HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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ment of an annual tribute, and the aid of a certain portion of naval force, whichit was stipulated should be kept in constant readiness for service, so that it mightjoin the Venetian fleet, whenever called upon, at the shortest notice.

The tranquillity thus restored proved but of short duration. Continued in-surrections were excited to harrass the Venetians ; and in aid of the meansbefore used, the disaffected applied to Vattasus, governor of Lesbos, offeringto elect him for their sovereign, on condition he should afford them suchsuccour and assistance as should enable them to expel their masters. Encou-raged by the offer, the Lesbian equipped a fleet, consisting of thirty gallies ;but though successful at the commencement of his enterprise, be found atlength the undertaking too great for his force, and was compelled, with unsatedambition, to abandon the revolters to their fate. A renewal of the attemptfrom the same quarter was equally unsuccessful. But discomfiture, thoughrepeated, was not yet a sufficiently strong incentive to stop or paralise the am-bition of Vattasus. It even seemed to rise in its extent, as though defyingall misfortune. The declining state of the eastern empire, and the treasures ofConstantinople itself, appeared too glorious a prize not to merit the greatestexertions, and seemed sufficient to avert the charge of rashness from so ha-zardous an attempt. Venice appeared among the firmest supporters of the impe-rial dignity, faded and withered as its state then was ; but notwithstanding everypossible expedition was used, the siege of Constantinople was actually com-menced ere the Venetian fleet arrived. The complete discomfiture of the be-siegers, amounting almost to their total annihilation, instantly followed ; and 1the naval glory of the republic was very soon afterwards still farther advancedby a solicitation, in the strongest terms, of a treaty of alliance and friendshipfrom their quondam enemies and rivals, the Genoese.

Pope Gregory the Ninth proved the cause of this apparendy wonderful coali-tion and reconciliation. The emperor Frederic had entered the ecclesiasticalterritories with a numerous army, and committed the most dreadful ravages.The Venetians repaired to the assistance of the former with a fleet consisting;of forty ships, or gallies, having on board a strong body of troops ; and the murderof the Doge’s son, after being taken prisoner by the Franks, contributed to raise,the fury of the public mind almost to a pitch of frensy. Frederic, however*having formed an alliance with the Pisans, collected a fleet consisting of morethan one hundred gallies, and the Genoese, who trembled fer their own safety*

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