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Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice
Between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries, Venice transformed itself from a struggling merchant commune to a powerful maritime empire that would shape events in the Mediterranean for the next four hundred years. In this magisterial new book on medieval Venice, Thomas F. Madden traces the city-state's extraordinary rise through the life of Enrico Dandolo (c. 1107–1205), who ruled Venice as doge from 1192 until his death. The scion of a prosperous merchant family deeply involved in politics, religion, and diplomacy, Dandolo led Venice's forces during the disastrous Fourth Crusade (1201–1204), which set out to conquer Islamic Egypt but instead destroyed Christian Byzantium. Yet despite his influence on the course of Venetian history,we know little about Dandolo, and much of what is known has been distorted by myth.
The first full-length study devoted to Dandolo's life and times, Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice corrects the many misconceptions about him that have accumulated over the centuries, offering an accurate and incisive assessment of Dandolo's motives, abilities, and achievements as doge, as well as his role—and Venice's—in the Fourth Crusade. Madden also examines the means and methods by which the Dandolo family rose to prominence during the preceding century, thus illuminating medieval Venice's singular political, social, and religious environment. Culminating with the crisis precipitated by the failure of the Fourth Crusade, Madden's groundbreaking work reveals the extent to which Dandolo and his successors became torn between the anxieties and apprehensions of Venice's citizens and its escalating obligations as a Mediterranean power.
The first full-length study devoted to Dandolo's life and times, Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice corrects the many misconceptions about him that have accumulated over the centuries, offering an accurate and incisive assessment of Dandolo's motives, abilities, and achievements as doge, as well as his role—and Venice's—in the Fourth Crusade. Madden also examines the means and methods by which the Dandolo family rose to prominence during the preceding century, thus illuminating medieval Venice's singular political, social, and religious environment. Culminating with the crisis precipitated by the failure of the Fourth Crusade, Madden's groundbreaking work reveals the extent to which Dandolo and his successors became torn between the anxieties and apprehensions of Venice's citizens and its escalating obligations as a Mediterranean power.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Thomas F. Madden
45 books173 followersThomas F. Madden is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University. As an author and historical consultant he appears in such venues as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The History Channel.
Dr. Madden's latest book is The Fall of Republics: A History from Ancient Carthage to the American Constitution. His previous books include Venice: A New History, The Concise History of the Crusades, Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World, Empires of Trust, and Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice. He has also written and lectured extensively on the ancient and medieval Mediterranean as well as the history of Christianity and Islam.
Awards for his scholarship include the National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Award, the Medieval Academy of America's Haskins Medal, and the Medieval Institute's Otto Grundler Prize. He is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Medieval Academy of America.
Dr. Madden's latest book is The Fall of Republics: A History from Ancient Carthage to the American Constitution. His previous books include Venice: A New History, The Concise History of the Crusades, Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World, Empires of Trust, and Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice. He has also written and lectured extensively on the ancient and medieval Mediterranean as well as the history of Christianity and Islam.
Awards for his scholarship include the National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Award, the Medieval Academy of America's Haskins Medal, and the Medieval Institute's Otto Grundler Prize. He is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Medieval Academy of America.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 26, 2018
Enlightening look at one of Venice's most beloved and important characters of history. Enrico was a pivotal character of the 4th Crusade and this book informs my own view of Doge Dandolo as a complex man and my writing on the 4th Crusade.
Meticulously researched and delightful yo read. Highly recommended!
Meticulously researched and delightful yo read. Highly recommended!
September 6, 2019
“Doge di Venezia – Enrico Dandolo e la nascita di un impero sul mare”; titolo originale: “Enrico Dandolo & the Rise of Venise”; di Thomas F. Madden, traduzione di Sara Chiessi; edizione Bruno Mondadori, ISBN: 9788861 592919.
Un saggio che ricostruisce la figura di Enrico Dandolo, grande doge di Venezia, noto soprattutto per il suo contributo all’organizzazione e alla direzione della Quarta Crociata conclusasi nel 1204 con la presa e il sacco di Costantinopoli.
L’Autore riesce ad inquadrare molto bene le caratteristiche di questo personaggio, delle sue origini famigliari, dello sviluppo e trasformazione di Venezia, attraverso la sua trasformazione urbana, l’evoluzione e delle sue istituzioni e la regolamentazione dei rapporti fra Stato e Chiesa.
Dandolo, ben lungi dall’essere “l’anima nera” distruttrice di imperi dipinto da parte della storiografia, fu invece uomo che i contemporanei considerarono giusto, saggio, prudente, onesto e lungimirante ed è passato alla storia come uno dei più grandi, se non il “più grande”, doge di Venezia.
Tutto ciò sembra quasi incredibile pensando che egli assunse la più alta carica della Repubblica nel 1192 quando ormai era già molto avanti negli anni (più di ottant’anni) e afflitto da cecità; il che non gli impedirà non solo di dirigere con polso fermo una crociata che sembrava fin dall’origine votata al fallimento, ma neppure di svolgere un ruolo attivo e determinante sul campo di battaglia e nel successivo tentativo di riassesto dei territori ex-bizantini.
Al di là delle inevitabili critiche ed elogi che inevitabilmente si svilupparono intorno ad un personaggio di tanta levatura, certo è che, dopo il suo dogato, Venezia uscì totalmente trasformata, scalando i ranghi delle “Grandi Potenze” dell’epoca.
Un saggio che ricostruisce la figura di Enrico Dandolo, grande doge di Venezia, noto soprattutto per il suo contributo all’organizzazione e alla direzione della Quarta Crociata conclusasi nel 1204 con la presa e il sacco di Costantinopoli.
L’Autore riesce ad inquadrare molto bene le caratteristiche di questo personaggio, delle sue origini famigliari, dello sviluppo e trasformazione di Venezia, attraverso la sua trasformazione urbana, l’evoluzione e delle sue istituzioni e la regolamentazione dei rapporti fra Stato e Chiesa.
Dandolo, ben lungi dall’essere “l’anima nera” distruttrice di imperi dipinto da parte della storiografia, fu invece uomo che i contemporanei considerarono giusto, saggio, prudente, onesto e lungimirante ed è passato alla storia come uno dei più grandi, se non il “più grande”, doge di Venezia.
Tutto ciò sembra quasi incredibile pensando che egli assunse la più alta carica della Repubblica nel 1192 quando ormai era già molto avanti negli anni (più di ottant’anni) e afflitto da cecità; il che non gli impedirà non solo di dirigere con polso fermo una crociata che sembrava fin dall’origine votata al fallimento, ma neppure di svolgere un ruolo attivo e determinante sul campo di battaglia e nel successivo tentativo di riassesto dei territori ex-bizantini.
Al di là delle inevitabili critiche ed elogi che inevitabilmente si svilupparono intorno ad un personaggio di tanta levatura, certo è che, dopo il suo dogato, Venezia uscì totalmente trasformata, scalando i ranghi delle “Grandi Potenze” dell’epoca.
December 6, 2022
Four stars for the deep research, but 2 stars for the extremely biased, almost worshipping of Enrico Dandolo by the author. In sum, 3 stars.
The author gives us a totally different perspective from most historians of Venice. For him, Dandolo was not cynical, evil or tactical. Just wise, pragmatic and sometimes even naive.
Madden researched very well the historical setting taking place in Venice and across Zara, Rome and Byzantium, but he contradicts himself in his moral assertions or opinions. In one page, he excuses Dandolo's actions in relation to the Franks as lack of military knowledge, in the other he says that he was only a military leader, not a politician or reformer.
Next, he moves on to acknowledge the supposition that Venice's conquest of Zara was morally justifiable based on an assumed plot between them, Pisans and Hungarians. A few pages later, though, he tells the story of how the name "Dandolo" has always been associated with humiliation and oppression by the Zarans.
It seems that every single one of Dandolo's least morally justifiable actions were always defended by Madden as naivity, or the mere product of chance. A very distant view from most historiography on the subject.
In general, the book is very well written, but these flaws made it painful to read. 3 stars.
The author gives us a totally different perspective from most historians of Venice. For him, Dandolo was not cynical, evil or tactical. Just wise, pragmatic and sometimes even naive.
Madden researched very well the historical setting taking place in Venice and across Zara, Rome and Byzantium, but he contradicts himself in his moral assertions or opinions. In one page, he excuses Dandolo's actions in relation to the Franks as lack of military knowledge, in the other he says that he was only a military leader, not a politician or reformer.
Next, he moves on to acknowledge the supposition that Venice's conquest of Zara was morally justifiable based on an assumed plot between them, Pisans and Hungarians. A few pages later, though, he tells the story of how the name "Dandolo" has always been associated with humiliation and oppression by the Zarans.
It seems that every single one of Dandolo's least morally justifiable actions were always defended by Madden as naivity, or the mere product of chance. A very distant view from most historiography on the subject.
In general, the book is very well written, but these flaws made it painful to read. 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2021
En utmärkt biografi över en skicklig handelsfurste, och den tid som formade honom innan han nådde Venedigs ... tron?
Jag rekommenderar den varmt för alla ekonomihistorienördar, och alla medletidsnördar.
Jag rekommenderar den varmt för alla ekonomihistorienördar, och alla medletidsnördar.
June 25, 2024
Read a free copy through the NYPL and Project Muse. Good intro to a critical figure in Venetian history. Need more exploration on the why and the long term consequences.
August 21, 2017
Well-written narrative history of the political change of Venice in the twelfth century, centred around the three central figures of Enric Dandolo Patriarch of Grado, Vitale Dandolo and his son Enrico Dandolo the doge. M. tends to present the deeds of his Venetians rather positively. The work aims to be nuanced rather than revisionist. The political is very prominent here. Many decisions and actions are explained as a cost-benefit analysis. I presume this is in part due to the fiscal nature of the sources. The book would have benefited from a map or two of Venice and the Adriatic.
Something that left me wondering: at pp. 107 f. a point is made of Dandolo's policy to prevent Venetians from housing new foreigners (fewer than 3 years). The effectiveness of the policy relies on the fact that foreigners could not own property. It made me wonder what determined citizenship and how it was possible for the foreign upstart families like the Dandolo, of which M. speaks so often, to buy property a century before? A quick account of Venetian citizenship, changes in the city's laws, or an admission of our ignorance on the subject would have cleared this up. This is a minor point and does not really detract from the work's strengths: its lucidity, its coherent narrative, and its author's fondness of myth-busting.
Something that left me wondering: at pp. 107 f. a point is made of Dandolo's policy to prevent Venetians from housing new foreigners (fewer than 3 years). The effectiveness of the policy relies on the fact that foreigners could not own property. It made me wonder what determined citizenship and how it was possible for the foreign upstart families like the Dandolo, of which M. speaks so often, to buy property a century before? A quick account of Venetian citizenship, changes in the city's laws, or an admission of our ignorance on the subject would have cleared this up. This is a minor point and does not really detract from the work's strengths: its lucidity, its coherent narrative, and its author's fondness of myth-busting.
July 30, 2007
I visited Venice a year ago, and knew very little about its history. Even though I may never go back, I wanted to know more about Venice, it's archipelago and it's maritime supremacy. This is a study of one particular Doge, and the books explains Venice's unique republican system of government, and how Venice rose to power and how the 4th Crusade got de-railed and ended up with the European coalition sacking Constantinople. Although a history, it was still a fascinating read.
January 23, 2017
A detailed account of Venetian history in the century leading up to the conquest of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. A scholarly work, it gives more detail than the casual reader needs, but the prose is lively and the author has an eye for telling details.
It is most valuable for its sympathetic treatmentment of Venetian relations with Byzantium. The conquest is shown to be a natural, if impulsive response to outrages committed against Venice by the Eastern Empire.
It is most valuable for its sympathetic treatmentment of Venetian relations with Byzantium. The conquest is shown to be a natural, if impulsive response to outrages committed against Venice by the Eastern Empire.
February 16, 2009
The history of the Dandolo family from its beginning through the dogeship of Enrico Dandolo and the conquest of Constantinople in 1204. The book also traces the history of the Venetian State as a parallel development.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews