veglian and Arban fleets. After just five days, most of the islands were in Venetian hands and the cities under siege. Without a large portion of their military, and no relief force foreseeable, Veglia surrendered on the 28th and Arba followed on the 30th.
By the beginning of December, Venice held the initiative in the war, dominated the northern Adriatic and was secure in its conquests with the end of the campaign season. To all, the Venetians were certainly winning the conflict and looked set to inherit all of the Dalmatian coast.
Yet they could not foresee what awaited them at Zara.'
Extract from - The Decline and Fall of the Republic of Venice
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last edited:
Update! Developments over the winter in the Mediterranean, including the Constantinopolitan Empire. This will cover a larger period of time than usual, but there's no campaign season in winter.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The effects of the Istrian War were felt across the Mediterranean throughout the winter of 1202. The continuing success of Venice in the war allowed the Republic to tighten its influence in the more immediate neighbourhood of the city, particularly over the city of Chioggia at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon and also within the Lombard League. Doge Dandolo was even able to persuade the cities of Padua and Verona, both prestigious cities of the League, to assist Venice in their war with mercenaries in return for trading concessions. This de facto set the Lombard League against the League of Dalmatia.
There were therefore implications for the position of the Holy Roman Empire. The conflict between Otto of Brunswick and Philip of Swabia for the title of Emperor continued to rage parallel to the Istrian War. However, the Lombard League's relationship with the House of Hohenstaufen had been severely damaged towards the end of the reign of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, due both to the continued resistance to Imperial rule by the League and also to the brief war between Pisa (an ally of the Hohenstaufen dynasty) and Venice in the 1190s. The Hohenstaufen claimant, Philip of Swabia, was therefore inclined to support the Dalmatian cities against Venice, while Otto of Brunswick favoured the Venetians. Philip played a key role in initially encouraging his allies Pisa and Genoa to sever ties with Venice.
Pisa, Genoa, and also Gaeta used the opportunity presented by the end of the campaign season to dispatch aid to their Dalmatian allies. Though the winter storms made a voyage to Zara a greater challenge than it would otherwise have been, the various Italian fleets arrived in Zara for Christmas, having set forth in early November. It was during this time that the various maritime republics opposed to Venice publicly affirmed their commitment to the Dalmatian cause, eager to join a coalition against their most formidable rival.
In Constantinople, the insecure Emperor Alexios II Angelos remained in power, but unpopular. The impact of the money-raising campaign in 1196-7 continued to stain his reputation. Throughout 1202 further territory had been lost to the Turks in Anatolia, and separatist tendencies ran rampant through Trebizond and the Pontic region. However, thanks largely to the Balcanic Wars between Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria, the Empire's European territories were largely intact. Alexios Angelos, son of the deposed Isaac II and nephew of the Emperor, continued to make trouble against the Empire from his refuge in the court of Philip of Swabia. This created the unusual situation of the Constantinopolitan Empire, generally anti-Hohenstaufen due to the enmity between it and the deceased Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI as well as its harbouring of Alexios Angelos, supporting the Dalmatians against the larger threat Venice, which complimented the policy of the Hohenstaufen family. This common cause did little to heal relations between the two Empires.
In the Levant and Egypt, the remnants of the Crusader States continued to hold out in Acre and Tripoli, while the Ayyubid Dynasty maintained its grip on the hinterland and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Conflict in the remaining Christian-held cities between the Venetian Quarters on one side and the Genoese and Pisan Quarters on the other continued to grow ever more likely as winter passed. In some instances, merchants from Dalmatia were given refuge by the Genoese or the Cypriots if they found themselves threatened by Venetian rivals.
However, the status quo in the Adriatic could not last indefinitely. With its conquests subdued over the winter, Venice was now prepared to take the fight to the one city whose fall would make the occupation of Dalmatia inevitable. Zara.'
Extract from - Zara, Pearl of the Adriatic
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The effects of the Istrian War were felt across the Mediterranean throughout the winter of 1202. The continuing success of Venice in the war allowed the Republic to tighten its influence in the more immediate neighbourhood of the city, particularly over the city of Chioggia at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon and also within the Lombard League. Doge Dandolo was even able to persuade the cities of Padua and Verona, both prestigious cities of the League, to assist Venice in their war with mercenaries in return for trading concessions. This de facto set the Lombard League against the League of Dalmatia.
There were therefore implications for the position of the Holy Roman Empire. The conflict between Otto of Brunswick and Philip of Swabia for the title of Emperor continued to rage parallel to the Istrian War. However, the Lombard League's relationship with the House of Hohenstaufen had been severely damaged towards the end of the reign of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, due both to the continued resistance to Imperial rule by the League and also to the brief war between Pisa (an ally of the Hohenstaufen dynasty) and Venice in the 1190s. The Hohenstaufen claimant, Philip of Swabia, was therefore inclined to support the Dalmatian cities against Venice, while Otto of Brunswick favoured the Venetians. Philip played a key role in initially encouraging his allies Pisa and Genoa to sever ties with Venice.
Pisa, Genoa, and also Gaeta used the opportunity presented by the end of the campaign season to dispatch aid to their Dalmatian allies. Though the winter storms made a voyage to Zara a greater challenge than it would otherwise have been, the various Italian fleets arrived in Zara for Christmas, having set forth in early November. It was during this time that the various maritime republics opposed to Venice publicly affirmed their commitment to the Dalmatian cause, eager to join a coalition against their most formidable rival.
In Constantinople, the insecure Emperor Alexios II Angelos remained in power, but unpopular. The impact of the money-raising campaign in 1196-7 continued to stain his reputation. Throughout 1202 further territory had been lost to the Turks in Anatolia, and separatist tendencies ran rampant through Trebizond and the Pontic region. However, thanks largely to the Balcanic Wars between Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria, the Empire's European territories were largely intact. Alexios Angelos, son of the deposed Isaac II and nephew of the Emperor, continued to make trouble against the Empire from his refuge in the court of Philip of Swabia. This created the unusual situation of the Constantinopolitan Empire, generally anti-Hohenstaufen due to the enmity between it and the deceased Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI as well as its harbouring of Alexios Angelos, supporting the Dalmatians against the larger threat Venice, which complimented the policy of the Hohenstaufen family. This common cause did little to heal relations between the two Empires.
In the Levant and Egypt, the remnants of the Crusader States continued to hold out in Acre and Tripoli, while the Ayyubid Dynasty maintained its grip on the hinterland and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Conflict in the remaining Christian-held cities between the Venetian Quarters on one side and the Genoese and Pisan Quarters on the other continued to grow ever more likely as winter passed. In some instances, merchants from Dalmatia were given refuge by the Genoese or the Cypriots if they found themselves threatened by Venetian rivals.
However, the status quo in the Adriatic could not last indefinitely. With its conquests subdued over the winter, Venice was now prepared to take the fight to the one city whose fall would make the occupation of Dalmatia inevitable. Zara.'
Extract from - Zara, Pearl of the Adriatic
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last edited:
Update! Sorry for the gap yesterday.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Spring came early in 1203. By mid-February, the winter storms were already largely over, and the sea lanes opened once again.
At Crepsa, at which the Venetian Grand Fleet had docked for the winter, preparations to attack the city of Zara were complete. Additional provisions and reinforcements arrived from Venice and Istria (mercenaries from the Lombard League relieved some of the Venetian garrisons in Istria) to replenish expended supplies and manpower. In the citadel of Crepsa, the newly established puppet government made their own preparations to assist the Venetians, ordering a levy of Crepsan troops to man the Grand Fleet.
In Venice itself, to which Doge Enrico Dandolo had returned for the winter, the decision to go ahead with the assault was made by the Great Council. The possibility of simply holding its current conquests and attempting to force the Dalmatians to agree to the fait accompli was seriously considered. However, the continuing buildup of forces at Zara; the support for Dalmatia from Pisa, Genoa, Constantinople, Gaeta, Hungary and Philip of Swabia; and the disruption to Venetian commerce in the eastern Mediterranean by the Genoese-Pisan alliance* all made time an enemy of Venice. A direct strike to eliminate the threat at Zara was required to disperse the existing enemy fleet and intercept any further arrivals. Additionally, occupying Zara itself (considered unlikely, but possible if the Zaratin fleet was defeated) would shatter the resolve of the League of Dalmatia and end the war.
Venice waited until the end of February to launch the attack. On the 28th of that month, the Grand Fleet set forth from Crepsa on course for Zara. It was expected that a week would be required to properly assemble the fleet closer to Zara and commence the attack, also allowing for weather.'
Extract from - The Decline and Fall of the Republic of Venice
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*I realise that Genoa and Pisa were hardly on the best of terms (*cough*Sardinia*cough*), but the opportunity to defeat the larger threat of Venice has temporarily overcome their differences.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Spring came early in 1203. By mid-February, the winter storms were already largely over, and the sea lanes opened once again.
At Crepsa, at which the Venetian Grand Fleet had docked for the winter, preparations to attack the city of Zara were complete. Additional provisions and reinforcements arrived from Venice and Istria (mercenaries from the Lombard League relieved some of the Venetian garrisons in Istria) to replenish expended supplies and manpower. In the citadel of Crepsa, the newly established puppet government made their own preparations to assist the Venetians, ordering a levy of Crepsan troops to man the Grand Fleet.
In Venice itself, to which Doge Enrico Dandolo had returned for the winter, the decision to go ahead with the assault was made by the Great Council. The possibility of simply holding its current conquests and attempting to force the Dalmatians to agree to the fait accompli was seriously considered. However, the continuing buildup of forces at Zara; the support for Dalmatia from Pisa, Genoa, Constantinople, Gaeta, Hungary and Philip of Swabia; and the disruption to Venetian commerce in the eastern Mediterranean by the Genoese-Pisan alliance* all made time an enemy of Venice. A direct strike to eliminate the threat at Zara was required to disperse the existing enemy fleet and intercept any further arrivals. Additionally, occupying Zara itself (considered unlikely, but possible if the Zaratin fleet was defeated) would shatter the resolve of the League of Dalmatia and end the war.
Venice waited until the end of February to launch the attack. On the 28th of that month, the Grand Fleet set forth from Crepsa on course for Zara. It was expected that a week would be required to properly assemble the fleet closer to Zara and commence the attack, also allowing for weather.'
Extract from - The Decline and Fall of the Republic of Venice
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*I realise that Genoa and Pisa were hardly on the best of terms (*cough*Sardinia*cough*), but the opportunity to defeat the larger threat of Venice has temporarily overcome their differences.
Update!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The Battle of Zara is widely considered to have been one of the most important in the 13th century. Its outcome determined the balance of power in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean for the next half-century, and was the principle contributing factor to the rise of Dalmatian proto-nationalism.
The Venetian attack on Zara, provoked by the buildup of an anti-Venetian forces at the city, began on the 6th of February, 1202. Launched from Crepsa, the Grand Fleet reached the Zaratin-ruled town of Ugljan on the island of the same name by the 4th, but spent two days preparing and refitting the fleet.
From the Zaratin perspective, the odds were roughly even. Although Venice slightly outnumbered the combined fleets of the League of Dalmatia and its allies, it was operating far from its home city and could not rely on any nearby states to provide provisions or docking rights. The Zara Channel was too wide to entrap the Venetian fleet within its confines, but the Dalmatians controlled both shores (with the exception of the town of Ugljan) and could base its fleet at multiple points around the battle site. Additionally, even if the Venetians decided to seize the whole island of Ugljan before attacking the fleet (with success doubtful, and the potential for a counterattack from the Dalmatian and allied ships), the larger size of Venetian galleys relative to the standard Dalmation warship limited the number of usable ports.
The Venetians, however, remained confident of victory. They did not intend to attempt a direct assault on the city, but instead wished to engage and decisively defeat the Dalmatians at sea and then dictate terms from a position of strength.
On the morning of the 6th, the weather was bright and clear, and the sea was calm. By all accounts, the white city of Zara was clearly visible across the narrow channel from Ugljan*. It is recorded that some of the more doubtful Venetian sailors looked upon the city and said; "How could such a city be taken by force, unless God Himself brought it about?". Nevertheless, these sentiments did nothing to disrupt the attack.
The fleet crossed the channel in less than an hour, aiming to engage the Zaratin fleet which was observably sallying forth from the city in a long line, reportedly between twelve and twenty abreast. The two flotillas met in the centre of the strait, closer to Zara than Ugljan. The Zaratin fleet was much smaller than the Grand Fleet, which had gathered all 46 of its remaining warships to fight in the battle. What Venice did not realise, however, was the trap into which they had fallen.'
Extract from - Thirteenth Century Naval Warfare
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*I made this assumption based on the fact that the distance between Zara and Ugljan is smaller than the distance between my own house and the town of Whitstable in Kent, yet I can see the sea off the town on a clear day. If any of you who live in Zadar know that you cannot see Ugljan from Zara (and vice versa), please don't hesitate to tell me.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The beginning of the Battle of Zara:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The Battle of Zara is widely considered to have been one of the most important in the 13th century. Its outcome determined the balance of power in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean for the next half-century, and was the principle contributing factor to the rise of Dalmatian proto-nationalism.
The Venetian attack on Zara, provoked by the buildup of an anti-Venetian forces at the city, began on the 6th of February, 1202. Launched from Crepsa, the Grand Fleet reached the Zaratin-ruled town of Ugljan on the island of the same name by the 4th, but spent two days preparing and refitting the fleet.
From the Zaratin perspective, the odds were roughly even. Although Venice slightly outnumbered the combined fleets of the League of Dalmatia and its allies, it was operating far from its home city and could not rely on any nearby states to provide provisions or docking rights. The Zara Channel was too wide to entrap the Venetian fleet within its confines, but the Dalmatians controlled both shores (with the exception of the town of Ugljan) and could base its fleet at multiple points around the battle site. Additionally, even if the Venetians decided to seize the whole island of Ugljan before attacking the fleet (with success doubtful, and the potential for a counterattack from the Dalmatian and allied ships), the larger size of Venetian galleys relative to the standard Dalmation warship limited the number of usable ports.
The Venetians, however, remained confident of victory. They did not intend to attempt a direct assault on the city, but instead wished to engage and decisively defeat the Dalmatians at sea and then dictate terms from a position of strength.
On the morning of the 6th, the weather was bright and clear, and the sea was calm. By all accounts, the white city of Zara was clearly visible across the narrow channel from Ugljan*. It is recorded that some of the more doubtful Venetian sailors looked upon the city and said; "How could such a city be taken by force, unless God Himself brought it about?". Nevertheless, these sentiments did nothing to disrupt the attack.
The fleet crossed the channel in less than an hour, aiming to engage the Zaratin fleet which was observably sallying forth from the city in a long line, reportedly between twelve and twenty abreast. The two flotillas met in the centre of the strait, closer to Zara than Ugljan. The Zaratin fleet was much smaller than the Grand Fleet, which had gathered all 46 of its remaining warships to fight in the battle. What Venice did not realise, however, was the trap into which they had fallen.'
Extract from - Thirteenth Century Naval Warfare
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*I made this assumption based on the fact that the distance between Zara and Ugljan is smaller than the distance between my own house and the town of Whitstable in Kent, yet I can see the sea off the town on a clear day. If any of you who live in Zadar know that you cannot see Ugljan from Zara (and vice versa), please don't hesitate to tell me.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The beginning of the Battle of Zara:
Update!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'At around quarter to ten in the morning, before the Venetian and Zaratin fleets met in the Zara Channel, a second enemy flotilla was sighted approaching from the north by Venetian lookouts. The decision was quickly made by the leaders of the Grand Fleet that measures would need to be taken to prevent the oncoming secondary fleet from interfering in the main battle against the Zaratins. A 'wing', made up of around ten to twelve galleys was dispatched north, to engage the smaller northern force and prevent it from flanking the Venetians during the battle.
Almost at ten, the hour, a third fleet was seen rounding the headland at the small village of Poljana, coming from the south. This time, a fierce debate took hold between the leaders of the expedition on the Venetian flagship. The Grand Fleet was within minutes of engaging the Zaratins meeting them head on from the south-east. But the wind was from the south, and the likelihood of the third fleet arriving in time to intervene in the battle was high. The choice was therefore between attempting to defeat the main Zaratin force quickly and then turning against the newcomers, or to divide the flotilla.
They chose to divide. Around fifteen galleys turned against the wind and rowed to intercept the southern enemies. Somewhere around twenty Venetian galleys remained to face the primary, somewhat smaller Zaratin fleet.
From the spires of Zara, those observing the battle as it unfolded (including the Comes of Zara, Antonio Begna) were grimly satisfied. The operation to disperse the Venetian fleet was succeeding. However, the Venetians still outnumbered the Dalmatian forces (the primary and southern fleets were Zaratin, but the northern fleet was composed of a combination of Crepsan, Arban and Veglian ships under the command of Croat-Zaratin noble Domaldus) and was composed largely of veterans of the 1202 campaigns.
At 10:15 on the 6th of February 1203, the main Venetian and Zaratin fleets met in the centre of the Zara Channel. The Zaratin ships were smaller, but faster. Laden with bowmen and equipped with specialist hook-poles for tearing sails, they were able to strike the Venetians at a distance. But the Venetian galleys were manned with formidable rams which could tear the hulls of the smaller Zaratin ships to matchwood.
At the moment the two came together, the Zaratins divided. Blessed with favourable winds, half of the swift ships turned suddenly northwards and sailed at full speed towards the northern 'wing' dispatched by the Venetians. At the same time, the remaining half (which split off just a few moments before the brief meeting of the two fleets) rowed southwards towards the southern wing as fast as the wind would allow.
The Venetians were paralysed by the shock of the sudden change in tactics. The larger Venetian galleys could not hope to match the speed of the ships hurrying north. Nor could they hope to catch the Zaratins rowing south, for their enemy had already lowered their sails in preparation for the change in direction, while the Venetians would be delayed by the process of doing the same. Meanwhile, the northern and southern wings of the Grand Fleet were imperilled, caught in the vice of the Dalmatians.
To make matters worse, yet another fleet was sighted by the Venetians. From the west, emerging from the natural harbour at Sutomišćica, an assembled squadron of ships from the southern cities (including Ragusa and Spalatro) moved inexorably towards the Grand Fleet. It was small - perhaps bringing the balance between the Dalmatians and Venice to roughly equal - but dangerous due to the perilous situation in which the Venetians found themselves.
Unbeknown to Venice, their chances were about to become even more hopeless. From the south, as yet unseen by either side, a force of Genoese, Pisan, Gaetan and Anconine* reinforcements were rapidly approaching, hastened by the southern winds. They had congregated at Corfu (over which the Genoese had cemented their control, enlisting their privateers already installed there to assist in the cause) and made for Zara together. Their imminent arrival** was unknown even to the Zaratin Comes.
In the moment, the Venetians made the decision to further divide their forces. They could only hope that their split main force could reach the northern and southern wings in time to assist in the battle.'
Extract from - Thirteenth Century Naval Warfare
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*For those wondering, the Anconines met with the Genoese, Pisans and Gaetans at Kornati - no need for Ancona to dispatch ships to Corfu when Dalmatia lies just across the Adriatic. Expect more on Ancona later!
** I know that I wrote the Italian states had already sent aid - and they have. Their crews and ships are under direct command of Zara. The reinforcements referenced in this post are new and under their own command.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A basic diagram of the beginning of the battle:
Red = Venice
Orange = Zara
Purple = Other Dalmatian
Yellow = Genoese/Pisan/Gaetan/Anconine/Other allied
The land operations on the islands of Ugljan will be explored in the next post.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'At around quarter to ten in the morning, before the Venetian and Zaratin fleets met in the Zara Channel, a second enemy flotilla was sighted approaching from the north by Venetian lookouts. The decision was quickly made by the leaders of the Grand Fleet that measures would need to be taken to prevent the oncoming secondary fleet from interfering in the main battle against the Zaratins. A 'wing', made up of around ten to twelve galleys was dispatched north, to engage the smaller northern force and prevent it from flanking the Venetians during the battle.
Almost at ten, the hour, a third fleet was seen rounding the headland at the small village of Poljana, coming from the south. This time, a fierce debate took hold between the leaders of the expedition on the Venetian flagship. The Grand Fleet was within minutes of engaging the Zaratins meeting them head on from the south-east. But the wind was from the south, and the likelihood of the third fleet arriving in time to intervene in the battle was high. The choice was therefore between attempting to defeat the main Zaratin force quickly and then turning against the newcomers, or to divide the flotilla.
They chose to divide. Around fifteen galleys turned against the wind and rowed to intercept the southern enemies. Somewhere around twenty Venetian galleys remained to face the primary, somewhat smaller Zaratin fleet.
From the spires of Zara, those observing the battle as it unfolded (including the Comes of Zara, Antonio Begna) were grimly satisfied. The operation to disperse the Venetian fleet was succeeding. However, the Venetians still outnumbered the Dalmatian forces (the primary and southern fleets were Zaratin, but the northern fleet was composed of a combination of Crepsan, Arban and Veglian ships under the command of Croat-Zaratin noble Domaldus) and was composed largely of veterans of the 1202 campaigns.
At 10:15 on the 6th of February 1203, the main Venetian and Zaratin fleets met in the centre of the Zara Channel. The Zaratin ships were smaller, but faster. Laden with bowmen and equipped with specialist hook-poles for tearing sails, they were able to strike the Venetians at a distance. But the Venetian galleys were manned with formidable rams which could tear the hulls of the smaller Zaratin ships to matchwood.
At the moment the two came together, the Zaratins divided. Blessed with favourable winds, half of the swift ships turned suddenly northwards and sailed at full speed towards the northern 'wing' dispatched by the Venetians. At the same time, the remaining half (which split off just a few moments before the brief meeting of the two fleets) rowed southwards towards the southern wing as fast as the wind would allow.
The Venetians were paralysed by the shock of the sudden change in tactics. The larger Venetian galleys could not hope to match the speed of the ships hurrying north. Nor could they hope to catch the Zaratins rowing south, for their enemy had already lowered their sails in preparation for the change in direction, while the Venetians would be delayed by the process of doing the same. Meanwhile, the northern and southern wings of the Grand Fleet were imperilled, caught in the vice of the Dalmatians.
To make matters worse, yet another fleet was sighted by the Venetians. From the west, emerging from the natural harbour at Sutomišćica, an assembled squadron of ships from the southern cities (including Ragusa and Spalatro) moved inexorably towards the Grand Fleet. It was small - perhaps bringing the balance between the Dalmatians and Venice to roughly equal - but dangerous due to the perilous situation in which the Venetians found themselves.
Unbeknown to Venice, their chances were about to become even more hopeless. From the south, as yet unseen by either side, a force of Genoese, Pisan, Gaetan and Anconine* reinforcements were rapidly approaching, hastened by the southern winds. They had congregated at Corfu (over which the Genoese had cemented their control, enlisting their privateers already installed there to assist in the cause) and made for Zara together. Their imminent arrival** was unknown even to the Zaratin Comes.
In the moment, the Venetians made the decision to further divide their forces. They could only hope that their split main force could reach the northern and southern wings in time to assist in the battle.'
Extract from - Thirteenth Century Naval Warfare
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*For those wondering, the Anconines met with the Genoese, Pisans and Gaetans at Kornati - no need for Ancona to dispatch ships to Corfu when Dalmatia lies just across the Adriatic. Expect more on Ancona later!
** I know that I wrote the Italian states had already sent aid - and they have. Their crews and ships are under direct command of Zara. The reinforcements referenced in this post are new and under their own command.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A basic diagram of the beginning of the battle:
Red = Venice
Orange = Zara
Purple = Other Dalmatian
Yellow = Genoese/Pisan/Gaetan/Anconine/Other allied
The land operations on the islands of Ugljan will be explored in the next post.
Last edited:
Update!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The destruction of the Grand Fleet outdid the expectations of even the Zaratin Comes, let alone Doge Dandolo of Venice. It is reported that when the news reached him less than a week later, he suffered '... a blankness of the face and a trembling of hands...', today identified as symptoms of severe shock. The southern 'wing' of the Venetian force was utterly destroyed by the three-pronged attack by the Zaratins and Dalmatians. In the north, the Venetian 'wing' initially held the upper hand against the Dalmatian fleet before they were flanked by the approaching Zaratin relief force. The northern part of the battle lasted somewhat longer than that in the south, as the part of the main Venetian flotilla that had diverted north returned the two fleets almost to parity.
At around twelve-thirty, two and a half hours after the beginning of the Battle of Zara, the remaining Venetian ships were given the signal to retreat to Ugljan at full speed. Many were destroyed or captured as they tried to flee - some surrendered and were commandeered by the Dalmatians. It was decided by the various Dalmatian military leaders that they would not pursue the Venetians to Ugljan, but would instead return to Zara and await the arrival of the large, multinational allied fleet.
Ugljan itself was in uproar. The small Venetian garrison, tasked with holding the town as a base for Venice, had been spread thin by the decision of the local Venetian commander to advance south down the island. This, combined with the Dalmatian victory at sea (clearly visible due to the lack of haze that day) led to a revolt by the local inhabitants. To this day, the expulsion of the Venetians from Ugljan is celebrated as a bank holiday every 6th of February. The townspeople evicted the few Venetian soldiers left, and forced the fleet anchored off the town (the small dock was too small to accommodate the entire fleet) to depart after a short, bitter battle.
With Ugljan freed and the Venetian fleet put to flight, the Battle of Zara was won by the League of Dalmatia.'
Extract from - Thirteenth Century Naval Warfare
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The destruction of the Grand Fleet outdid the expectations of even the Zaratin Comes, let alone Doge Dandolo of Venice. It is reported that when the news reached him less than a week later, he suffered '... a blankness of the face and a trembling of hands...', today identified as symptoms of severe shock. The southern 'wing' of the Venetian force was utterly destroyed by the three-pronged attack by the Zaratins and Dalmatians. In the north, the Venetian 'wing' initially held the upper hand against the Dalmatian fleet before they were flanked by the approaching Zaratin relief force. The northern part of the battle lasted somewhat longer than that in the south, as the part of the main Venetian flotilla that had diverted north returned the two fleets almost to parity.
At around twelve-thirty, two and a half hours after the beginning of the Battle of Zara, the remaining Venetian ships were given the signal to retreat to Ugljan at full speed. Many were destroyed or captured as they tried to flee - some surrendered and were commandeered by the Dalmatians. It was decided by the various Dalmatian military leaders that they would not pursue the Venetians to Ugljan, but would instead return to Zara and await the arrival of the large, multinational allied fleet.
Ugljan itself was in uproar. The small Venetian garrison, tasked with holding the town as a base for Venice, had been spread thin by the decision of the local Venetian commander to advance south down the island. This, combined with the Dalmatian victory at sea (clearly visible due to the lack of haze that day) led to a revolt by the local inhabitants. To this day, the expulsion of the Venetians from Ugljan is celebrated as a bank holiday every 6th of February. The townspeople evicted the few Venetian soldiers left, and forced the fleet anchored off the town (the small dock was too small to accommodate the entire fleet) to depart after a short, bitter battle.
With Ugljan freed and the Venetian fleet put to flight, the Battle of Zara was won by the League of Dalmatia.'
Extract from - Thirteenth Century Naval Warfare
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last edited:
I like what I am reading. Keep up the good work
Thanks
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Update! I realise this has been entirely about the Istrian War so far, but the TL should advance rather more quickly before long.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'In the aftermath of the Battle of Zara, Venice and its navy were thrown into chaos. The remains of the Grand Fleet, devastated by its defeat, withdrew north to Crepsa and then to Pola. It had lost the best part of its ships, and had been forced to abandon a number of its soldiers on the island of Ugljan. Within a week of the disaster, the Venetians used their remaining ships to consolidate their control in Istria and to withdraw from the island of Arba. Doge Dandolo left Venice and returned to Trieste where he coordinated the rearrangement of forces.
There was no longer any hope of a conquest of Zara. Nevertheless, Dandolo refused to contemplate the return of Istria to native rule. Instead, the remaining forces available (bolstered by the arrival of mercenaries and contingents from the rest of the Lombard League, primarily Verona and Padua) were to be reorganised for an assault on the mainland city of Reka, known also as Fiume. This was planned more as a show of Venetian strength and resolve rather than as a means of achieving any significant advantage over the League of Dalmatia. Additionally, a large commerce-raiding operation in the eastern Mediterranean against Genoese, Pisan and Anconine mercantile interests was to be coordinated and launched by Venetian merchants and sailors from the Kingdom of Cyprus, which hosted a great quantity of Venetian assets. King Aimery of Cyprus and Jerusalem himself attempted to remain as neutral as possible, unwilling to risk offending any of the powerful merchant republics or either of the potential future Holy Roman Emperors - though he nominally supported the Hohenstaufen claimant Philip of Swabia*.
Meanwhile, the Dalmatian representatives met once again in Council at Zara. With their numbers strengthened by the arrival of the allied fleets, and in order to forestall predicted Venetian actions against the coalition, the decision was made to forgo the liberation of the northern cities and to instead sail for Venice itself, 'to impose upon that city the righteous and just will of the League of Dalmatia, and bring low Dandolo the Proud'. Representatives from Chioggia had arrived in Zara just a week after the Dalmatian victory at the city, offering in secret their city's aid should an assault on the Lagoon itself take place.
On the 14th of February, the day of the Feast of Saint Valentine, the Dalmatian fleet departed Zara and made haste towards Ancona, from whence the attack would be launched.'
Extract from - The Istrian War
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*This was an assumption made upon the basis that Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor (and of the House of Hohenstaufen), granted Aimery the Kingdom of Cyprus. If anyone knows better, please let me know. My knowledge of Cypriot history is somewhat lacking, I'm afraid
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last edited:
I'm honestly excited to see the aftermath of the Istrian War and what it means for the geopolitics of the Adriatic and the wider Mediterranean.
Update!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The intervening weeks between the Battle of Zara and the Battle of the Lagoon were rife with military preparation, diplomatic manoeuvring and commercial competition.
Perhaps the most significant event that took place during that time was the signing and ratification of the Treaty of Ancona, on the 18th of February. The final document (written in Latin, Dalmatian and Tuscan) enshrined the city of Ancona as an oligarchic republic under the protection of the Papal States* (and officially tied to them) in alliance with the League of Dalmatia. Before that date, Ancona had been officially part of the Papal States, though de facto an independent maritime republic.
The future Zara-Ancona axis in the Adriatic was directly resultant of the Treaty. But its effects went much further. The document recorded the Treaty as between the Papacy (sympathetic to the Dalmatians at the time, given the 'gross ungodliness' of the Venetians), the Eldership of the city of Ancona, and the League of Dalmatia as a whole. This stanza of the Treaty ensured that Dalmatia would, in some respects, remain a single unit after the cession of hostilities.
Elsewhere, preparations of the final battle at Venice were underway. On the Venetian side, most of the remnants of the Grand Fleet were withdrawn to Venice as a defence against any attack on the city. In Istria, the planned offensive was launched towards Reka (Fiume), and the walls of the city were reached by the 17th. But without sufficient naval support, the siege quickly bogged down into a stalemate.
At Ancona, a large fleet of Dalmatian and allied Italian ships gathered at the harbour of the new Republic. On the 23rd, the flotilla departed north and attempted to dock at Ravenna, but the Ghibelline Traversari ruling family refused them entry. Unwilling to bring the cities of Romagna into the war as enemies, the fleet continued north and arrived at Chioggia on the 25th.
The stage was set for the last battle of the war. But having arrived at the Lagoon unrested, the coalition had lost the element of surprise.'
Extract from - The Istrian War
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*For those who wonder why the Papacy would agree to this, there are several reasons: firstly, and most importantly, the Dalmatians agreed to send aid to the Guelphs after the war; secondly, with Ancona so autonomous the Treaty was seen as a good means of officially tying the city to the Papal States, even if officially independent; thirdly, the Pope simply wishes to express its support for the anti-Venetian coalition.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'The intervening weeks between the Battle of Zara and the Battle of the Lagoon were rife with military preparation, diplomatic manoeuvring and commercial competition.
Perhaps the most significant event that took place during that time was the signing and ratification of the Treaty of Ancona, on the 18th of February. The final document (written in Latin, Dalmatian and Tuscan) enshrined the city of Ancona as an oligarchic republic under the protection of the Papal States* (and officially tied to them) in alliance with the League of Dalmatia. Before that date, Ancona had been officially part of the Papal States, though de facto an independent maritime republic.
The future Zara-Ancona axis in the Adriatic was directly resultant of the Treaty. But its effects went much further. The document recorded the Treaty as between the Papacy (sympathetic to the Dalmatians at the time, given the 'gross ungodliness' of the Venetians), the Eldership of the city of Ancona, and the League of Dalmatia as a whole. This stanza of the Treaty ensured that Dalmatia would, in some respects, remain a single unit after the cession of hostilities.
Elsewhere, preparations of the final battle at Venice were underway. On the Venetian side, most of the remnants of the Grand Fleet were withdrawn to Venice as a defence against any attack on the city. In Istria, the planned offensive was launched towards Reka (Fiume), and the walls of the city were reached by the 17th. But without sufficient naval support, the siege quickly bogged down into a stalemate.
At Ancona, a large fleet of Dalmatian and allied Italian ships gathered at the harbour of the new Republic. On the 23rd, the flotilla departed north and attempted to dock at Ravenna, but the Ghibelline Traversari ruling family refused them entry. Unwilling to bring the cities of Romagna into the war as enemies, the fleet continued north and arrived at Chioggia on the 25th.
The stage was set for the last battle of the war. But having arrived at the Lagoon unrested, the coalition had lost the element of surprise.'
Extract from - The Istrian War
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*For those who wonder why the Papacy would agree to this, there are several reasons: firstly, and most importantly, the Dalmatians agreed to send aid to the Guelphs after the war; secondly, with Ancona so autonomous the Treaty was seen as a good means of officially tying the city to the Papal States, even if officially independent; thirdly, the Pope simply wishes to express its support for the anti-Venetian coalition.
This is not a problem, RL before TL is a rule we must all abide too.
I liked the last few updates although I am a bit skeptical about the kind of manoeuvre the Dalmatians pulled in the battle of Zara, splitting and sailing away from the Venetian battle line just before impact, but maybe I am wrong and the Dalmatian ships really had that kind of speed and agility. In any case it is not important, the Venetian by that point were already in a tactically dreadful position.
As far as I recall, Serbia is currently in a mini-civil war of sorts, with Vukan Nemanjić having overthrown his brother Stefan Nemanja II in 1202. However, as a result of binding himself to Hungary, he was thrusted into the wars between Hungary and Bulgaria. In the chaos of the Bulgarian attack in 1203, which led to the eastern part of the country, including Niš, to be taken, Stefan managed to counter-overthrow his brother. Then, with the intervention of their third brother, Rastko or ol' Saint Sava, Vukan was allowed to return to his apanage in Duklja.
Speaking of Stefan and Sava, for the former, with the fall of Venice, we may have butterflied his second wife, whilst for the latter, with the lack of chaos as a result of the Fourth Crusade, we may have just made the quest for Serbian autocephaly ever so slightly harder.