The metropolitan province of Venice, formerly called II Dogado, contains an area of 1056 square miles, with a population of 293,425. It comprises, besides the islands in the lagoons, a long strip on the mainland from the seatcuiry of the Po to that of the Tagliamento, with the small towns of Arian°, Loreo, Dole, Fusina, Mestre, San Donk, and Porto Greene. The area and population of the Crownland. of Venice are given in the article LOMDARDO-VENETIAN KINGDOM. Of the whole of the dioceses in the old Venetian states the archbishop of Venice, who is styled patriarch, is metropolitan.
In A.D. 421 the inhabitants of Aquileia, Padua, and other Italian cities, in order to escape from the fury of the savage followers of Attila, fled for refuge to the islands at the mouth of the Brenta. There they founded two cities, Itivoalto and Malamocco, which were incorporated in a.n. 697, under one magistrate, entitled Doge, or duke. The first doge was Paolo Lucio Anaaesto. Pepin, as king of Italy, granted to the rising town some territory along the Adige, and Itivo alto (Rialto), united with neighbouring islands (now also built upon), took the name of l'estethe from the province Venetia (territory of the ancient Veneti), of which these islands formed a dependency. The bemire position of the city, its facilities for trade, and the commercial enterprise of its inhabitants, bad already in the 11th century raised it to great prosperity. Its fleets were powerful, and its flag respected In all parts of the Mediterranean. In the 12th century the fleet of N'enice conveyed the Crusaders to the Holy Land, the crafty republic having first made them help her to conquer the coast of Dalmatia. The end of the 14th century saw Venice conquered by her rival Genoa, which however declined in consequence of the effort. she had made during the war ; while, on the contrary, Venice rose to a higher pitch of power. Jealous of the power of the Republic, almost all the states of Christendom, suspending their quarrels with each other united in the league ofCambray In 1503 for the destruction of Venice By the battle of Agnadel, the republic lost all her continental terri tones, but her fleet, her wealth, the courage and firmness of he: citizens, and the disunion that soon broke out among the allies, saved the city and prolonged the term of her greatness. Venice joiner the crusade against the Turks, and shared in the victory of Lepanto it 1571. A conspiracy, formed by the emissaries of Spain in 1618, placed
the city on the brink of destruction ; but the senate obtaining informa tion in time seized the accomplices, nod had the greater number of them drowned In the canals. Venice continued a great flourishing state till the capture of Candle by the Turks. This war, which lasted from 1641 to 1669 (for nearly 20 years of whioh the siege of Candla continued), exhausted the resources of the republic. From this time Venice began to decline, not however entirely owing to the war.
The greatness of Venice originated iu the commercial spirit of her citizens, which made them early cultivate the art of navigation and ship-building, which for centuries were neglected in Western Europe.
The products of the east reached the coast of the Levant (as in the time of the Phomicians), and the ships of Venice transported them to the island city, whence they were distributed over Europe. The crusades throw into the city enormous sums for the mere transport of troops, and helped to render her mistress of the Mona, the iEgeau Islands, and other parts of the Greek empire. But after Vasco di Gama showed the way to India by doubling the Cape of Good Hope, and ships were able to convey the produce of the east to Western Europe without breaking bulk, the commerce of Venice naturally and gradually declined, and with it her political importance also gradually dwindled away. By the treaty of Campo Formic, in 1797, Venice, which had been taken by the French, was ceded to Austria. lu 1805 it was included in the kingdom of Italy. Lastly, in 1814, it fell again to Austria.
In its earliest period Venice was governed by an elected council which shared the legislative power with the Doge. The council after. wards obtained a preponderance of power, and its members even appointed their successors, so that the government became a close oligarchy. In tho course of time a senate was instituted to settle questions of peace and war. Tho senate, as well as the councillors of the Doge, were appointed by the great council. The discontents and frequent revolts that broke out in the 14th century led to the appointment of the Council of Ten, which by degrees sapped the foundations of republican government, mid established a system of espionage, assassination, and terror.