History of the Republic of Venice

The Republic of Venice (Venetian: Repùblega Vèneta; Italian: Repubblica di Venezia) was a sovereign state and maritime republic in Northeast Italy, which existed for a millennium between the 8th century and 1797. It was based in the lagoon communities of the historically prosperous city of Venice, and was a leading European economic and trading power during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the most successful of Italy's maritime republics.

Source: Wikipedia — History of the Republic of Venice (CC BY-SA 4.0)