History of Venice Podcast
Follow the story of this magical floating city, which rose from wooden huts on muddy islands to become the richest merchant city in Europe.
Episodes
071. Genoa Salami
War. What is it good for? Well, in Venice’s case, it’s good for expanding your commercial networks and, just as importantly, keeping your rivals out of the best ports and trade routes. After the death of Frederick II in 1250, the Republic’s uneasy alliance with Genoa frays dramatically at the edges. The arena of the conflict is Acre – the most significant trading port in the remnants of the Crusad
070. The Big Recap 2nd Birthday Episode
It's two years today since we released our four-minute introduction episode into the world of podcasts. Today we try to recap the whole of Venetian history (up to 1250, where our narrative has reached) in about half an hour. Just in case you feel as though you've forgotten some of the key stuff from the past two years. We also pick our favourite episode from the past 12 months, and answer a few qu
Casanova Part 10. Viennese Whirl
After an enjoyable but ultimately financially draining two years in Paris, and a brief visit to his mother in Dresden, Casanova is making his way back home. But en route, he stops off in Vienna, the glittering home of the Hapsburg monarchy, headed by Empress Maria Teresa. What life lessons will he learn and what stories will he tell in the Austrian capital?
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069. The Lottery Winner
“The great Doge of Venice, Giacomo Tiepolo, was brave, wise and energetic. He was a winner. Before he became Doge, he had obtained victories over his enemies everywhere he went. And once he was the Doge, whenever and wherever there was a war he came out victorious”. That’s quite a write-up from our hype-man chronicler Martin da Canal. Does Doge Giacomo Tiepolo live up to it? Today, we consider his
068. The Bloody Tyrant
Ezzelino da Romano is remembered in the mythology of north-eastern Italy as a cruel and vicious ruler who inflicted inhuman punishments on his enemies. And maybe he was. But the more that you look at the surrounding situation, the harder it becomes to separate fact from fiction, and heroes from villains. As the wars between the Pope and the Western Emperor heat up again, Venice’s interests require
067. The Wonder of the World
In 1232, Venice received a visit from a short, ginger-haired man in his late 30s. But this was no ordinary visitor. This was the most powerful man in the known world; the convenor of the most brilliant court in Europe; the man who was referred to by an English chronicler as “Stupor Mundi” – the Wonder, or Astonishment, of the World. It's Emperor Frederick II's world, and we're all just living in i
066. Beat It
In the autumn of 1260, a new fashion arrived in Venice from the continental European mainland. It had started just a few months earlier in the central Italian city of Perugia, and somehow it had caught the mood of a worried, uncertain population, concerned about the capricious nature of human existence and eager to atone for the evils of a fallen society. The flagellants were in town. Seemingly ou
Art and Culture 09. The Artisans of Venice
We're joined by Monica Cesarato this week to discuss the artisan tradition in the city of Venice. In our main narrative, we're reaching the mid-13th century, when dozens of professional guilds start to appear in the city, defining the working landscape for ordinary Venetians. Monica talks to us about the background to some of those crafts, and how that artisan legacy still persists in the city tod
065. The Peace-Loving Doge of Many Wars
Today we’re looking at the life of Doge Pietro Ziani – the man who picked up the baton after the death of Enrico Dandolo and presided over the chaotic situation that we’ve been narrating over the past few episodes. Contemporary Venetian writers praise his wisdom, his fairness, and his desire for peace. Are they right, or are they just blowing smoke in our eyes? Join us as we examine the life of th
064. Rivals
This week we're looking around the Mediterranean at the international political events that provide the wider context to the stories that we’ve been telling lately. We’ll be travelling to Genoa, Sicily, Nicaea, Epirus, Outremer, and, very briefly indeed, introducing a new threat from the East that’s about to burst into our story.
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063. The Castle of Love
Easter 1214. In Treviso, about 20 miles north of Venice, the city’s governors have decided to set up a week-long “court of solace and mirth”. There will be dancing and jousting, feasting and fine fooling. And the symbolic heart of the celebrations will be the splendid Castle of Love, which the area’s finest ladies, wearing their most ostentatious hats, will be defending against the symbolic assaul
062. A Place in the Sun
1205. Venice wasn’t the only mercantile vulture who was looking at the carcass of the Eastern Roman Empire and realising that if she didn’t take advantage of this mess, someone else would. And if that someone else – most likely Genoa – turned out to be more effective at seizing the opportunities, then Venice’s hopes of commercial dominance would be severely dented. The Crusade had shaken the kalei
Casanova Part 9. Giacomo in Paris
1750. The dream is over. The love of his life has gone. Casanova picks up the pieces and, after a pause to reflect, heads for Paris. But in sophisticated French high society, our smooth-tongued, charming Venetian will soon find out that he’s little more than a bumbling ingénue. Will he make a name for himself, or will he continue to flounder out of his depth in the capital of European culture?
Em
Art and Culture 08. Pin Floi
It’s an unexpected change of direction for us this week. We’ll explain why in the episode. Stand by for a Venetian story of music, spectacle, and poor decision-making, as we explain what on earth “Pin Floi” is and why it's an indelible memory for anyone who was there.
You can listen to Pitura Freska’s “Pin Floi” here, with the lyrics on screen in Venetian. Sing along with the chorus when you feel
061. Booty Call
Today we want to try to understand what kind of place Venice was as the 13th century dawned; how much it had changed in the hundred years since we last took a close look at it, back in Episode 31; and how the arrival of fresh artworks and spoils of war from the east would fuel both its own ongoing beautification and the historical narratives and myths that the city’s public appearance was aiming t
060. Top Doge (12th Century)
Sebastiano Ziani and Enrico Dandolo battle it out for our vote as the Top Doge of the 12th Century. Find out who we pick and tell us whether you agree.
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Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
059. Did that just happen?
We're away on holiday this week, so there's no time to research and write a normal episode. So we've quickly rounded up what eventually happened to most of the characters we've been following on the Crusade story, and then had a final broad chat about what on earth just happened.
Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera
058. Putting Humpty Together Again
The Crusade was over. The Crusaders had won. They had pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall, and now they were the kings of all the broken pieces. If this had been their plan all along, then whoever was responsible for working out what came next had been asleep at the wheel. Once the celebrations of Easter Week 1204 brought an end to the initial rush of looting and vandalism, all semblance of this bei
057. The View from Constantinople
We're joined by two very special guests this week to discuss what the Fourth Crusade looks like from the perspective of Constantinople. Marco Cappelli from Storia d'Italia podcast and Robin Pierson from the History of Byzantium podcast share their fascinating and well researched perspectives.
You can find Marco's show at: https://italiastoria.com/
You can find Robin's show at: https://thehistoryof
056. Downfall
April 1204. Constantinople. The story of this ridiculous crusade finally reaches its climax. You probably know how it ends, but for the participants the peril is off the scale as both sides fight for their survival.
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Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons
055. Raising Eyebrows
The Crusaders’ stunning victory in July 1203 had resolved nothing. They had won, perhaps by default, but it can hardly have been a surprise that the people of Constantinople had never welcomed them. After a few months of phoney peace, by December the war was back on again. As the Crusaders overwintered in Galata, a new, more aggressive opponent emerged in Constantinople. Will the man known as Big
054. Out of the Frying Pan
There’s no more room left on the knife-edge that’s balancing everyone’s fortunes on the night of 17th July 1203. Daybreak will bring unexpected clarity, and a victory for one side or the other. But when you find yourself gratefully jumping out of the frying pan, where do you land? Nowhere good, that’s for sure. For all its apparent success, this Crusade has the reverse-Midas touch, rapidly transfo
053. Someone Else's Civil War
The “crusade” has finally reached Constantinople. This ragged coalition has agreed to stick together, at least for now. The proponents of this preposterous diversion have one shot at persuading the people of Constantinople to accept their puppet Emperor. With the shambolic history of this Crusade so far, it’s a plan that should stand almost no chance of success. Stand by for adrenaline-fuelled act
052. Let's Make Poor Decisions
The crusading army has successfully captured a Christian town that was under the protection of a Christian King. The Pope is furious. But it’s only going to get worse from here. Because on New Year’s Day 1203, messengers arrive in the camp with a spectacular offer that will rid them of all their money troubles. The only catch is that it involves going to completely the wrong target. The diversion
Art and Culture 07. Legend of the Golden Ring
We got a bit sidetracked with all the work that we put into the Intelligent Speech conference last week, so this is a bonus episode telling the story of a Venetian legend, to give us a bit of breathing space to get back into the main research on the Fourth Crusade narrative, which will return next week. The story of the three saints and the gold ring is a curious tale which tells us something abou
051. Excommunication? What Excommunication?
It’s four years since the Crusade was originally called, and the under-sized army is still stuck in Venice, hopelessly unable to pay their hosts for the magnificent navy that has been prepared for them. A very questionable deal has been agreed that the Holy Army will take a short diversion, to help Venice to recapture the nearby Dalmatian port of Zara. But with the Pope very definitely opposed to
050. Show Me The Money
The contract of 1201 was simple. Venice will build a fleet for 33,500 men, and the crusaders will pay for it, spreading the cost across four instalments. Well, Venice has now built that fleet, and the accounts are overdue. But where are the crusaders, and where is their money?
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Intro and outro music is Primavera f
Casanova Part 8 Bonus. Remebering Henriette
So, what happened after Casanova and Henriette parted in Geneva on that cold morning early in 1750? We had a chat about the rest of the story after the end of the recording of the main episode, so if you'd like to know about the two further times that they met each other later in life, and some theories about who she might really have been, tune in for this bonus Valentine's Day special.
Music is
Casanova Part 8. His Greatest Love
"Tu oublieras aussi Henriette". The words scratched with diamond on a window of the finest hotel in Geneva remained scored on Casanova's soul for 50 years. This week, we tell the story of the woman he adored without reservation. If you're looking for a love story for Valentine's Day, look no further.
Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro music i
049. The Conspiracy
Christmas 1201. Hagenau, Alsace. While the faraway Venetian shipyards are busy building a massive fleet for the crusading army, two men with ambitions to rule the Eastern and Western Empires respectively are hatching a cunning plan. It's a long shot, but it might just work. Join us as we consider the Conspiracy of Hagenau with author and podcaster Marco Cappelli.
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For
048. Crusaders Assemble
Pope Innocent wants a Crusade. The Venetians are good and devout Catholics, but what they really want is trade. How do these two forces combine in the preparations for the Pope’s glorious attempts to recapture the lost territory of the Holy Land?
In the second part of our epic series on the 4th Crusade we look at how the early fateful decisions were made, as the Doge agrees a contract with the Ma
047. Introducing the Crusade of the Liars
We've finally reached the Fourth Crusade. To kick us off with the background, we speak to history podcaster and author Marco Cappelli, whose recent book "Quando Venezia Distrusse l'Impero Romano" lays out the whole story in colourful and captivating detail. We ask him about the political environment in the crusading movement and in Byzantium when the new Pope Innocent III calls yet another crusade
046. Blind Man's Promise
In 1192, Venice elects a new Doge. In an age of warrior kings, the Venetian electoral college picks an 85-year-old blind man. It’s time for us to meet the legendary Enrico Dandolo.
Recommended reading for this episode: Thomas Madden “Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice”.
Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from V
045. Four Wise Men
We’ve been so focused on the dramatic events of the second half of the 12th century recently that we haven’t had much chance to look at the people who led the city of Venice through these dramatic times. Today, we reflect on the Doges from 1148 to 1192, to see whether any of them are likely to be in the conversation when we eventually reach the end of the century and pick our favourite overall. So
044. Chaos with Choniates
Byzantine chronicler Niketas Choniates tells a lurid tale of the chaos that engulfed the Empire between 1180 and 1185 -- the crucial period when the Venetian hostages were finally released. It's an extraordinary story, and it's hugely important as background for what the Venetians are going to do next. In a break from our normal format, we did this one as a chat rather than a fully scripted episod
043. Bring Them Home
A few episodes ago, we left thousands of Venetians languishing in makeshift Byzantine prisons. As the fires of history burned their way through the 1170s, those hostages could have been forgiven for feeling increasingly forgotten. Slowly but surely, though, Venice was working on ways to bring them home. In the end, after a seemingly interminable decade, the solution would come from the unlikely so
Casanova Part 7. Metamorphosis
Approaching his 21st birthday, Casanova's fortunes are in the gutter, and his behaviour is in the sewer. After one criminal escapade too many he's lucky to still be a free man, and he needs to reform his behaviour quickly. Just a few weeks later, a chance encounter and an act of ordinary kindness prove to be the biggest turning point of his life.
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042. Just Making Stuff Up
After Barbarossa’s defeat against the army of the Lombard League in May 1176, the search was on for a suitable location to hold peace talks between the Emperor and the Pope. And in 1177, Venice ended up being the host for this defining moment in Italian history. A century and a half later, though, the city’s chroniclers decided to embellish the story to that point that it was almost unrecognisable
Update and Intelligent Speech Promo
We're a few days late with our regular episode this week due to illness, but we needed to tell you about the Intelligent Speech conference, where we'll be joining a whole host of other history podcasters on Saturday 28 February 2026.
There's an Early Bird Discount on tickets right now, but it ends soon, so if you'd like to join us online for a chat about all things Venice, head to intelligentspee
041. Redbeard Falling
Our crossover trilogy concludes with the story of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa's Italian campaign of 1174-76. Once more, we are joined by our podcasting friends Mike (A History of Italy) and Dirk (History of the Germans) to explain how the Emperor took offence at the name of a new city and ended up in a fight for his life. The conclusion of the story will have huge implications for Venice and for
040. Everything's Coming Up Barba-Roses
In the second of our Barbarossa 3-parter, we're joined again by Mike (A History of Italy) and Dirk (History of the Germans).
By the end of the 1150s, the plans of Western Emperor Frederick Barbarossa appear to be working perfectly. But within a few years, discontent is growing. Venice can't avoid getting involved when her territory is attacked from multiple directions. By the mid-1160s she is star
039. Redbeard Rising
We've been focused on Venice's explosive relations with Constantinople recently, but the situation on her doorstep in Italy is just as dramatic. So this week, we turn our focus to the new Western Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. Our podcasting friends Mike (A History of Italy) and Dirk (History of the Germans) guide us through the first of three-part special, which will culminate in the momentous ba
038. Revenge Deferred
Thousands of ordinary Venetian merchants have suddenly been imprisoned and bankrupted by the Byzantine Emperor. The city’s leaders need to act quickly and decisively. Within months, a new fleet has been built and is sailing down the Adriatic, ready to confront Manuel Comnenos, just as a previous fleet had bullied his father into submission almost 50 years earlier. But will history repeat itself? O
037. St Brice's Deja Vu
Relations between Venice and Constantinople are getting tense, even as commercial activity is booming. With Emperor Manuel’s universalist ambitions showing no signs of abating, and the equally acquisitive Frederick Barbarossa on their doorstep to the west, the Venetians have a difficult path to tread. And then, on St Gregory’s Day 1171, Manuel takes a dramatic step that ensures that things will ne
Art 06. Halloween Special 2025
We're wandering down a few dark Venetian alleyways this week, in search of some ghost stories to celebrate Halloween. And one of them allegedly features the spirit of one of the presenters' favourite historical characters, Giordano Bruno.
Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is from Vivaldi’s Gloria, used under Creative Commons
036. Got 99 Problems but a Bishop ain't one (oh, hang on...)
Church schisms, imperial schisms, neighbours illegally trying to divert rivers into your lagoon, other neighbours asking for help out of the blue ... as the 12th century heads towards its mid-point, Venice has a lot going on around her. And that's before her Archbishop goes rogue and the Normans seize Corfu. Again. And if that isn't enough for you, we've also got a guest appearance by a distant an
035. Cheques and Balances
This week we’re looking at how all the political shenanigans affected regular Venetian merchants. What were they buying and selling, where were they doing all this general “business”, and how did the rising merchant class affect the city’s political structures? From cashing cheques to imposing checks on political power; from weighing goods on balance scales to creating balance between different fa
034. Friends Reunited
In 1124, the Venetians were the heroes of the crusading movement. They’d destroyed the Saracen fleet and captured one of the two remaining Muslim ports in the area. But this fleet always had a second target in mind, and Domenico Michiel was determined to show the Byzantines why it had been a mistake to end their Special Relationship. Venice isn’t just Constantinople’s junior partner, to be discard
033. Raiders of the Lost Crusade
With a new Doxe in Venice and a new Emperor in Constantinople, it’s all change in 1118. As the two friends and allies struggle to redefine their relationship and the Byzantines start saying that they were never really exclusive and they’d like to start seeing other people, the Venetians bet the house on a naval expedition that could bankrupt the city if it goes wrong, but could drive even more pro
RH02B. Cause Without a Rebel - Anna Comnena (2/2)
We conclude our investigation into the life of historian Anna Comnena. This week, we look at what The Alexiad is like as a book of history, and we discuss her alleged plot to overthrow her brother and take the crown for herself. Did that really happen, or is it pure slander?
Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Inverno from V
RH02A. Writing History While Female - Anna Comnena (1/2).
We’ve quoted at length from The Alexiad in the past few narrative episodes. But who was its author, Anna Comnena, and how did she come to write this 500-page history? We look into the life of this extraordinarily talented polymath to understand more about the background to one of the most important contemporary historical sources for the era that we’ve recently been talking about. And we look at s
First Birthday Special
It's our first Podcast Anniversary, so we tried summarising the past year's worth of content in three minutes and then chatted about our favourite stories so far and what we're looking forward to most in the future of the show. Also, Simon was confused about how Venice's (arguably) most famous son became a swimming pool game in the US. What is that all about, anyway?
Email us at histvenicepod@gmai
Casanova Part 6. Punching Gift Horses in the Mouth
We’re back with Casanova this week, as he finishes his teenage years and reaches his early 20s. For this mercurial young man, every risk is an opportunity, and every opportunity is a chance to make a complete mess of things. Within two years, he has screwed up two potential careers, lost a couple of small fortunes, and ended up right back where he started. Find out how as we follow his life and ge
032. The Palindrome Doxe
Ordelaf Faledro is an unusual name, whether you're reading it forwards or backwards. He was Doxe of Venice for about 16 years in the early 1100s, when the city suffered a series of devastating natural disasters. With neighbours looking to exploit this moment of weakness, the city had to get back on its feet quickly. This week we look at how they managed.
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031. Bird's Eye View
This week the Venetian lagoon is the star of the show. These muddy, marshy islands are the home of something extraordinary. It’s easy to assume that Venice has always looked the way it does now, or at least as it did in the many splendid Renaissance maps that you can find. But as we head into the 12th century, the city is only just starting to take on an appearance that we would recognise today. J
030. Profits and Prophets
We're looking at Venice's contribution to the First Crusade and its aftermath. The crusading movement had set out to recover lost territory for the Christian Byzantine Empire. But within a couple of years, it had become a means of establishing a series of Latin Christian states in the MIddle East, which were quickly at loggerheads with the Byzantines. Venice had a delicate path to tread between th
Art & Culture 05. Venetian Historical Fiction with Gina Buonaguro
This week we talk to another historical novelist who uses Venice as a setting for her work. We focus in particular on the lives of 16th century women, from nuns to courtesans.
You can find out more about Gina’s latest work here: https://ginabu.com/the-virgins-of-venice/
To contact the podcast, email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
The music used in th
029. Top Doxe (11th Century)
Before we move into the pivotal 12th century, we spend some time on a recap of the 11th century by focusing on the seven men who held the top job in the city. Which of them do we think had the most lasting impact, and best fits our five criteria to be acclaimed as the century’s Top Doxe? Will it be: Teenage Doxe; Two-names Doxe; Reform Doxe; Church-building Doxe; Golden Bull Doxe; First Gondola Do
028. Never get involved in a land war in Asia Minor
With the 11th century nearly at an end, Venice’s economy is motoring thanks to her hugely favourable trade deal with Constantinople and the relentless hard work of thousands of ordinary Venetians. But the international situation is volatile for the lagoon dwellers, with their main ally looking increasingly precarious. In the 1090s, Emperor Alexios’s call for western help against the Turks unleashe
027. Food Glorious Food
You can see the legacy of Venice's mighty commercial prowess everywhere around the city. This week we look at how those international trading influences helped to shape a couple of her most characteristic foods: the fritole that have become a classic Carnevale sweet treat; and the iconic creamed cod of baccala mantecato -- a dish that is so important that it recently gained its own Ducal Confrater
Art & Culture 04: Venetian Historical Fiction with Christian Cameron
This week we talk to historical fiction author Christian Cameron, whose recent novel "The Venetian Heretic" takes place in Venice in 1651. We discuss some of Christian's favourite Venetian characters and stories, and look at how he researched some of the scenes in the novel.
You can find out more about Christian's novel here: https://christiancameronauthor.com/book/the-venetian-heretic/
To contact
026. Trading Places
In 1082, Venice won valuable trading concessions from Emperor Alexios in Constantinople. We live in a world where leaders often talk up the importance of trade deals without it ever being clear what the tangible benefits are. But this Golden Bull was genuinely significant. This week we look at what it meant not just for the rich and powerful in Venice, but for the whole community.
Email us at hist
Casanova Part 5. Roman Holiday
A woman meets a charming but mercurial young stranger on a coach trip from Naples to Rome. With the apparent connivance of her husband, their relationship blossoms into a delightful, but fleeting, Roman Holiday before she returns to her daily life back in Naples. As the years go by, their recurring meetings will mark out the passing decades of Casanova’s life. But is any of it true? Or is he just
025. Norman Wisdom
The maelstrom of Mediterranean chaos that we described last week comes crashing into Venice, with the Investiture Controversy raging on her doorstep and the terrifying Robert Guiscard threatening to destroy the city’s oldest and most stable ally, the Eastern Roman Empire. The city will need wisdom, skill, and some well timed good fortune, but in the end Venice will emerge from this moment of peril
024. Noisy Neighbours
Venice’s neighbours on all sides were in various stages of turmoil by the early 1070s. To understand the impact of all this on our little independent maritime Republic, we need to pull the camera back a little and examine this sea of troubles that all of her neighbours seemed resolutely determined to stir up or swim in. The century is boiling up towards a dramatic climax and Venice needs to be rea
023. Long Live The Doxe
In the spring of 1071, Venice celebrated the appointment of a new Doxe*. And for the first time we have a surviving eye witness account of the event. Today we look at how that election of 1071 went down, and what Domenico Tino’s account tells us about the society that his namesake, new Doxe Domenico Selvo, was now in charge of.
*For the time being we’ve adopted an old Venetian spelling, since the
022. The Calm Before The Storm
After a quick recap of Venice’s ups and downs in the 1020s and early 1030s, we watch the city continue to navigate a delicate diplomatic route between her powerful neighbours. With peace and stability returning to the city, renewed trading wealth brings an outburst of church building, including the jewel in the crown, the Basilica of San Marco, which begins to take its final shape under Doxe Domen
Casanova Part 4b. Fate Finds a Different Way
18-year-old Casanova has a job offer as an assistant Bishop (Assistant to the Bishop, that is). But before he can take his first step on this road to the fame, fortune and social prestige that surely await him in a glittering church career, he is desperate to take revenge on his enemy, Antonio Razzetta. Once that is accomplished, he faces a lengthy journey to the south of Italy, which will involve
Casanova Part 4a. Fate Will Find a Way
At the age of 17, Casanova suddenly lost his grandmother, his house, and his chief patron / stand-in father figure. Feeling rootless, he started to lash out and ended up being sent to a seminary in an attempt to keep him on the straight and narrow. This was a predictably terrible idea. But help was on the way, in the unlikely shape of a Bishop who would soon take Casanova away and set him on the r
021. Campo San Barnaba
A slighty different episode this week, as we do an outside broadcast from Venice. We look at the sights and sounds of Campo San Barnaba, in Dorsoduro. Like almost anywhere in Venice, you don't have to look very far beneath the surface to discover a rich tapestry of historical stories.
To find Campo San Barnaba when you're in Venice, take the Vaporetto No. 1 to Ca Rezzonico, then walk one minute do
Art03. The Crocodile Slayer
St Theodore, or Tòdaro, stands on a crocodile-dragon at the top of one of the two huge columns on the picture-postcard San Marco waterfront. He’s usually described as the original patron saint of Venice, before the arrival of St Mark. But what’s the story behind the man himself, his very unusual statue, and his connection with a city that he never went anywhere near in life? This week we investiga
020. The Republic Strikes Back
After last week's adventures with Patriarch Poppo, we go back to look at what was happening inside Venice. Neither a fully fledged hereditary state nor a recognisable Republic, the city's future political structures could go in either direction. But as internal divisions abound and external pressures multiply, the city emerges from the crucible of the 1020s with a clearer view of her future politi
019. The Trouble with the Patriarchy
Venice was moving confidently into the new millennium when we last checked in on her. But with a powerful and resurgent Holy Roman Empire on her doorstep, danger lurks around every corner. When the ambitious and amusingly named Patriarch Poppo turns up just across the border in Friuli, the city's ongoing independence hangs by a thread, as the unresolved conflict between the rival Archbishoprics of
Casanova Part 3. Teenage kicks
Casanova's reputation is often more of a hindrance than a help in understanding the character of the man himself. In the third part of our series marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of Venice's most notorious son, we look at his formative teenage years. Giacomo is back in his home city, with minimal parental supervision. The highs and lows of his experiences, and the habits and attitudes th
018. City of Millennials
We've reached the year 1000 in our story, so it's time to take a breath and think about what sort of society Venice is right now. The traces of the city's future stone-and-marble elegance are there, but it's a very different place from the Venice that we know and love today. What were their houses like? Where did their food and drinking water come from? And why did they keep bringing holy relics b
017. Top Doge (10th Century)
We reached the first millennium in the last episode, and that means that it's time to look back at the Doges of the past 100 years and think about how we rate them. We've got three guys with the same name; four guys who leave office to become monks (including one actual Saint), and an extremely valuable Golden Bull. Who will come out as our favourite? Will it be Inferno Doge? Pirate-slaying Doge?
016. Marriage to the Sea
As the new millennium dawns, the Venetians take a decisive step that will be commemorated for the next 800 years in the increasingly elaborate and spectacular Marriage to the Sea ceremony. The episode also paves the way for the city to become the recognised Queen of the Adriatic -- a waterway that she would dominate so completely that foreign mapmakers referred to it as the “Gulf of Venice”. And t
Casanova Part 2. First Love
Young Giacomo Casanova has been sent away to Padova at the age of 9 to cure his nosebleeds and get an education. He soon starts enjoying his schooling, and finds himself particularly fascinated by his teacher’s teenage sister, Bettina. What are these strange new emotions that he feels for her? And how will he feel when an older boy takes an interest in her? Stand by for an ogress, a rat-infested b
015. Walking the Tightrope
When you're walking a political tightrope you need strong nerves, good judgement, and sometimes a bit of luck. But with the resurgent Holy Roman Empire on her doorstep, Venice is politically divided between those who want to cosy up to their large and acquisitive neighbour, and those who want to keep a safe distance. The city's independence is on the line as the millennium approaches. Find out how
014. Candiano Crush
On a hot August afternoon in 976, the city of Venice burst into flames, both politically and literally. After spending most of the century trying to steer a delicate but serene course between the competing interests of her much larger friends, neighbours, and rivals, the young republic could no longer contain its political tensions. If cleansing by fire was the only way to cure the sickness at the
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