Italy: Detail from a 16th-century illustration of Venice showing lateen- (triangular-) and square--rigged ships.

For centuries Venice was Europe’s prime trading partner with the Middle East and the Byzantine Empire in particular. Venetian naval and commercial power was unrivalled in Europe until it lost a series of wars to the Ottoman armies in the 15th century. The city lost some 50,000 people to the Black Death in 1575-77, but remained a major manufacturing center and port well into the 18th century.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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Pictures From History