Genoa–Venice Maritime Rivalry in the 1390s

Timeline

1. 1391–1394Genoa · LiguriaAfter the crushing defeat at the Battle of Chioggia in 1380, the Republic of Genoa's finances and navy were badly weakened; it turned to alliances with France and Milan and strengthened its commercial presence in places such as Caffa in Crimea, challenging Venetian eastern monopolies by indirect means.
2. 1394–1398Caffa (Crimea) · CrimeaBoth sides competed fiercely in the Black Sea grain trade and on spice routes transshipped through Egypt; Genoese merchants held outposts in Caffa while Venice tightened control of Morea and Levantine trading stations, with privateering and port access becoming the main means of conflict.
3. 1398–1400Venice · VenetoBy the end of the 14th century Venice still held the advantage through its Adriatic dominance and eastern trade routes; though Genoa failed to restore naval parity, it maintained important commercial networks in the Black Sea and western Mediterranean, and the rivalry entered a phase of prolonged attrition and diplomatic maneuvering.