Verona
In the 1490s, Italy bore little resemblance to the country we know today. Italy wasn’t one country, but rather a group of constantly warring city-states. There were a few “big” players – The Kingdom of Naples, The Republic of Venice, The Duchy of Milan, Florence, and Rome and the Papal States – and several smaller cities. By the 1550s nearly all of the small cities had come under the annexation and rule of the larger states.
The Republic of Venice claimed Verona in 1405. With its central location in Northern Italy, rich artisan culture, and a history as a trading city, it was considered prime territory. The Veronese were, understandably, not pleased. Civic identity and pride played a huge part in one’s life and personality. The Venetian takeover wasn’t just a political move – the citizens of Verona felt personally affronted. Though the Veronese would blend their own traditions with the Venetian fashions and customs, their collective pride would remain wounded for hundreds of years.
As in other annexed territory, Venice left the ruling nobles and law enforcement of Verona in place, sending their own “police” in addition to Veronese forces. The idea was that the Veronese forces would handle any internal struggle, unless it got too out of hand. The Venetians handled external strife, such as threats from another city or issues with foreign traders. While the Veronese nobility were lucky not to be deposed (as the Duchy of Milan did with their conquests), the certainly didn’t feel it. Pressure to keep issues “in the family” was enormous. The ruler of Verona would feel huge pressure to quell any disturbance before it caught the attention of the Venetian guard. Their interference would have been hugely humiliating, not only to the ruler, but also to whatever conflicting parties were involved.
Prince Escalus, the ruler of Romeo & Juliet’s Verona, must have felt a huge pressure to end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. Not only were the townspeople tired of getting caught up in the long lasting feud, but also the Venetian police force must have been close to intervention. As the outbursts and fights between the two families grew in intensity and frequency, the likelihood of Venetian intrusion into this Veronese issue did as well.
The level of crime in Verona for this time period is fairly high; there are lots of brawls, lots of dueling, a bit of robbing and thieving, and a even bit of outright murder. Many of the upper class families in Verona – as in other Italian regions – got their start in crime. While the family figureheads had certainly abandoned the foul deeds of their fathers, many of these families kept company with assassins and criminal leaders.
The Republic of Venice claimed Verona in 1405. With its central location in Northern Italy, rich artisan culture, and a history as a trading city, it was considered prime territory. The Veronese were, understandably, not pleased. Civic identity and pride played a huge part in one’s life and personality. The Venetian takeover wasn’t just a political move – the citizens of Verona felt personally affronted. Though the Veronese would blend their own traditions with the Venetian fashions and customs, their collective pride would remain wounded for hundreds of years.
As in other annexed territory, Venice left the ruling nobles and law enforcement of Verona in place, sending their own “police” in addition to Veronese forces. The idea was that the Veronese forces would handle any internal struggle, unless it got too out of hand. The Venetians handled external strife, such as threats from another city or issues with foreign traders. While the Veronese nobility were lucky not to be deposed (as the Duchy of Milan did with their conquests), the certainly didn’t feel it. Pressure to keep issues “in the family” was enormous. The ruler of Verona would feel huge pressure to quell any disturbance before it caught the attention of the Venetian guard. Their interference would have been hugely humiliating, not only to the ruler, but also to whatever conflicting parties were involved.
Prince Escalus, the ruler of Romeo & Juliet’s Verona, must have felt a huge pressure to end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. Not only were the townspeople tired of getting caught up in the long lasting feud, but also the Venetian police force must have been close to intervention. As the outbursts and fights between the two families grew in intensity and frequency, the likelihood of Venetian intrusion into this Veronese issue did as well.
The level of crime in Verona for this time period is fairly high; there are lots of brawls, lots of dueling, a bit of robbing and thieving, and a even bit of outright murder. Many of the upper class families in Verona – as in other Italian regions – got their start in crime. While the family figureheads had certainly abandoned the foul deeds of their fathers, many of these families kept company with assassins and criminal leaders.
Information Drawn From:
Bowd, Stephen D. Venice's Most Loyal City: Civic Identity in Renaissance Brescia. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2010. Print.
Brown, Alison. The Renaissance. London: Longman, 1999. Print.
Denton, Jeffrey Howard. Orders and Hierarchies in Late Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1999. Print.
Humfrey, Peter. Venice and the Veneto. New York: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print.
Whitlock, Keith. The Renaissance in Europe: A Reader. New Haven: Yale UP, 2000. Print.
Brown, Alison. The Renaissance. London: Longman, 1999. Print.
Denton, Jeffrey Howard. Orders and Hierarchies in Late Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1999. Print.
Humfrey, Peter. Venice and the Veneto. New York: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print.
Whitlock, Keith. The Renaissance in Europe: A Reader. New Haven: Yale UP, 2000. Print.