Byzantine-Venetian Relations During the Reign of Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180)

In the period of Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180), Byzantine-Venetian relations entered a period that would not be reversible. The increasing number of Venetians in the Byzantine territory and their disrespectful attitude towards the empire with their increased commercial activity, had a bad effect on bilateral relations. In addition, due to the interests of the Venetians, the policy they carried out against the empire on the Adriatic and Dalmatian coasts dragged the two states into an inevitable conflict. With the Venetians looting Genoese goods in Istanbul in 1170, Emperor Manuel I did not tolerate the merchants. With the emperor's plan, which was designed in 1171, all Venetians living in Byzantine lands were closed to prisons and monasteries and all their goods were seized. In this research, this event, which is a turning point in Byzantine-Venice relations, will be handled and evaluated in the light of the information provided by the sources.

Keywords

Byzantine Empire, Republic of Venice, Manuel I Comnenus, Doge Vitale II Michiel, Enrico Dandolo, Italy.