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 Chap. VTL]

VENETIANS AND GENOESE.

147

sion of which had given the Venetians an immense superiority over all their rivals. The terms of alliance between the Greeks and the Genoese were easily settled. The former were again to be ruled by their own dynasty, and the latter were to supplant the Venetians in all their exclusive privileges. Both objects were accomplished. A Greek emperor once more mounted the throne of Constantinople, and the Genoese, in addition to other imj)ortant privileges, took formal j)Ossession of the suburb of Pera, subject only to the condition of holding it Jis a flef of the empire.

It was now the turn of the Venetians to be depressed; while the Genoese, not contented with their supremacy in the harbour of Constantinople, extended it to the Black Sea, where, by erecting forts on various points of the coast, and particularly on commanding positions in the Crimea and within the Sea of Azof, they secured a monopoly of the extensive and lucrative trade carried on with the East by way of the Caspian. In virtue of this monopoly Genoa became for a time the greatest commercial power in Europe. The Venetians at first attempted to compete with the Genoese, even in the harbour of Constantinople, but soon

Cm.

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Gonoeee as- cendoiicy at Coimtaiiti-

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CoNSTANTiNOPLK, end of Scveuteeiith Century — !• rcnn a print by noniann.

found the terms so unequal, in consequence of being burdened with heavy duties, from which their rivals were exempted, that they abandoned the struggle as hopeless. Their only alternative now was to resign the Indian trade altogether, or endeavour to re-open its ancient channels. In prefeiTing the latter, they were met at the very outset by deep-rooted prejudices, which made it unlaAvful and even impious to enter into alliances of any kind with Mahometan rulers ; but no sooner were these prejudices overcome than the remainder of the tivsk was com- paratively easy. With the sanction of the pope himself, who on this occasion, Venetians as on many others, allowed the supposed impiety to be committed in considera- the'luiun.' tion of the profit anticipated from it, a commercial treaty was concluded with the Sultan of Egy^it. It contemplated the caiTying on of the Eastern traffic