The Trade Dispute Between Byzantium, Venice And Genoa From The 12～(th) Century To The 14～(th) Century

The 12th century was an important transitional period of the Byzantine Empire. After the transient resurgence of imperial court of Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056), from Comnenian Dynasty (1081-1185), Byzantine Empire began to decline gradually. At the same time, ItalianCommerce Republic-Venice and Genoa came to spring up. They successively intervenedthe trade region of the eastern Mediterranean in Byzantine Empire. For contending the trade privilege of the eastern Mediterranean, they arouse a series of conflict of interests. Finally it even caused violence warfare. This thesis will try to analyze the trade dispute among them and the result, and explore the Byzantium' decline.This thesis consists of the introduction, the text and the conclusion. The introduction points out the purpose, the significance of the topic and the external research condition. At the same time, I will introduce the sources that the thesis relies on and gives definition to a few important ideas.The text is divided into three parts: the first chapter expounds the trade condition between Byzantine Empire and the eastern Mediterranean before the 12th century, from the aspects of Byzantine monopoly position in the trade of the eastern Mediterranean, the trade condition of Venice and Genoa, the trade condition between Byzantine Empire and the Arab, the Syria, the east merchants. In the second chapter, the author analyzes the trade environments and the interest dispute in the eastern Mediterranean after the 12th century from the following aspects: the trade predicament, the critical point that Venice and Genoa intervened the eastern Mediterranean. In the third chapter, the author expounds the final result, the significance and the influence of this interest dispute.In the conclusion, through investigation the trade dispute and the interest contend in the eastern Mediterranean from the 12th century to the 14th century, we can draw a conclusion that this dispute and contend have no gains for the three countries. From then on, the Byzantine Empire quickens to be destroyed. While Venice and Genoa encounter the suffering from this interest dispute.