Invasion of Crete (Premysloides Dynasty)

 

 Fall of Venice     

Combatants  Roman Empire:
 * Imperial Army
 * Imperial Fleet
 * Varangian Guard

<td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> Republic of Venice: <th style="text-align:left; font-weight:normal; background:#B4C5E3;" colspan="2">Commanders <tr style="spacing-top:0px; spacing-bottom:0px; vertical-align:top; background:#F0F0F0;"><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999; border-right: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> Emperor Romanos V Stratégos Strategopulos Supreme Admiral Filantropenos Commander Rudolph of Habsburg Varangian Commander Ingvar
 * Bulgarian Empire
 * Holy Roman Empire
 * Republic of Genoa (defected)
 * Republican Army
 * Venetian Fleet
 * City Garrison
 * Latin Feudals
 * Republic of Genoa (later)

<td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> Giberto Dandolo † Martin Morossino † Andreo Tiepolo † Various patricians and commanders † Enrico Corza (POW) Uberto Orzia (executed) <th style="text-align:left; font-weight:normal; background:#B4C5E3;" colspan="2">Strength <tr style="spacing-top:0px; spacing-bottom:0px; vertical-align:top; background:#F0F0F0;"><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999; border-right: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> Imperial Forces:
 * Bulgarian Tsar Konstantin Tikh
 * Holy Roman Empire Emperor Frederick II
 * 8,000 Roman troops
 * 2,500 Cataphracts
 * 2,000 Varangians
 * 90 war-galleys
 * 8,000 Bulgarian allies
 * 6,000 Holy Roman Empire troops and knights
 * 100 Genoese ships (later defected)

Total: +26,000 troops and knights, 5,000 sailors <td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> Venetian Forces:
 * 8,000 mercenaries
 * 10,000 Republican Guard troops
 * 50,000 militiamen
 * About 300 galleys (include Genoese)

Total: +68,000 soldiers and militiamen <th style="text-align:left; font-weight:normal; background:#B4C5E3;" colspan="2">Casualties and Losses <tr style="spacing-top:0px; spacing-bottom:0px; vertical-align:top; background:#F0F0F0;"><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999; border-right: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> 8,000 killed or wounded <td style="border-top: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px solid #999999;" class="infoboxcell" width="50%"> 60,000 killed and 8,000 captured and enslaved, about 130,000 killed civilians

Fall of Venice
''"... never in the history, never before and never after, was achieved such great victory, such decisive victory, such significant victory, as was Fall of Venice. Empire which laid in ruins, impoverished, crippled, weakened by infighting, civil wars and enemy crusades were able to resurge and under Emperor Romanos, as one man, united and never divided,  destroyed most hatred and most dangerous enemy. Republic of Venice. Republic at peak of her power, her strength, her mighty force and with her mighty fleet and strong army, was crushed, annihilated, destroyed, just like Carthago more then thousand years ago," - Constantine Chadenos, Imperial Consul.''

Background
Despite many great victories, despite raids on Dalmatia and great victory at Thessaloniky, war still was not decided, as Republic of Venice was well fortified and defended by enormous fleet. Venetian Fleet was still undefeated mighty power in Adriatic Sea, despite casualties at end of Thessaloniky battle.

At June 1249, unified anti-Venetian armies and fleets of Roman Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Bulgarian Empire and Republic of Genoa moved toward Venice. While much less numerous then republican defenders and republican fleet, Imperial Forces had strength of their Emperor, their victories and their artillery. Also, most troops had unprecedented morale, full of fierce desire to avenge Constantinople and mass murder of Constantinople people during 1204 Crusade.

Before battle itself, imperial infiltrators moved to Venice and contacted anti-Venetian resistance. Their efforts were futile, as Venetian State Inquisition, secret service corps, was able to find resistance and arrest them. This failure however did not stop imperial invasion and revenge. Original plan of infiltrators and resistance was to bomb Venetian Arsenal, ports, stockpiles and fortification with large barrels of gunpowder and Greek Fire. Only western port of Venice was destroyed by rebels.

Invasion and Battle
First Phase (Imperial Attack) First phase of Siege of Venice started with massive navy assault against Pellegrine and Venetian coastal territories. Empire had technological superiority with use of gunpowder, especially artillery and also Greek Fire. Navy break through weak blockade without any Venetian resistance, as Venetian rulers accepted they can not repel attack on Pellegrine and retreated most of their forces to central islands. Imperial forces cleared eastern parts of Venetian Lagoon, conquered Isola della Certosa, Le Vignole and northern and southern di Castello, where they formed a beachhead. Imperial assault on Venice was halted, because attackers found out most of streets defended by archers or mined with fragment bombs.

Second Phase (Lagoon and Betrayal)

To secure encirclement and siege of Venice, Supreme Admiral Philantropenos decided to strike decisively against the Venetian fleet gathered between the Venetian islands and eastern Italian coasts. This area was used by Venetian defenders to supply besieged forces and it was the last, but most important supply line. Philantropenos chose "Hammer and Anvil" tactic to destroy the Venetian navy.

Imperial Fleet was sent to northern lagoon, while the Genoese fleet was sent to the southwest area of lagoon. Imperial Fleet moved to attack Venetians from north, but at first, they stopped near island Murano, where they saw large enemy forces, include heavy weapons like catapults and ballista, placed to attack fleet rear. They seen it only because of latest discover of binoculars. Muranos island forests were bombed by fire shells from catapults and most of enemy troops died, while some escaped, but were killed by Varangian archers on Imperial Fleet. On western side of Murano, Imperial Fleet found 20 hidden Venetian ships.

One of the artillery galleys was placed to this position to secure and capture this small fleet. Imperial Fleet continued to their target, Venetian Fleet, but when they sail around Murano, they seen joint Venetian-Genoese fleet moving toward their position. 330 ships against 90 imperial ships. Emperor Romanos call off Philantropenos order to retreat and ordered direct strike on enemy center. Romanos did not knew it was a trap! His fleet clashed in lagoon with Venetian-Genoese fleet, however, battle ended unexpectedly. Enemy trap did not work.

Part of Genoese and Venetian sailors were landed on Murano, to take hidden ships, overwhelm Imperials and attack to rear of Imperial Fleet. This never happened and no-one ever found why trap did not work. Later was only found destroyed fleet, include Imperial ship securing fleet and all sailors and soldiers of both sides were killed. Navy battle climaxed when Emperor Flagship Constantin the Great charged Venetian Flagship.

Varangians boarded Venetian Flagship, fought on ship, even with Emperor himself and killed Venetian grand admiral and many top officers. Right-flank of Imperial Fleet was very successful in destroying enemy joint fleet and lost only six ships in contrast to 78 destroyed or captured enemy ships. Left-flank had more problems. Imperial Fleet lost on left-flank 27 ships and destroyed only 58. Reinforced by right-flank and center group, battle ended with glorious defeat of joint Venetian-Genoese navy.

300 ships on all sides were destroyed, 63 were captured by Imperial Navy and reinforced fleet, 4000 sailors were killed or wounded and Venetian supply route cut off.

After battle, Genoese admiral Uberto Orzia was arrested by Imperial troops and questioned by Emperor Romanos. Emperor found out about secret plans of Genoa Republic to destroy Empire and conquer Venice.

This Phase (Long Siege)

After destroying Venetian and Genoese fleet, Emperor decided for three steps: First, he sent emissaries to coastal cities and villages to secure supplies for his army and navy and he sent his great granduncle Emperor Frederick as emissary. Second, he choose long and slow siege, in combination with bombardment by artillery, to final conquer of Venice and third, he chose to use biochemical weapons. In Siege of Venice, according most historians, it was first time of systematic and well-planned use of biochemical weapons.

Emperor used captured enemies in inhumane experiments and infected them with many diseases on remote islands in lagoon. When they died, he choose group of volunteers with body protection to slice to pieces bodies of infected and then use catapults and even artillery (however, it was ineffective as body parts were torn apart by gunpowder explosions) to biological attack on Venice.

He sent infiltrators to city with gunpowder and Greek Fire charges and placed them with primitive time detonators to different places (Venetian Arsenal, granaries, barracks, bridges, etc.). By this slow, but steady progress, Emperor captured large parts of Venice and soon even Doge Palace (however, Doge was already retreated to inner parts of city and most Doge Palace was cleared out).

Giudecca and Dorsudaro fall during November 1249.

San Marco was captured on turn of November and December. But these areas were evacuated by Venetians when diseases and epidemic spread across streets and squares.

Only typhoid fever killed 19,000 Venetians, while dysentery killed 16,000 peoples and depleted large volume of water supplies.

Fourth Phase (Final Assault and Fall of Venice)

At end of December, Emperor Romanos changed strategy and started large assaults on all non-vital areas. This strategy was odd at first, as most Imperial Commanders suggested to attack remaining granaries and barracks. However, the Emperor used architecture and style of Venetian streets and with capturing non-vital areas, he was able to interrupt connection between Dandolo Palace, barracks, granaries and fortification on different places, he reinforced forces in this non-vital streets and squares and repel all enemy counter-attacks.

Largest and bloodiest counterattack occurred on 17th December. Venetians lost 7,500 troops, while Imperial Army and their allies lost 2,000 troops, but Empire was able to maintain disruption.

21st December surrendered Eastern Barracks and most of troops fled from Venice.

22nd December, in exchange for food, Imperial Army allowed granary garrison to left Venice without harm.

23rd December, Imperial Artillery Forces reached fire-distance to bombard Dandolo Palace.

At early morning 24th December, Imperial troops conquered Morossini Palace in north-eastern Venice and secured regalias of Emperor Iustinian the Great and Theodora for Emperor Romanos and his wife.

25th December started rebellion among defenders. Most of slaves rose up or left Venice and starving militia troops rioted against well-fed garrison troops.

27th December, remnants of Venetian Army left Dandolo Palace and fortified on San Leonardo Square and local church. At night, most of defenders of San Leonardo surrendered to Imperial Forces.

30th December, Giberto Dandolo ignited fire in Dandolo Palace to prevent Imperial Forces reaching family treasure. This fire however ignited also infighting among defenders. Giberto Dandolo was killed by remaining garrison commander Enrico Corza, but most of Dandolo Palace and Cannaregio burned down before arrive of Imperial Forces. Most of defenders perished in fire.

31st December, last pocket of Venetian troops in Church of San Fosca, was destroyed and all troops killed.

Aftermath
When was Dandolo Palace captured and Church of San Fosca destroyed, Emperor Romanos sent couriers and emissars to all foreign powers and spread word about destruction of Venice and great Roman vendetta for Venetian Crusade.

After capture of patrician palaces, Imperial Forces found unbelievable treasure. From all Venetian profits, trades and loots, include thousands and thousands coins stolen from Constantinople in 1204, Imperial Forces collected about 800 tonnes of gold and 2,000 tonnes of silver, about 6,000 gems and diamonds. It was about 100 million hyperpyrons (5 billion dollars OTL).