Venice Italian Venezia \va-'net-sya\ City (pop., 2004 est.: 271,663), capital of Veneto region, northern Italy. Built on a lagoon, Venice encom¬ passes some 118 islands, the whole 90-mi (145-km) perimeter of the lagoon, and two industrial mainland boroughs. Refugees from northern invasions of the mainland founded settlements in the 5th century ad that were built uniquely on islands as protection against raids. Venice was a vas¬ sal of the Byzantine Empire until the 10th century. Beginning with control of a trade route to the Levant, Venice emerged from the Fourth Crusade (1202-04) as ruler of a colonial empire which included Crete, Euboea, the Cyclades, the Ionian Islands, and footholds in Morea and Epirus. In 1381 it defeated Genoa after a century-long struggle for commercial supremacy in the Levant and eastern Mediterranean. In the 15th century, with the acqui¬ sition of neighbouring regions, the Republic of Venice became an extensive Italian state. It gradually lost its eastern possessions to Ottoman Turks, with
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Venice ► Venus
1995
whom Venice fought intermittently from the 15th to the 18th century; it gave up its last hold in the Aegean in 1715. The republic dissolved and the territory was ceded to Austria in 1797. Incorporated into Napoleon’s King¬ dom of Italy in 1805, it was restored to Austria in 1815. A revolt against Austria (1848^-9) eventually resulted in Venice being ceded to Italy in 1866. It suffered little damage during World War II, but flooding along its many miles of canals caused severe damage in 1966. The waters of the lagoon rise and flood the city on a regular basis, complicating efforts to preserve its architecture, which includes Italian, Arabic, Byzantine, and Renaissance forms. There are some 450 palaces and homes of major his¬ toric importance in Venice. Notable among its 400 bridges is the Bridge of Sighs (built c. 800) and among its churches St. Mark's Basilica. Most of the city’s workers find employment in tourism and related industries, though Venice also plays a key market role within the vibrant economic system of the Veneto region.
Venice, Gulf of Northern section of the Adriatic Sea. It extends east¬ ward for 60 mi (95 km) from the Po River delta, Italy, to the coast of Istria. Marshes, lagoons, and sandspits border the gulf’s shores as far as Trieste, Italy. A northeast wind, called the bora, causes rough seas and creates shipping hazards in the gulf.
Venice, Peace of (1177) Agreement in which Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa acknowledged Alexander III as the true pope. Fred¬ erick’s decisive defeat by the Lombard League at the Battle of Legnano (1176) had obliged him to abandon his Italian campaign and sign a truce. In the Peace of Venice, Frederick agreed to withdraw support from the antipope and to restore church property he had seized. He received the kiss of peace from the pope in front of St. Mark’s.
Venice, Treaty of (1201) Treaty negotiated between crusaders in the Fourth Crusade and Enrico Dandolo of Venice to provide transport for 85,000 marks. The crusaders’ failure to fulfill their monetary obligation was a major factor in the diversion of the crusade to Zara and Constan¬ tinople.
Venice Biennale \,be-en-'na-la\ International art exhibition held in the Castello district of Venice every two years and juried by an international committee. It was founded in 1895 as the International Exhibition of Art of the City of Venice to promote “the most noble activities of the mod¬ ern spirit without distinction of country.” The first Biennale, which achieved worldwide prestige, included artists from 16 nations; the com¬ mittee included Edward Burne-Jones, Gustave Moreau, and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. After World War II it became the leading showplace for the international avant-garde. Usually held in the summer months, it attracts many tourists and visitors.
Venizelos \,ven-y9-'ze-l6s\, Eleutherios (Kyriakos) (b. Aug. 23, 1864, Moumies, Crete, Ottoman Empire—d. March 18, 1936, Paris, France) Greek revolutionary leader. Son of a Cretan revolutionary, he served in the government of autonomous Crete as minister of justice (1899-1901), then led an insurrection that forced the autocratic high com¬ missioner to leave Crete (1905). In Athens, he led the Military League opposition group and effected the union of Crete with Greece. As premier of Greece (1910—15) he helped form the Balkan League. During the Bal¬ kan Wars, his policies doubled Greece’s area and population. In World War I he supported the Allies; he resigned when opposed by the pro- German King Constantine, led the opposition that forced the king into exile, and again became premier (1917—20), aligning Greece with the Allies and successfully protecting Greek interests at the Paris Peace Con¬ ference. He served three more stints as premier (1924, 1928-32, 1933), but he was forced into exile when the monarchy was restored in 1935.
venom Poison secreted by an animal, produced by specialized glands often associated with spines, teeth, or stings. It may be primarily for para¬ lyzing or killing prey or may be purely defensive. Some venoms also function as digestive fluids. Their effects can range from localized skin inflammation to almost immediate death; they include nervous-system excitation (cramps, vomiting, convulsions) or depression (paralysis, respi¬ ratory or cardiac depression or arrest), hemorrhage, red-blood-cell break¬ down, circulatory collapse, and allergic reactions (including hives and inflammation). Many major groups of animals contain venomous species: snakes (cobras, mambas, vipers, pit vipers); fish (stingrays, spiny sharks, cer¬ tain catfish, puffers); lizards (Gila monsters, beaded lizards); scorpions; spiders (black widow spiders, brown recluse spiders); social insects (bees, wasps, some ants); and marine invertebrates (sea anemones, fire corals, jel¬ lyfish, sea urchins). See also antidote.
ventilating Natural or mechanically induced movement of fresh air into or through an enclosed space. The hazards of poor ventilation were not clearly understood until the early 20th century. Expired air may be laden with odors, heat, gases, or dust. Mechanical ventilation systems typically include a fan and filter to remove particles. A mechanically powered inlet of air, when combined with a natural exhaust, tends to cause a slight posi¬ tive pressure within an enclosed space, so that the air leakage is outward. A mechanical exhaust with a natural air inlet causes a slight negative pressure, so that air moves inward. Such systems are often used to con¬ fine fumes or smells to a particular area of a building (e.g., laboratories, kitchens, bathrooms) and exhaust them to the outside.
ventricular fibrillation Uncoordinated contraction of the muscle fibres of the heart’s ventricles (see arrhythmia). Causes include heart attack, electric shock, anoxia, abnormally high potassium or low calcium in the blood, and digitalis or epinephrine poisoning (see drug poisoning). Death soon follows if circulation is not restored with electric shocks (defibrillation) or drugs supplemented by chest compressions (as in car¬ diopulmonary resuscitation). See also atrial fibrillation.