A Study On The Patrician Politics In Sixteenth-Century Venice

16th-Century is the key time in the Western Europe history, which is the transition period from traditional to modern society, from feudalism to capitalism. In this context of change and transition, different from the north-western Europe which witnessed the rise of the nation-states, the Italian cities which gave birth to the splendorous Renaissance culture, had to decline, or destruction or annexation, when facing the pressure of the Geographic Discovery and the harassment from the nations around. However, the Republic of Venice on this Peninsula is an exception. As the longest, and most successful Italian city-state during the early modern times, the Republic of Venice overcame these social crisis triggered by the pressure, maintained its own independence and freedom of the status, and social harmony and stability in the sixteenth century. In this process, the Venetian Patrician Politics had played a key role, through the adjustment and reformation, to make Venice, which is the traditional society, transit to the modern society in the process of a smooth transition.This dissertation is divided into four chapters. The first chapter discusses the social and historical background of the Venetian aristocracy, including the formation of the Republic of Venice, the early development of its economy and social structure, and referred to the early development of Venetian aristocracy. The second chapter starting with the "Myth of Venice", display peak development of the Republic of Venice and its aristocracy in the 16th century, in the mean while, discusses the crisis and difficulties encountered in this period, providing the study background for the following two chapters which deal specifically with the aristocracy adjustment. Chapter three discusses the aristocracy from the adjustment and resolution of internal conflicts, and response to the socio-economic crisis which is the two aspects of Venice. In the meantime, shows the development of the Venetian politics in the 16th century, and how it dealt with the economic crisis. ChapterⅣgoes to the social life, to study the measures and means by the Venetian patriciates to resolve the social poverty, while detailed analysis how they controlled and managed the public space to achieve the social stability and harmony.By the research of the 16th century Venetian patrician politics, I take the view that the Venetian noble politics preserved the ancient principles and traditions by adjusting the ways of governing and policies, exercised effective in the management to the Republic of Venice in the 16th century, succeeded in overcoming the economic and social crisis which would have caused the devastation effects to the Venetian social life. While the Venetian patrician political system has withstood the test of time of the Republic of social crisis, to achieve self-perfection and development.