The Venetians: A New History: from Marco Polo to Casanova by Paul Strathern

during times of expansionist ambition. One only had to look at the city’s architecture to see this oriental inclination expressed in solid form – the basilica of San Marco, the church of the city’s patron saint, was unmistakably Byzantine, while the famous four horses also came from Constantinople. And the symbol of San Marco, the winged lion on its pedestal overlooking the Molo, originated from even further east – from Syria, Persia or perhaps China. More than a thousand years previously the Roman Empire had divided between East and West, between Rome and Constantinople: Venice now surely belonged with the eastern Empire, not with Italian Rome. Indeed, in what sense was the Venetian Empire really European at all? Such self-questioning had long remained beneath the surface, but arising as it did now, this was nothing less than defeatist talk. Although well into his seventies, Doge Andrea Contarini, along with the majority of his ageing senators, vigorously dismissed any such mutterings. On the contrary, they made it clear that, despite their age, they would be volunteering to fight for their city.
    Meanwhile extreme measures were implemented: the salary of all civil servants was withheld, and a forced loan imposed on all nobles and merchants in order to raise the equivalent of 400,000 ducats to finance an emergency programme to defend the city as well as to launch a major programme of refurbishment and ship-building at the Arsenale. However, much of this money would be placed at the disposal of envoys despatched on clandestine missions to the mainland to hire mercenary commanders and all the soldiers they could muster. At the same time, in view of the crippling food shortages, all wealthy houses were ordered to open their doors to provide free meals for the poor.
    By this time Contarini had been doge for more than ten years, yet he remained an energetic man and an able politician who quickly sensed the mood of the public. According to the chronicler Chinazzo, the imprisoned Pisani remained disliked by the nobles, but ‘all the people loved him, and were disappointed at his punishment’. Contarini was well aware of this, and in the face of popular agitation ordered Pisani’s release. The result was a wave of popular feeling for the only man whom the people believed could save the city. On his release, Pisani was cheered through the Piazza San Marco by a horde of seamen – and, indeed, ‘half of Venice’ – shouting, ‘Viva Messer Vettoe.’
    New galleys were now leaving the Arsenale production line at a prodigious rate, and citizens from all walks of life were lining up to volunteer as crews. At the same time, hundreds of fishermen from Murano, Burano and the outlying islands of the lagoon had rowed in to sign up, waving their banners before the Doge’s Palace and pledging their allegiance to serve under Pisani. However, in the face of opposition from the nobles, Contarini had been forced to make a concession. Pisani had not been given command of the fleet, but instead had been appointed to a lesser post under his succesor, Taddeo Giustinian. When the fishermen from the islands heard this they threw down their banners in disgust and headed back home, ‘uttering words the chronicler thought too indecent to record’.
    Venice could hardly afford internal dissent at such a time, and Doge Contarini quickly moved to resolve the situation diplomatically, in order to eliminate the very real possibility of a civil war between the arrogant nobles and the despairing citizenry. He appointed himself Captain-Generalof the Sea, while Pisani was appointed his chief deputy, to whom he effectively delegated command of the navy. As soon as Pisani set up tables at the Molo to enlist crews for his galleys, the recruiting clerks were at once besieged by volunteers. Some of these were experienced oarsmen, others were practised naval archers, but most were inexperienced as seamen. And once again the aged Doge Contarini demonstrated