Pax Nicephori

The Pax Nicephori was an 803 peace treaty concluded between the two emperors of Europe, Charlemagne in the West, and Nicephorus I in the East. Though Nicephorus refused to recognise Charlemagne's imperial title, the empires made agreement over the possession of disputed Italian territory, namely, the province of Venetia. The treaty was advantageous to the Venetians and it guaranteed Byzantine sovereignty over them. However the following year the Venetians transferred their allegiance to the Franks and a war broke out between the two empires which lasted until 810. In 811, the treaty again came into effect and Michael I Rangabe even recognised Charlemagne's imperial title. However, it was not until three years later after Charlemagne's death in 814, that the treaty was re-ratified with some amendments that were even more advantageous to Venice and effectively made her an independent polity.

ources

*Norwich, John Julius. "A History of Venice". Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 1982.