earticle

영어

The complex relationship between the Venetian and the Byzantine culture in the Middle Ages poses interesting questions to us. This paper is to trace the cultural policy of Venice in relation to the Byzantine Empire around the period of the fourth Crusade.
In the early Middle Ages, the Byzantine Empire, as the successor of the Roman Empire, was highly esteemed by western countries for its authority, its power, and its wealth. However, as time went on, the Byzantine Empire became the object of contempt by the West. One of the turning points of this dramatic shift was the fourth Crusade, when Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, was conquered by the Crusade in 1204. The role of Venice for the conquest of Constantinople was conclusive and it was also Venice who most enjoyed fruits of the conquest.
To justify their conquest of Constantinople, the Venetians needed to disparage the Byzantine Empire, emphasizing on her heretical religion (i.e. the Greek Orthodox) and immorality. In addition, to legitimize their new empire, they adopted two complementary policies, which found expression in the exhibition-policy of holy relics and artifacts plundered from the Byzantine Empire. Many of the most important spoils of Venice, added after I204, made the Venetians proclaim themselves as the rebuilders of the Byzantine Empire, or even as the true heir of the ancient Roman Empire. The message of this was clear: God permitted those spoils and made Venice's authority over the Byzantine Empire - that is, the conquered territories were now under the duty of Venice through the divine justice.
This ideology could also help rule those who once belonged to the Byzantine territory. The more powerful Venice appeared, the more repudiated the Byzantine Empire. This ideology was blossomed during the Enlightenment Period, especially by Gibbon, Voltaire and others, when “the Otherness of the Byzantine Empire” became unquestionable for the Western Europeans.