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Doges of Venice
During the Migration period were the island who would become Venice populated by
people who fled from the conquering Germanic tribes. Venice was never conquered
by the Langobards in the sixth and seventh centuries and it remained a Byzantine enclave
in Italy. The attacks from the Langobards and also the Croats led however to the
appointment of a doge (i.e. duke) in 697 to lead the defence and to rule the city.
These doges were elected for life and despite attempts to make the office hereditary
would Venice remain a republic throughout its independence. The ties to the Byzantine
Empire where gradually weakened and from the middle of the ninth century can Venice
be considered as a independent state. During the Middle age became Venice a rich
merchant
city and a local great power who controlled several islands and coastal regions in the
Mediterranean. However, when nation states and strong empires emerged in the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries was Venice age of greatness over and it was thereafter an Italian
petty state among others. Finally it was annexed by Austria in 1797 as a
consequence of the
Napoleonic Wars.
Republic of Venice
Venetia is conquered by
Italy
1866 |
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