Editing Veneto (section)

===Middle Ages===
[[File:BattagliaLegnano.jpg|thumb|right|The defence of the [[Carroccio]] during the [[battle of Legnano]] (1176) by [[Amos Cassioli]] (1832–1891)]]
By the middle of the 8th century, the [[Franks]] had assumed political control of the region and the mainland of Veneto became part of the [[Carolingian Empire]]. Though politically dominant, these Germanic invaders were gradually absorbed into the Venetian population over the centuries.
In the late 9th century, [[Berengar I of Italy|Berengar]], [[Margrave]] of the [[March of Friuli]] was [[elective monarchy|elected king]] of Italy. Under his tumultuous reign, the March of Friuli was absorbed into the [[March of Verona]] so that Verona's territory contained a large portion of Roman Venetia.

In the 10th century, the mainland of Veneto, after suffering raids from the [[Hungarian people|Magyars]] and the [[Slavic peoples|Slavs]], was incorporated into the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Gradually, the communes of the mainland grew in power and wealth. In 1167 an alliance (called the [[Lombard League]]) was formed among the Venetian cities such as Padua, Treviso, Vicenza, and Verona with other cities of [[Northern Italy]] to assert their rights against the [[Holy Roman Emperor]]. 

The emperor [[Frederick Barbarossa|Frederick I, Barbarossa]] (reigned 1155–1190) conducted six military campaigns in Italy, which was under his [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Originally he wanted to confront the [[Normans|Norman]] [[Kingdom of Sicily]] in the south. However, his intervention in Italy was opposed by several Italian cities, particularly [[Milan]], which he had partially destroyed during his second campaign. A dispute with [[Pope Alexander III]] (1159–1181) developed because Frederick endorsed [[Antipope Victor IV (1159–1164)|antipope Victor IV]], who had been elected in opposition to Alexander. Opposition against Frederick in northern Italy grew and the [[Lombard League]], a league formed by several cities, fought him. Frederick was defeated at the [[Battle of Legnano]] in 1176. Preliminary peace negotiations took place at [[Anagni]] (the Peace of Anagni) in 1176.<ref>Davis, R. H. C. (1957). ''A History of Medieval Europe''. p.332 et seq.</ref>  Negotiations involving all the concerned parties to reach a formal peace treaty took place in Venice where a conference was scheduled for July 1177. The [[Doge (title)|doge]] [[Sebastiano Ziani]] (1172–1178) was to act as an intermediary.

The [[Peace of Constance|Second Treaty of Constance]] in 1183 confirmed the [[Treaty of Venice|Peace of Venice]] of 1177 in which the cities agreed to remain part of the Empire as long as their jurisdiction over their own territories was not infringed upon. The league was dissolved at the death of [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Frederick II]] in 1250. This period also witnessed the founding of the second oldest [[university]] in Italy, the [[University of Padua]] founded in 1222. Around this time, [[Padua]] also served as home to [[Anthony of Padua|St. Anthony]], the beloved Saint called simply "il Santo" ("the Saint") by the inhabitants of the town.