On Whether or Not the Venetians Should Make an Agreement with the Emperor or Risk War against Him
This chapter showcases a debate on whether or not the Venetians should make an agreement with Charles. At the time there was a possibility that Charles could find a pretext to seize the Duchy of Milan, in which case the Venetian Republic would have found itself squeezed in between Habsburg and imperial dominions on all sides. In addition, the French eclipse from Italian affairs meant the disappearance of the only credible counterweight to Charles's power. At the same time, the Venetians could not challenge the Emperor on their own. The year was thus spent in negotiations with Charles, on the one hand, and with all those who had reason to oppose his triumph, on the other — especially Pope Clement VII and the French regency.