Medieval Venice Questions

I'm thinking about starting a Venice timeline, but i'm not the most knowledgeable guy on the subject. So if anyone could answer these questions i'd be in your debt forever~
- From start to end, what years did the Most Serene Republic of Venice exist?
- Were the Papal States still kicking around that time?
- How was France, HRE/Prussia/Austria, England and Spain doing around that time?
- What year did Columbus sign up for the trip to "India".
- Was the Ottoman Empire around that time?

I have some really good ideas (and it won't involve Venice uniting Italy!) and I can't wait to share them!
 
I'm thinking about starting a Venice timeline, but i'm not the most knowledgeable guy on the subject. So if anyone could answer these questions i'd be in your debt forever~
- From start to end, what years did the Most Serene Republic of Venice exist?
- Were the Papal States still kicking around that time?
- How was France, HRE/Prussia/Austria, England and Spain doing around that time?
- What year did Columbus sign up for the trip to "India".
- Was the Ottoman Empire around that time?

I have some really good ideas (and it won't involve Venice uniting Italy!) and I can't wait to share them!

The time period you are asking about goes from Late Antiquity to the cusp of Modern history (around the time of the French Revolution)...

I would suggest reading through the wikipedia article on Venice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venice (All the answers to your questions are there)...

Perhaps if you wish to look more in depth I have heard good things about this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Venice-Pure...e=UTF8&qid=1386178033&sr=8-12&keywords=venice

Good luck with the research for your TL. It might seem tedious at first but it will be well worth it when you know the history you wish to shape.

Hope this of some help... :)
 
- From start to end, what years did the Most Serene Republic of Venice exist?
Impossible to say. See, having an autonomous Venetian region doesn't mean there was a real republic, as it existed during MA and modern era. Venetian historiography tended to assume late byzantine rulers being doges, but it wasn't that.

So, depending on what you define as republic, it could begin

- With Teodato Ipato in 742, as he moved the seat of power from pro-Byzantine Heraclea to Malmocco
- In the XI century, in short of more precise date, as the byzantine domination, then influence faded away.

- Were the Papal States still kicking around that time?
Papal states as such, no. In VIII, you had the Exarchate of Ravenna (a largely autonomous province of Byzantine Empire) limited to Adriatic coast, and the Ducatus Romanus (led by the pope and roman aristocraty) technically part of the exarchate but independent in practically all regards.

Later, with Pepinnid/Carolingian advance, Papal States were created as a pontifical state under protection of Franks. It wouldn't be after the crumble of Frankish Empire and basically one century and half of crisis (with the fall of Carolingians, popes lost their political support and their local authority was challenged by aristocratic struggles).
Basically, Papal States as an important factor (while Papacy was a strong factor anyway, be careful to not mix both) doesn't really appear after the XI century and the Gregorian Reforms and Peace of God movement that legitimized the temporal independence of the Roman Church.

During Middle Ages, Papal States were a thing, but as much kinging than kicked. By Imperials, by Franks/French (Agniani), by Roman infighting (Cola di Rienzo, by exemple), with a good portion of italian nobles theorically under their suzerainty not giving a damn.

Italian Renaissance saw a political rise of Papal States, crushed quickly by the same factors.

- How was France, HRE/Prussia/Austria, England and Spain doing around that time?
We're talking of 1000 years of history, here. This thread wouldn't be large enough to discuss it.

- What year did Columbus sign up for the trip to "India".
1492.

- Was the Ottoman Empire around that time?
Not before the XV century. It was dominant in Eastern Mediterranea (effectivly blockading and monopolizing it) after having gained access to both Adriatic sea and Egypt. It was then a problem for Venica whom wealth was from trade in this eastern basin, and eventually (also because of Portuguese takeover in India, that led to Mameluk decline, and their own conquest), Venica focused more on Africa trade (notably silver) that was declining after the discovery of Americas.
I have some really good ideas (and it won't involve Venice uniting Italy!) and I can't wait to share them![/QUOTE]
 
Why don't you try Wikipedia? It's pretty much an inexhaustible supply of obscure history facts and knowledge. And if you want more detail they cite (usually) their sources.
 
Admttedly, Wikipedia is of really variable quality. The correct is put next to blatantly wrong and good explanations; without mentioning the various contradictions (on the stirrup controversy, by exemple, having two main pages contradicting each other, while the whole thing is considered dead by now).

For basic informations, Wikipedia can do. For analysis and interpretation, not that much, and on this I can understand being cautious.
 
The Wikipedia article relies heavily on J.J. Norwich's A History of Venice, which is reliable, and very readable like most of his books.

The end came during and immediately after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1797, Napoleon (still just a general) captured the city and entered into a secret treaty with Austria to divide its territories between Austria and France. After Napoleon's final defeat in 1815, the powers decided against restoring the Venetian republic.

The city rebelled against Austrian rule in 1848, and existed as an independent republic again for slightly under a year and a half.
 
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