Industrial Progress: A Story Of Venetian Suffrage (Haitus)

[Lucius Verus]

34. The Twin Domains Of The Sea II

Venice
1390s


The process of rural enfranchisement and justice would begin with a group of retired Sconvòlgers near Gorizia. Outraged at the banishment the popular waitress/prostitute Charity the old men seized the village hall and demanded the Venetian landlords recant their banishment. Not amused the landlords called upon the local guards to clear out the squatters, but as it turned out the captain had recognized his father among the occupiers and was put on the spot. Despite the captain's years of experience the decades of obedience his father drilled into him proved far stronger with the captain "disarmed" and told to go home to think about what he did.

Cursing the incompetence of the guards the landlords escalated the problem towards the regional Avagardo office in Goriz. Trained in Venetian laws and customs the bureaucrats stated that if lady Charity was a citizen of the village then she should be allowed to stay but also that the local Patrician had the right to expel newcomers "for the good of the community". Complicating the case was the lack of parish records of lady Charity, it had seemed that the local priest had erased all records of prostitutes in a vain attempt to impress his peers in the clergy. Sticking to protocol the bureaucrats formed two committees, one to determine lady Charity's citizenship and one to resolve the village hall occupation. The first committee was headed by a man that despite being one of the landlords' son carried out his investigation without bias only to be fined for misappropriating investigation funds into indulging in prostitutes, his defence of "interviewing Charity's peers that happened to be prostitutes" was lost within the paperwork and the investigation stalled as its lead investigator was suspended on account of immorality for two months. Meanwhile, working under the false assumption that lady Charity's rural citizenship was confirmed the second commission came up with a set of recommendations to restore the peace ranging from blowing the smell of delicious stewed pork into the village hall to getting the old men married. [1] [2]

Getting nowhere the exasperated landlords called in one of their family connections in Venice and brought the matter to the attention of the bureaucracy in Venice. Meanwhile, cranky and sore from squatting in the village hall for two weeks a fight started among the old men over who was Charity's favorite. Grabbing whatever was at hand to fight, spectators commented on the odd scene of old men slapping each other with wet fish. The fight eventually came to a halt when rumors news arrived that Charity got hitched to the corrupt son of a wealthy landowner who was suspended while frequenting prostitutes. Tired, sore, and dejected the old men apologized to each other for breaking their brotherly bonds over a prostitute and went back to playing cards and telling exaggerated tales.

In the few days it took to get news from Goriz to Venice the bureaucrat discovered to her annoyance that the issue had already resolved and out of spite escalated the matter directly to the Collegio. Unconcerned with the petty dispute the Collegio instead seized the occasion as an opportunity to reign in what it saw as Venetian investors taking on the worst habits of the old Croatian nobility. At the behest of the Avagardo and Inquisition the Republic's law was extended to the countryside through travelling judges while the servi's rights were reaffirmed. The reaffirmation of their rights was applauded by the servi much to the ire of the Dalmatians, whereas previously everyone got the short end of the stick from the local landowners now it was only the non-servi as protections came in for the servi. Originally meant as a cost saving measure the travelling judges would turn out to be a popular symbol of the Republic in Dalmatia as they reveal themselves to be fair and incorruptible. For the most part the people of the countryside did not have personal connections to the travelling judges recruited from the cities, did not know who was the next judge, and found that the judges were decently paid. To the residents of Venice it mattered little, the servi tended to be employed in professions and posts that the locals didn't want far overseas. It's not that the people of Venice didn't consider the implications of the servi that had internal trade rights and property ownership as much they just didn't care for another group of immigrants within the city. For the most part the citizens of Venice went about their lives complaining about the rent and gossiping over the latest social scandals. [3] [4] [5]





[1] IOTL Venetian citizenship was relatively lax by the era's standards that was often restricted by bloodlines and residency. ITTL the new servi citizenship was passed on an ad hoc basis without a true understanding of its implications for the Republic for it meant that "Venetians" were no longer just people that lived in Venice, paid taxes, and/or had blood relations with the original bloodlines.
[2] IOTL non-noble/merchant marriages tend to be informal affairs of mutual consent between men and women, for the most part paternity didn't really matter nor was there a way to test it and couples married when they realized that the woman's pregnant paternity be damned. IOTL the church was steadily asserting its authority and preaching its sacraments on marriage, for many marriage was a private affair as it had been since time immemorial and they resented the intrusion of the church into their lives. For now most of the influence is limited to the nobility, especially the parts that outlawed divorce without Papal consent.
[3] As mentioned before the Inquisition and bureaucracy has a mutual interest in centralization to stave off rebellion and create more jobs for the bureaucracy.
[4] IOTL Venice was among the first that adopted the idea of a paid bureaucracy in the 11th century that went a long way towards combating corruption. The standard at the time in feudal Europe was that office holders were either rich or made money through the privileges of their office. The fact that Venice's elites were originally merchants that used the government as a method to facilitate trade was a factor in contrast to the feudal states that saw offices as things to sell or give out as patronage.
[5] IOTL the thing that consistently shows up in Venetian history was diaries and ledges with complaints about the rent and social gossip.

 

[diestormlie]

Missing a footnote marker.

Also, lovely story. Everything it was purported to be!

 

[WeissRaben]

I suppose Gian Galeazzo Visconti might be doing his think by this point - and by "his thing" I mean "eating most of Northern Italy"? Should be fun to see if his death gets butterflied away - should be easy enough.

 

[Lucius Verus]

I suppose Gian Galeazzo Visconti might be doing his think by this point - and by "his thing" I mean "eating most of Northern Italy"? Should be fun to see if his death gets butterflied away - should be easy enough.

I plan to keep this TL focused on the republic and its internal developments, foreign politics for the most part are just props for Venice. That being said I do plan on incorporating Milan (among others) as elements of this TL.

 

[Lucius Verus]

35. The Devil, The Savior, And The Man Himself Part I

Venice
Late-1380s


At the time it was unthinkable how Vittor Pisani, a figurehead doge whose reign lasted barely a dozen years would become so thoroughly enshrine in the Venetian mythos. Vittor's short tenure combined with his lacklustre popularity among the literary elites should've resulted in historical obscurity but fate it seems has other plans for the man.

The ducal throne felt so empty, long had he wished for the power to save lives with a reformed military but the power wasn't what he expected. The senate and the Inquisition that put him in power were selective with his ideas as they took his reforms but ignored his emphasis on armed neutrality by engaging in a bloody campaign of expansion. To the common folk from whom he drew his esteem from the doge was seen as the protector of the Republic and the one responsible for the current economic boom. Yet, every compliment from the common folk brought up the nagging sense of disappointment and Vittor felt like a liar not mentioning how little power the Doge had compared to the Senate, the Inquisition, or the happenstances that created the current prosperity.

Seeking solace Vittor kept to the winding backstreets as he made his way through the city. Entering the non-descript barber shop Vittor breathed out a sigh of relief and greeted one of the few faces still around from his early days. It was a cosy old place, the barber Benghi had been with him for over three decades and they had settled into a routine. Against the faint whiff of turkey from the kitchen Vittor laid back and allowed the rhythmic scything of scissors wash over him.

"Your serenity?" Said an unfamiliar voice, in the same servile and uncertain tone as new aides. Slightly irritated at the intrusion of his meditative haircut Vittor's turned to warn the ignorant aide with a scowl.

And yet…

There she was again.

Taller and less scrawny than the waif of years ago her face still carried the look of innocence that haunted him so. Words escaped him as his palms turned clammy and his hands began to shake. Grabbing the armrests to steady his hands Vittor mentally cursed himself for not responding in over a minute while he fumbled with his hands.

By the blue virgin I must seem the fool! He thought to himself.

With a soft hand on his shoulder and a gentle smile the waif said "It's nice to see you again." and with that his nerves washed away.

The waif introduced herself as Elizabeta in the same awe-struck and sycophantic attitude of the countless opportunists and clueless worshipers that Vittor was so sick of. But despite his intense cynicism Vittor was unable to discern anything malicious about the woman and was confronted with genuine appreciation.

Tentatively, Vittor dismissed his aides and offered her the chair beside her afraid that she'd leave. Of course no such thing happened and she accepted. Catching up with Eliza Vittor learned that she had found work and board as a labourer. She was by no means doing well but the fact that she was in good health sent a warm spreading throughout his chest thinking that he didn't ruin everything he touched. And they talked, they talked until they ran out of ale and switched to water. As the sun began to set and the day came to a close Vittor realized from an off-handed comment that Eliza's mother died in the great fire much to his own shame and horror. Knowing that his hands are stained in blood in her mother's death Vittor panicked and gingerly tugged on Eliza's sleeve like a lost boy asking if he could see her again.

With a beaming smile she said "Of course" and she was off.

Despite a few awkward beginnings the two eventually settled into a routine of a doting grandfather and granddaughter. Unlike his estranged son Vittor found Eliza to be a quick learner with boundless positivity that even brought a smile to the cynical old man. Lending his immense reputation to her Vittor felt his heart filling with pride at her achievements and saw her as the child he never had. In private, Eliza saw the man oscillate between the caring, stern, and gallant man he presented to the public at his best and that of a scared and gloomy boy in his darkest moments. Like a moth to a flame Vittor was drawn to the peace he felt with her and went to great lengths to spend time with her much to the detriment of his health and duties.

Unknown to Vittor the senate and the spymaster Vittor's were content that the doge was out of their way and free of scandal. For the gossip loving Venetians the act of a widowed Patrician man frequenting an unwed damsel would be prime scandal material and quite the grapevine was relatively quiet due to the high-esteem of the doge. This would be how Vittor spent the last years of his reign, uninvolved in the daily workings of government or his legacy. Little did he know that despite being done with the republic, the republic was not done with him.

 

[The Undead Martyr]

I suppose Gian Galeazzo Visconti might be doing his think by this point - and by "his thing" I mean "eating most of Northern Italy"? Should be fun to see if his death gets butterflied away - should be easy enough.

Ahem.

TBH a surviving Guan galeazzo is probably not in Venetian interests. I mean I love venice so I had the alliance work out nicely but given Irenes plans I suspect she will follow the initial version and have a more su cessful expansion in the wake of the Visconti collapse.

 

[Lucius Verus]

TBH a surviving Guan galeazzo is probably not in Venetian interests. I mean I love venice so I had the alliance work out nicely but given Irenes plans I suspect she will follow the initial version and have a more su cessful expansion in the wake of the Visconti collapse.

Ah well, you would be wrong. But I won't say how

 

[Lucius Verus]

36. The Venetian Advantage

Venice
1387

Who were the new Venetians? Where did they come from? Why did they settle in Venice? Those are the questions that Giacomo tried to answer as he fled from a place he once called home. Among the last of the illustrious line of the Scaligers, the lords of Verona and at one time the lords of the Po Valley.

Oh how the ancestors are weeping now, from to their peak where their power challenged the combined might of Venice, Florence, Milan, Monferrato, Ferrara, and Modena to trudging in the dark in his undergarments gathering all manner of filth and mud in his leggings. Despite his misery he consoled himself in his fortunate escape, besieged by the Milanese Visconti family to the west, the Paduan Carraresi family to the east, all the while the remaining Scaligers slaughtered each other for control it was a wonder that Giacomo managed to escape at all. Chuckling Giacomo came to the realization that the nickname of bastard which he hated so much probably saved his life.[1]
Oh the lord works in mysterious ways, but still now I need a plan.

By no means rich Giacomo searched for refuge and work. He knew that there was always demand for blacksmiths but the question was what was the demand for a blacksmith whose also a Scaliger bastard? Recalling all the worldly knowledge he could muster Giacomo immediately eliminated most of the Po Valley and Tuscan hills from his choices for he knew that their guilds memberships were restricted by blood and that he would be forced to work on the margins. [2]

Despite the fact that they also hated Scaligers Giacomo knew of the Venetian reputation for pragmatism and the Venetian policy of offering patents for new techniques. Perhaps he could bargain with the Venetians. [3]

Yes there was definitely something there.

Working furiously his mind filled in the blanks two steps ahead of his tongue and the prospect of Venetian refuge became steadily more attractive. He knew that Venetian guild membership was determined by skill as opposed to blood, another good point as he could get well paying work right off the start. Citizenship was even a possibility and the 15 years much shorter than all the cities of note, 7 years if he married a wife. Oh wow think of the kids he could have, he'd build them their own house and- [4]

And he was getting ahead of himself.

There was still the fact that he would need to betray his blacksmith guild back in Verona and the notion left a sour taste in his mouth. In the end it was Venice, poverty, or going back to die and Giacomo liked the finer things in life. Counting what coin he had left, his mind now moved on to the challenge of a convincing lie to explain why he was in his underwear and covered in mud to the inn keeper.



[1] Just as IOTL the Scaligers spent the last decades squandering their resources in fratricidal conflicts. They lost Verona in 1387 IOTL.
[2] In most of Europe urban citizenship came from blood and guild membership, one had to be related to a guild member in order to practice the guild's trade. In contrast Venice was rare as its guilds were organized by profession as opposed to blood, one didn't have to be a citizen to work in a profession and this allowed Venice to attract skilled workers IOTL. The rest of Europe eventually realized the value of worker mobility by the 17th century, several centuries after Venice.
[3] IOTL Venice offered patents to immigrants that brought new techniques as an incentive for innovation and skilled immigrants. This helped Venetian manufacturing grow and compensate for the decline of Mediterranean trade during the 15th-16th centuries in the silver age of Venice IOTL.
[4] As mentioned before Venetian citizenship was relatively easy to obtain, at least the lower tiered ones that allowed one to own property and conduct internal trade. IOTL this helped contribute to the city's human capital and allowed it to bounce back quickly from plagues as well as the aftermath of Chioggia (war of 1378 ITTL)

 

[diestormlie]

No threadmark.

And I muat admit, I have no idea who the Scaligers are/were.

 

[Lucius Verus]

37. The Middle Kingdom

滿洲 (Manchuria)
1387


The last vestiges of the Yuan Dynasty had fallen at the end of a long and tortures period of decline. Throughout the Middle Kingdom there were celebrations chanting "The Mongols are gone, all hail Emperor Hongwu!". It made little difference for the Venetians as the trade routes established during Pax Mongolia was long gone with the emergence of the Turks and Tamerlane. During their reign the Yuan emperors facilitated a massive exchange between China and the barbarians to the west; saltpetre, printing techniques, playing cards, and medical knowledge went west while calligraphy, astronomy, medicine, and food came back east. Two things however stood above the rest, the first was the closely guarded secrets of porcelain which was a luxury renowned for its strength, translucence, heat tolerance, and price. Despite the best Venetian attempts during the chaos of the Yuan's demise a lack of everything from men, money, to penetration into the mainland frustrated all attempts to kidnap porcelain workers. The second and most important thing was the end of fait currency in the Middle Kingdom as the Yuan dynasty resorted to inflation in its dying gasps. While the Hongwu emperor and his Ming dynasty had restored order they could not restore faith in paper bills and people had to revert to silver for trade and taxes. The sheer scale of the monetary transition could not be understated as the largest and most advanced economy in the world craved silver for its sixty million souls.[1][2]

Little did the handful of Venetian merchants know that they were witnessing an earthshattering event that would echo right back to the lagoon they called home.





[1] All just as IOTL, the demand for silver in China supercharged the Spanish empire for well over a century. As recent economic historians have discovered the majority of new world silver didn't make it back to Spain, rather it went west towards Manila and ultimately China.
[2] IOTL The population of Ming China would eventually grow to 150 million by 1600 and the demand for silver along with it. This was a massive and sustained demand for silver.

 

[Lucius Verus]

No threadmark.

And I muat admit, I have no idea who the Scaligers are/were.

Good, its a habit I picked up from university; write for people that don't know what you do.

 

[Lucius Verus]

38. Escalation

Terra Firma (Italian Mainland)
Late 1380s

It was an old adage "never make a deal with the devil", one that Francesco I da Carrara lord of Padua failed to heed. Despite having agreed to split the Scaligers domains between himself and Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan Francesco found himself on the raw end of the deal as Gian made a deal directly with the Veronese nobles leaving Francesco with nothing. To the people of Padua the war was seen as a wasteful endeavor in which their incompetent signoria (lord) was outwitted by "The Great Snake" (Gian Galeazzo Visconti) and unrest grew. Failing to learn from his own example Francesco went on scheming unaware that Gian had made the same deal with Venice dividing Padua as Francesco did with Verona. [1]

With the covert support of factions within Padua and the threat of Venetian and Milanese military invasion Gian Galeazzo was able to force Francesco into exile and take the best parts of the former da Carrara domains extending his domain from Milan to the shores of the Venetian lagoon. Impressed at Gian's extensive spy network Niccolò cracked a smile and wondered which of the two spymasters was better.

For the Patricians of Venice it had meant the end of the punishing agricultural tariffs from the mainland, the end of the competition Paduan salt works, and the re-acquisition of rich lands surrounding Treviso. Unlike the Dalmatian coast Treviso was home to extensive metal works, infrastructure, productive rural estates, and existing administrations left over from Venetian rule just a decade ago. Backed by numerous Patricians with relations and investments on the mainland the Inquisition found its centralization attempts hampered at every turn much to the ire of the spymaster. For the first time since the overthrow of Doge Morosini in 1380 there was disagreement between the Patricians and Inquisition that has shared power within the Republic. While the Senate and Colligio argued over the administration of Terra Firma (dry land aka Italian mainland) another great event was unfolding in the East that put the debate of Terra Firma on hold. [2] [3]

In the rolling hills of the Balkans banners bearing the cross and the crescent clash between the Ottomans against the Serbians and Bulgarians. As fires of war burned the tide of the crescent was slowly being pushed back as Ottoman vassals, encouraged by recent Ottoman defeats broke free. Seeking to stem the tide the Ottoman Sultan Murad took a massive army and met the Serbian Prince Lazar on the fields of Kosovo. Over the course of 12 hours the majority of the 50,000 souls assembled on that field perished along with Prince Lazar and Sultan Murad. While Murad had two sons as successors and reserves in Asia Minor Prince Lazar only had a daughter and his army contained most of the men in the army. A draw tactically but a victory strategically the new Sultan Bayezid looks to advance ever further into Christendom. [4]

As the case with the Ottomans the Venetian senate saw opportunity in the weakened Balkan kingdoms with some heralding the beginning of a golden age of piracy and conquest. Within the maelstrom of war and politics in the Balkans the Venetian Inquisition was working overtime to protect Venetian interests in the East, but what it and the senate failed to realize was that the greatest threat was going to come from within. [5]





[1] Just as IOTL.
[2] IOTL Venice took over Treviso in 1335 at the behest of locals tired of the strife that ruined the city for two decades prior. It was lost ITTL in 1380 and IOTL in 1381.
[3] A classic problem with the Venetian empire where its Terra Firma cities were rich subjects but also potential economic rivals with long traditions of communal independence.
[4] Just as IOTL the Ottomans had a bigger population and a constant supply of Ghazis (holy warriors from the east) to replenish their ranks against the Balkan kingdoms.
[5] Just as IOTL's Venetian policy towards Ottomans as that of economic opportunism. What they failed to realize IOTL was how hegemonic the Ottomans would become and how it would hurt the Republic. But for now Venice sees the Ottomans as a golden opportunity ITTL just as IOTL.

 

[Lucius Verus]

39. Schism

Venice
1390s

The case of Dubrovnik (Ragusa) was the first successful large scale military conquest by private forces within the Republic. Correctly judging that the senate was unwilling to reignite the religious debate within the Republic the Revitalists decided to do what they do best and force the Republic to accommodate them. The plan was to capture the rival city of Dubrovnik and hold it ransom for its commercial and strategic value to Venice. Not only did Dubrovnik control the oak forests of Gargano which allowed its shipwrights to undercut the Venetian Arsenale, it was the only credible commercial rival in the Adriatic sea, it controlled trade with the Serbian interior and the rich mines around Kosovo, and most importantly the Senate was preoccupied with Terra Firma and the Ottoman wars. Backed by abundant investments from eager and wealthy investors in Venice the Revitalists embarked on their largest venture yet. [1]

Despite the Ragusan familiarity with piracy the Revitalists had managed to surprise both the Patricians in Venice and Dubrovnik with their speed and scale. Disguising themselves as merchant ships and registering for the protection of a convoy both the Ragusans and the Venetians paid little attention to the armada of ships passing down the Adriatic, falsely assuming that it was another Venetian convoy to the east. Passing by Dubrovnik over three dozen ships pulled away from the fleet at dusk and disappeared into the night. Like ethereal wraiths the Revitalist fleet appeared out of the fog at midnight, overwhelming the port defenses, and taking Dubrovnik by dawn.

It was in the aftermath of the occupation that a new leader of the Revitalists was spotlighted. Loosely organized by design the Revitalists had mourned the passing of its founder Federicus di Poténsa two years prior but was otherwise unaffected, to others the Revitalists seemed lost without its leader and most paid little attention. Stepping into the spiritual role that Federicus' passing had left behind was a charismatic Greek man by the name of Theodōros (Theodore) who was elected as the Revitalists' representative to the Senate offering the city in vassalage as their contribution to the holy city of Venice from their "pilgrimage". Beholden to their investors the Revitalists had kept to their promises handing over trade rights and land deeds to their investors leaving legitimacy as the last and hardest task. For the Revitalists it was difficult gathering the men, money, and gear for the venture, a cakewalk to conquer the city, but the task of gaining recognition was a battle fought with words in the unfamiliar battlefield of the Venetian senate.

However before a proper debate began in the senate word had arrived from the Venetian Baili (diplomats) in Ancona and Visegrád (Hungary) of a call to arms as the respective ally and overlord (nominal) of Dubrovnik. More shocking still was the appearance of the Venetian navy off the coast of Dubrovnik, it appears that the Venetian government considers the Revitalists' a greater threat than Ancona and Hungary even to the detriment of splitting its forces. [2]




[1] IOTL Ragusa was the foremost commercial competitor after the demise of Genoa, it had access to its own hinterlands in the Balkans that it leveraged to great effect against the Republic.
[2] IOTL Ragusa and Ancona were natural allies as they were both a part of the Eastern-Ragusa-Ancona-Florence trade route that circumvented Venice and competed directly in the Levant and Far East markets.

 

[diestormlie]

Sometimes you just have to cross the Rubicon.

Sometimes, you trip and flat on your face in the process.

PS: Pope Brownie points for Venice?

 

[Lucius Verus]

PS: Pope Brownie points for Venice?

Heh which one? Urban VI or Clement VII

 

[diestormlie]

Heh which one? Urban VI or Clement VII

Yes.

 

[Lucius Verus]

Yes.

I meant that there's an ongoing papal schism and the papacy is distracted and divided.

 

[diestormlie]

I meant that there's an ongoing papal schism and the papacy is distracted and divided.

What I imagine will happen is that one will award totally meaningful Papal Brownie Points(tm), and the other, not wanting to look like a lapdog, will immediately either also award Brownie points, or condemn the Venetians for something entirely unrelated(tm.)

 

[Lucius Verus]

40. There's A Lion In My Pocket Part 1

Venice
1380s-1400s

Mostly ignored by the government since its inception a new mode of economy was developing through the popularization of bills of exchange and easy access to credit.

The first wave took place during the 1380s-1390s as bills of exchange gained widespread acceptance within the Republic and even beyond its borders. Initially skeptical in pieces of paper representing something valuable elsewhere most Venetians quickly caught on to the ease of use and wide acceptance the bill had among shop owners and adoption bloomed. As a result of the adoption there was a marked rise in market activity due to the increased ease of transactions as well as a surplus of bullion as coin use decreased. For many the bills were universal and easy to carry compared to coins that were bulky and were issued by countless different authorities all with different conversion rates. Unofficially, to deal with the increasing use of the bills the Syndicàto di Sant'Mattheo started keeping reserves in silver against labour legislations as storage for increasing amounts of in-kind goods became impractical. [1]

Yet there were downsides as well, taking advantage of a lack of legislation many used bills as a means of wealth tax and tariff evasion and the value of the bill attracted unscrupulous individuals that engaged in a counterfeiting race against the Syndicàto di Sant'Mattheo. The prospect of tax evasion was what brought the attention of the Venetian government. Despite their violation of labour laws the new bills of exchange enjoyed the wide support of citizens and most importantly wealthy and influential merchants and even the traditional guild masters that hated the parallel guilds and their violation of paying women in silver (bills backed by silver) conceded the value of the new bills. For the tax collectors the income records kept by the Syndicàto for evaluating loans became invaluable for tax assessment for its accuracy and accessibility compared to the old-fashion methods of "guessimating" physical wealth that could be easily hidden. [2]

So widespread was the use of bills within Venice that by the early 1390s when the bills were recognized as official currency to give recognition to the de facto state of commerce and subject to income tax, which is supposed to replace the wealth tax… Eventually, assuming that they didn't have to fight again in the meantime.

The visual for the bill were also changed, originally designed with symbols of the Syndicàto di Sant'Mattheo the new bills featured symbols of the Republic in the winged lion, Saint Mark, and enraged lion of the Inquisition. Much like the feudal coinage at the time there was two distinct entities issuing currency within Venice in the Syndicàto and the Venetian Mint and as they will come to discover, it was not sustainable.



[1] IOTL the Venetian Republic forced merchants to deposit and open bank accounts to help it pay off debt from the War of Chioggia, ITTL the Republic instead defaulted and paper money is instead introduced among shop masters and salary-women from a non-state bank. ITTL the bills are standardized in value in contrast to the cheques IOTL that were assigned specific one-time value which hindered their acceptance among people.
[2] IOTL among others Venice had a tax based on wealth that was notoriously difficult to evaluate since it required the evaluation of difficult to market goods and odd evaluation criterias. For example IOTL during the 16th century the tax collectors evaluated house-wealth based on the number of rooms and windows, a consequence of which saw the disappearance of interior walls and exterior windows across the province of Friuli. Or during the 16th century where mirrors were considered a nice upper-class luxury there was considerable debate over the value of individual mirrors between tax assessors and tax payers as mirrors of the time tended to be commissioned. Either way it was not easy to assess wealth for tax purposes and the tax was spotty at best.

 

[diestormlie]

And of course, it's only a matter of time before one of the two discovers the wonderfully modern institution of 'a run on the banks'.

To say nothing of the counterfeit notes running around.