Of uncertain origins, it would seem that Venice was founded in 568 by a mass of refugees who, having abandoned the Po River Valley in the wake of the Longobard invasion of northern Italy, fled to the 118 little islands in the lagoon. At the height of its power, Venice controlled most of the Adriatic coast, many of the Aegean islands, including Crete, and was counted among the leading trade powers in the Middle East. In Italy, the territory of this republic stretched as far as Lake Garda and the Adda River. Many cities controlled by Venice - like Bergamo, Brescia, and Verona - laid claim Venetian sovereignty when under the threat of foreign invasions. In the XVIII century, Venice was among the most refined cities of Europe, wielding an enormous influence on the art, architecture, and literature of that time.
