ABSTRACT
Over a period of a century and a half from the middle of the thirteenth to the beginning of the fifteenth century Venice and Genoa, the two greatest maritime powers of medieval Italy, fought four major wars. Absolute control of the sea was impossible, perhaps even inconceivable to naval commanders of that day, but control of certain routes might have been possible and could have achieved the same effect. During the First Genoese-Venetian War (1257–1270) the fleets never left port earlier than April and always returned by October. In the later wars there was activity year round and it was no longer possible to think of capturing a whole year's commerce in one caravan. During the First Genoese-Venetian War it was the practice of the Venetians to consolidate their caravans from Romania and Alexandria at Negroponte before proceeding north of Crete to home waters. Possession of these islands was of great importance to Venice.
