War of Chioggia

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The War of Chioggia was a conflict between Genoa and Venice which lasted from 1378 to 1381, from which Venice emerged triumphant.

The two maritime powers had long been leading commercial powers with ties to Constantinople that had nurtured their growth during the Dark Ages. Their rivalry over trade with the Levant had generated a number of wars. Genoa, having suffered previous defeats at the hands of the Venetians, had emerged from submission to the Visconti tyrants of Milan during the fourteenth century, although it had also been severely weakened by the Black Death of 1348 which took a toll of 40,000 on the city. Venice had treacherously dismembered the Byzantine Empire in 1204 and gradually taken over land on the Adriatic--bringing it into conflict with Hungary, and land within Italy--generating a rivalry with Milan.

The conflict was nearly disastrous for both sides, and Genoa was certainly crippled. Venice might have suffered as badly, were it not for its admirals Vettor Pisani and Carlo Zeno. She regained her strength and continued to impressive maturity until her defeat by the League of Cambrai in 1508.

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