Аннотация: A Note on John Norwich's History of the Venetian Republic.
A Note on John Norwich's History of the Venetian Republic.
The biography of Tiziano Vecelli (Titian) made me think about Venice.
А Mysterious State!
I tried to find books about the history of Venice.
Among the books found was John Norwich's History of the Venetian Republic. [A History of Venice: Written by John Julius Norwich, Knopf, 1982 / Penguin, 1983]
I have not read this book in its entirety, yet.
So far, the period from the days of the semi-mythical founding of the Venetian state to the period when Titian worked was in the field of my attention.
The reader discovers a description of a highly developed European state.
The reader sees the separation of powers, and the processing of political information, and the creation of archives, and state property (the Arsenal - a huge shipyard, a fleet, a state monopolies, a colonies ...)
The reader also sees achievements in the field of shipbuilding, navigation, political algorithms, and in the field of law.
The reader even sees the welfare and health care systems.
Patriotism, honesty, honor, initiative...
The author explains the solidarity of the Venetian citizens by the fact that compact living in the city-state made the inhabitants a close-knit community. The author insists that the Venetians lived a life different from other Italian territories, and became a separate, independent nation.
The system of education in Venice is, still, unclear to me. Padua is mentioned with one of the oldest universities in the world [founded in 1222]. The training of doctors and organizational measures for their exchange of experience and advanced training are mentioned. Apparently, a significant role was played by home, family education, training by masters of apprentices, pupils, a practical transfer of experience and knowledge ...
In general, the inner (spiritual) life of Venice remains a mystery to the reader, accustomed to dealing with the works of Russian classical writers. Literature in Venice was perhaps not the most interesting field for the application of forces.
The author writes that every Venetian had the right to participate in trade events. They acted through the pooling of funds, capital, financial resources. The agreement on the pooling of capital, on its use and distribution of income was based mainly on honesty and tradition.
About ten thousand shipbuilders worked in the Arsenal, capable of building ships almost in an assembly line way.
For example, the life of a simple Arsenal worker: how was it organized?
The worker takes the salary received in the Arsenal, gives it to the merchant, a member of a trading enterprise, who is setting off on a trading expedition (caravans numbered up to 500 ships). After a few months, with a successful course of business, the worker receives his share of the profits. What was amount of this share of the profit? How does this affect his life? How does he live? The inner life of the population of Venice remains unclear.
Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy in relation to Venice would be very interesting ... Whether would readers able to find a character similar to Vanya Zhukov writing a letter to his grandfather in Cyprus (Cyprus was the territory of the Venetian state)? ...
It is clear, however, that such figures as Titian were not very typical of Venice ...
The results of the efforts of the Venetian citizens are visible. Venice was especially successful in foreign policy deals, as well as in foreign trade ones.
Gradually, Venice became a recipient (recipient), and the Byzantine Empire became a donor (feeder).
Byzantium sometimes woke up and tried to deprive Venice of the advantages it had previously gained. Venice didn't like it.
The matter came to the Fourth Crusade, when Constantinople was captured by the crusaders and their allies (including the Venetians) [1204].
The donor eventually exhausted its resources. Byzantium was replaced by the Ottoman Empire...
Venice managed to defeat Genoa, its competitor.
The Ottoman Empire almost blocked the trade routes to the East, which made Portugal's seafaring project in demand.
And Christopher Columbus (was born in the Republic of Genoa) entered the service of the Spanish monarchs and went to discover America (although he had other thoughts).
As a result, the Mediterranean, the eastern trade through the Mediterranean, the Venetian trade lost their importance in many respects.
Sea routes - across the oceans - they came to the fore - along with Portugal and Spain ...
Were there among the Venetian citizens, among its sailors, people like Columbus?
In general, what was the situation with the projects of the future?
For some reason, Sergei Korolev - as well as Ilya Repin's paintings "Barge Haulers on the Volga" and "Ceremonial Sitting of the State Council" come to mind.
It is understandable that among the barge haulers there was no one who would be interested in flights in the atmosphere or in space.
And the State Council - in 1901 - were there such people?
In general, what segment of the population of pre-revolutionary Russia could to create, could to put forward people interested in aviation and astronautics?
Korolyov was a descendant of the East-Republicans, the university in Krakow was founded in 1364 ...
John Norwich believes that the Venetians were not inclined to philosophy ... With the Arsenal and high-class seafarers - what prevented Venice from building caravels and moving to India around Africa? Philosophical question...
The Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator established a school of navigators and map-makers., a kind of research center.
First, the Portuguese opened a sea route to India around Africa, and then Magellan (a Portuguese in the Spanish service) set off on a circumnavigation ...
I continue to read the John Norwich's book ... Or return to the biography of Titian? ..
February 17, 2022 19:27
Translation from Russian into English: February 18, 2022 03:13
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Заметка о книге Джона Норвича "История Венецианской республики"".
{ 2807. Заметка о книге Джона Норвича "История Венецианской республики".
MMDCCLXXVII. A Note on John Norwich's History of the Venetian Republic.}