La Repubblica di Venezia e la Persia

Set against the turbulent backdrop of the late medieval and early modern Mediterranean, this work traces the diplomatic dance between the Republic of Venice and the Persian Empire. It shows how Venetian statesmen, seeking to curb Ottoman expansion, turned to Persia as an ally and commercial partner, fostering secret envoys and agreements that shaped the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. The narrative follows key episodes—from the 1470s Persian‑Venetian cooperation in Laristan to the negotiations surrounding the wars over Cyprus and Crete.

Using a wealth of previously unpublished documents, the author blends reports from Venetian archives, Persian court records, and notes of a mid‑nineteenth‑century Italian diplomatic mission. This scholarship illuminates both the political calculations of the two powers and the vibrant trade networks that linked European markets with interior Asia before the Cape route dominated. Readers gain a nuanced picture of how mutual interests, religious tensions, and the lure of commerce forged a partnership that left a subtle yet lasting imprint on Mediterranean history.