The Transformative Seventeenth Century

Abstract

Abstract During the seventeenth century, often viewed as a period of decline, Venice underwent a radical transformation as it emerged as a cultural leader in a variety of spheres. Although it continued to serve as an example of the model republic, a darker vision of Venice as a place of control, terror, and secrecy also took hold. In a long and brutal war with the Ottomans, Venice lost Crete, its most prized overseas possession. The cost of the war forced the nobles to start selling membership to the Greater Council. Culturally the city was vibrant as academies flourished and a new form of entertainment, commercial opera, emerged. Venice gained a reputation as a libertine city characterized by Carnival, casinos, courtesans, masking, and free thought. Industry shifted to greater reliance on female and child labor, as tourism (the Grand Tour) became an increasingly important component of the economy.