HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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standing. It consisted of two hundred gallies, but the fury of this armamentwas destined to fall first on the republic of Pisa, whose fleet, though incon-siderable in force, defended itself with a spirit highly meriting a better fate,but was, after a most bloody conflict, completely defeated. The Venetian navybecame for a time invincible. The capture of Ascalon, with that of manyother places equal in consequence, may be attributed to its exertions ; andwhat the extent of its farther success might have been, had the Doge not beentinder the necessity of returning into the Adriatic, for the purpose of repellingthe Normans from Dalmatia, is impossible to be calculated without at least aprobable chance of depreciating its value.

Under Ordelapho Faliero, the thirty-fourth Doge, (A. C. 1087.) the Vene-tians again equipped a strong fleet of gallies, the force of which is somewhatvariously represented, though the lowest statement proves it to have been con-siderable. The different accounts make it to have consisted of from sixty toone hundred gallies. Its destination was in conformity to the effects of thesame religious enthusiasm which had promoted the equipment of the armamentunder the former Doge, the coast of Africa, and its object to assist in what wascuriously termed the holy war. The city of Aeon, or Ptolemais, surrendered toits assault, combined with that made by count Baldwin on the land side. Otherports, scarcely inferior in consequence, formed the trophies and rewards of thecampaign. Baldwin, to whom Ptolemais .had surrendered, in gratitude for theservice, which he considered the common cause had derived from the exertionsof Faliero and his fleet, bestowed that part of the conquests on his Venetianallies. The people of Croatia, in two or three years after this, having givenumbrage to Venice, preparations were accordingly made for their chastisementboth by sea and land. The fleet, as generally proved the case, fulfilled itsobject: the army was not equally successful, the Hungarians having given it asignal defeat, and killed the Doge himself, who commanded it in person.

Domenico Micheli, his successor, entering as well as the people into thespirit of crusading with more zeal and spirit, if possible, than his predecessorshad done, caused a fleet of sixty gallies to be equipped almost immediately onhis accession, and proceeded with it against the Saracens. The siege of Joppawas raised, and the assailants obliged to retire with the greatest precipitation,leaving behind them an immense booty. Information of this success, theenvy which it excited, and the alarm at the growing power of the Venetians,

combined