The Peace of Venice is one of those stories which play a major role in the art of the Doge’s palace, the ancient seat of the Venetian government. You will find several paintings beautifully narrating the different historical phases of this story of war and peace which took place in 1177.
The Peace of Venice: where you can find the paintings
Most of the art works are in the Major Council Hall. Here, the elite of the ruling class would meet for the elections every Sunday afternoon. Every week, then, more than one thousand electors would face the cycle of paintings describing the “Peace of Venice”.
The Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, Venice, late 16th century
Domenico Tintoretto, The Battle of Punta Salvore, the Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, Venice, late 16th century
You can find more reference to this story in another very important room of the Doge’s Palace, the one where the highest court would meet, the so-called Council of Ten. Even there, where ten judges would meet to discuss crucial issues regarding the political and economic stability of the country, the story of the “Peace of Venice” occupies a whole wall: certainly in a way that could not leave the judges unaware of or indifferent to it.
Andrea Vicentino, Pope Alexander III blesses Doge Sebastiano Ziani, Courtroom of the Council of Ten, Doge’s palace, 16th century
Likely no one who played a role in the political and judicial life of Venice until the end of the Doge’s Republic in 1797 would forget what had happened in Venice in 1177.
What is it that it is so special about the “Peace of Venice”?
What is then so special about the story of the Peace of Venice which would be shown to Venetian eyes for over 600 years? Not to mention that it is one of those stories which Venetians loved “embroidering”, also adding facts which did not even take place!
Let’s then start from the beginning and see how (and why) Venetians spun this enchanting story.
The facts
In the 1170s Venetian merchants had to face an increasingly dramatic situation. The byzantine emperor no longer supported them and as a consequence the Black Sea and the Silk Road had become complicated to reach. At the same time, Pope Alexander III and Frederick Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor, would keep on fighting against each other. Especially promoting antipopes and leading military campaigns across the Italian peninsula, the Barbarossa had caused high instability while the Pope reacted with excommunications, also allying with the Normans.
The turning point arrived with Barbarossa’s defeat at the Battle of Legnano in 1176. He then began negotiations for peace with Alexander III. He recognized the authority of the Pope and finally signed the peace treaty the year after, in 1177, humbling himself. And guess where they signed the peace treaty? Yes, in Venice.
Federico Zuccari, Barbarossa humbly kissing Pope Alexander III’s foot, 1582-1603, detail of the painting in the Major Council Hall in the Doge’s Palace, Venice
Redesigning St Mark’s square for the Peace of Venice
It seems Doge Sebastiano Ziani had been preparing the city for this historical event for some years. St Mark’s square had been enlarged. The land Benedictine nuns owned opposite St Mark’s Church had been expropriated in 1172 so that the square could double in its size. Moreover, near the Doge’s palace a large water basin had been filled in, creating what one calls today the Piazzetta, extending itself all the way up to the waterfront and finally giving St Mark’s square, the government center, the L-shape it enjoys still today.
When Pope Alexander III and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa met, St Mark’s square looked as an appropriate place for such a historical event.
The chronicle at the time of Doge Andrea Dandolo
After two hundred years that story had not been forgotten. Under Doge Andrea Dandolo, in the middle of the 14th century, that story was eventually given an official narration.
The chronichle however was deeply revised and enriched with new stories.
Some new (invented) details
The Pope was supposed to have reached Venice in disguise where he lived for long hidden in a convent —lovely story indeed! Too bad it is very unlikely that the Pope would disappear in the middle of a war, neglecting his leadership.
A ring would be donated to the Doge from the Pope so that he could arrange the ceremony of the Marriage with the Sea and bless Venetian trading in the Mediterranean sea. Unfortunately even this story is also a fake, as the tradition of “marrying” the sea had started hundreds of years before.
Andrea Vicentino, Sebastiano Ziani presents his prisoner Otto, the son of Barbarossa, to the Pope and received the blessed ring, with which every year on Ascension Day he was to marry the Sea in token of eternal domination, Cycle of the Peace of Venice, Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, late 16th century
The naval battle at Punta Salvore
Moreover, Doge Dandolo made sure one would mention an amazing naval battle, which Doge Ziani had won against Barbarossa, near Punta Salvore, today part of the Croatian peninsula. In the battle supporting Barbarossa, also the ships of the cities of Genua and Pisa would be there. Defeated by Venice, too. The problem is… that battle never took place as it has been proved in more recent years by historians. The battle is only mentioned in Venetian chronicles and in a fresco of the early 15th century in Palazzo del Balia in Siena —only because Pope Alexander III was born there. No one else, even the ones who didn’t like Barbarossa and lived at his time mentioned his supposed defeat.
Right at that time, the Doge’s palace was being reconstructed in the flamboyant Gothic architecture one can admire still today. The Hall of the Major Council would be then decorated with wonderful frescoes by Guariento, shimmering in gold leaf and colorful pigments. Guess which story would then be represented all over the interior walls? Of course, the “Peace of Venice”.
External detail of the Gothic window of the Doge’s palace in Venice, 14th century
The story was so beautifully and realistically rendered in the frescoes that it was taken for real, in all its moments. The invention of the battle in particular was very detailed.
Shall we call it a great propaganda move?
Marin Sanudo relates you could read these words chosen by the most celebrated poet Francesco Petrarca for the battle scene:
atrox utrinque praelium committitur, demum duc fortissimus, divina ope, venetaque virtute nixus, imperatoria classe disjecta, othonem cum triremibus lx capit, reliquis, praeter paucas quae ceteri fuga abierant, aut igne absumptis, aut alto mari depressis
(A ferocious battle was fought on both sides and at the end the most courageous leader, thanks to divine help and supported by Venetian value, defeated the imperial navy and caught Otto [Barbarossa’s son -editor’s note-] with sixty triremes; the rest, except fo the ones which fled away, was burnt or shipwrecked in the depths of the sea)
The story emphasized the independent role of the Venetian State, both in regards to the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. It would also stress the military power of the Venetian navy against Genua, the main competitor of Venice. It would enhance the neutrality of Venice and its diplomatic role. Venice was the peacemaker. But it was also the city which would dominate the Adriatic sea, opportunistically renamed The Gulf of Venice.
The (lost) painting by Giovanni Bellini in the Major Council hall in the Doge’s palace
The fresco eventually deteriorated and at the end of the 15th century it was replaced by a masterpiece by Giovanni Bellini. Bellini spent around 11 years to paint the battle scene, lots of drama and action! Out of the twenty-four paintings illustrating the whole story of the Peace of Venice, covering the whole room, the story of the battle of Punta Salvore was the prima donna.
Domenico Tintoretto, The Battle of Punta Salvore, the Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, Venice, late 16th century, detail
Unfortunately a fire destroyed the Major Council room and its paintings in 1577. So four hundred years after the Peace of Venice there was a chance to repaint the Doge’s palace. And what did they do? The story of the Peace of Venice would still be there, although “shrunk” to eleven paintings, but covering a 54-meter long wall. Opposite another story would be portrayed, that of the Fourth Crusade, showing the Venetian State conquering Constantinople in 1204.
Domenico Tintoretto, The Battle of Punta Salvore, the Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, Venice, late 16th century, detail
The battle of Punta Salvore by Domenico Tintoretto in the Major Council hall in the Doge’s palace
But of course, the Battle of Punta Salvore could not be missing. Maybe because it would stress the diplomatic and military power of Venice towards the Holy Roman Empire. And not just in 1177, but also in 1577. There is no attempt in Tintoretto’s work to give a faithful representation of the battle as if it had taken place in the 12th century. Domenico Tintoretto painted this story with lots of details: colorful flags, galleys, men slaughtering each other, arrows wounding arms, legs, heads, crashing ships, oars, masts, the wind blowing… Everything looked to Venetians as if that battle had taken place in the present time.
Domenico Tintoretto, The Battle of Punta Salvore, the Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, Venice, late 16th century, detail
Domenico Tintoretto, The Battle of Punta Salvore, the Major Council Hall, Doge’s palace, Venice, late 16th century, detail
Isn’t that genial and convenient? Without fighting any real naval battle, the Venetian State created a narration highlighting its military and diplomatic power towards the Empire and the Papacy. No ships lost, no human casualties, just great art. And it worked.
by Luisella Romeo
registered tourist guide in Venice, Italy
www.seevenice.it
