Peace of Turin


 * This article is about the 14th century treaty. For the 17th century one, see peace of Turin (1696).

The Peace of Turin signed on August 8, 1381, ended the War of Chioggia, the last stage of the larger Venetian-Genoese War. Neither the Republic of Venice nor the Republic of Genoa succeeded in gaining the upper hand, and Venice temporarily lost some territories. However, in fact Genoa was much more weakened, and Venice was emerging triumphant in its long struggle with Genoa over the Mediterranean commerce.

Provisions
Through the mediation of the "Green Count" of Savoy, Amadeus VI, the two sides made a peace treaty at Turin. It gave no formal advantage to Genoa or Venice, and in fact Venice lost some territories: Conegliano was occupied by Austria, Treviso was taken over by the Carraresi, Tenedos fell to Byzantine Empire, Trieste to the Patriarchate of Aquileia, and Venice lost control of Dalmatia as well (to Hungary).

The Peace of Turin consisted of four separate treaties. By the treaty between Venice and Hungary it was agreed that the Venetians should pay seven thousand ducats to the crown of Hungary every year, that the Hungarians on their side should not sail on any river which emptied into the Adriatic between Cape Palmentaria and Rimini, and that Dalmatian merchants should not buy goods in Venice with a value greater than 35,000 ducats. It was arranged between Venice and Genoa that the island of Tenedos was to be delivered to the Count of Savoy, and made uninhabitable; all buildings being razed to the ground. The Venetians promised not to support the king of Cyprus.

Venice also signed treaties with Padua and Trieste. With Padua, however, it was agreed that conquests should be surrendered on both sides, and with Trieste, that Trieste should be free, paying a yearly tribute to the Doge. The general results of the war had been to deprive Venice of its possessions on the mainland and to destroy Genoa's fleet and resources. The promise of admitting thirty families into the Great Council as a reward for their patriotism was kept.

Long term outcome
Whilst on the first glance the treaty didn't look very favorable to Venice, in fact it spelled the successful end of Venice's long competition with Genoa, for which the treaty was at best a Pyrrhic victory. Genoa, devastated by the loss of its fleet, would not rise again; her shipping was not seen in the Adriatic after Turin. Venice was weakened by the war, but Genoa was crippled. Venice recovered much of its territorial losses over the next few decades, and made other gains. Even more crucially, in time, Venice used its monopoly of the Mediterranean to rebuild itself, while Genoa, divided by internal struggles, remained in Venice's shadow.