Financial Vipers of Venice: Alchemical Money, Magical Physics, and Banking in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
By Joseph P. Farrell – 40 Q&As – Unbekoming Book Summary
I got a lot out of Farrell’s book Babylon’s Banksters and decided to review and summarize its sequel, Financial Vipers of Venice. We live in a world that Farrell describes as a “closed system” shaped by Venetian oligarchs—imagine if that were taught in schools.
“Viper” seems fitting because I see this growing power as a snake shedding its skin periodically. For a few centuries, it took shape as the “British” Empire. Then, around World War II, it shed its skin and reemerged as the “American” Empire. I think Operation Lock Step signaled another shedding, morphing into a “Global” Empire.
That model makes more sense to me than saying “Britain lost its empire to the Americans,” which at one level might be true, but at the level we’re discussing—and that Farrell’s books explore—it isn’t.
With gratitude to Joseph Farrell.
Related work:
Analogy
Think of the Venetian system like a master chess player who owns the only chess club in town. This player not only knows all the rules and strategies but also controls who gets to play, what pieces they can use, and even subtly alters the rules to maintain advantage. When new players arrive with different approaches that might win, the master either absorbs their techniques or ensures they can't play at all.
But more than that, this chess master has also set up a complex betting system around the games, profits from organizing tournaments, and maintains detailed files on every player's style and weaknesses. When a talented newcomer named Bruno suggests that chess could be played differently - with new pieces and expanded possibilities - threatening both the master's control of the game and the betting system built around it, the master ensures this innovator is permanently banned from playing.
When a new chess club opens across town (like the discovery of the New World), rather than compete directly, our master chess player gradually transfers their operations there, using their accumulated knowledge, wealth, and network of influential players to establish control over the new venue while appearing to remain committed to the old one.
This chess club analogy captures the key elements of the Venetian system: control of the rules (financial and political systems), manipulation of the game (markets and trade), maintenance of power through information gathering (intelligence networks), suppression of threatening innovations (Bruno's execution), and strategic relocation while maintaining control (transfer to Northern Europe) - all while maintaining the appearance of fair play and open competition.
The modern relevance is clear: just as the chess master's techniques for maintaining control evolved but didn't fundamentally change with the move to a new venue, the basic methods of financial and political control established by Venice continue to operate today through different institutions and in different locations, but with remarkably similar underlying patterns and purposes.
Elevator Explanation
"Financial Vipers of Venice" delves into the intriguing life and tragic death of Giordano Bruno, a Renaissance philosopher, and his conflict with the Venetian financial oligarchy. Bruno, a proponent of Hermeticism, challenged the Aristotelian worldview embraced by the Venetian elite.
Hermeticism presented a Metaphor of the Medium – a concept of an infinite, creative universe constantly generating information. Bruno saw this as an open system of limitless creation, free from debt, directly contrasting with the Venetian oligarchy's closed system view of a fixed amount of wealth. This made Bruno a threat to their financial and religious power, leading to his execution.
The book explores the history of Venetian power, their manipulative tactics in finance and religion, and their suppression of knowledge that threatened their dominance. It also delves into the ancient roots of money and the concept of corporate personhood, revealing how these ideas were twisted to serve the interests of financial elites.
Ultimately, "Financial Vipers of Venice" argues that Bruno's martyrdom highlights the clash between open and closed systems of knowledge, finance, and power, a conflict that continues to resonate today.
12-point summary
The Venetian Model of Control: The Venetian Republic established a sophisticated system of power combining banking, intelligence gathering, and information control through institutions like the Council of Ten and Grain Office, creating a template for modern financial-political control systems.
Financial Innovation and Manipulation: Venice pioneered banking techniques including book-entry transfers, currency manipulation through bullion control, and complex systems for managing multiple currencies, establishing patterns still visible in modern international finance.
The Hermetic Challenge: Giordano Bruno's interpretation of Hermetic philosophy as an open system of endless creation directly challenged Venice's closed system of controlled scarcity, illustrating the fundamental conflict between different approaches to wealth and power.
Hidden Knowledge and Suppression: Evidence from medieval maps and documents suggests Venice actively suppressed geographical and scientific knowledge that could threaten its trading monopoly, demonstrating the role of information control in maintaining power.
The Planned Transfer: Following the War of the League of Cambrai and discovery of the New World, Venice systematically transferred its family fortunes and operations northward to Amsterdam and London, showing how oligarchical power can adapt and relocate while maintaining control.
Religious Manipulation: Venice deliberately fomented religious conflict during the Reformation by supporting both Protestant and Catholic causes, using religious division to facilitate its northward power transfer.
The Intelligence Network: Venice created a sophisticated global intelligence network combining commercial, political, and military information, establishing patterns for modern intelligence operations.
Corporate Evolution: Venetian developments in partnership law and corporate liability helped establish foundations for modern corporate structures, particularly in maintaining family control while accessing outside capital.
Bullion Control: Venice's manipulation of the global gold-silver trade and its impact on competing financial powers like the Florentine super-companies demonstrates how control of monetary metals can be used as a weapon of financial warfare.
Ancient Knowledge: The accuracy of medieval maps suggests survival of sophisticated ancient knowledge through Byzantine sources, indicating how control of historical information can provide strategic advantages.
Oligarchical Continuity: Strategic marriages and banking connections allowed Venetian families to maintain power while shifting operations northward, showing how oligarchical control can survive changes in political systems.
Modern Parallels: The Venetian system of using public institutions for private profit while maintaining appearances of separation established patterns still visible in modern financial-political relationships, demonstrating the enduring nature of their methods.
40 Questions & Answers
1. What were the key events leading to Giordano Bruno's execution and why was he considered such a threat?
Bruno was brought to Venice by the nobleman Giovanni Mocenigo, who wanted to learn Bruno's art of memory. After learning that Bruno intended to found a secret society called the Giordanistas to spread his Hermetic philosophy as a replacement for both Protestantism and Catholicism, Mocenigo denounced him to the Venetian Inquisition. The combination of Bruno's cosmological views, his attack on Catholic doctrine, and his potential threat to Venetian oligarchical power through his intended secret society made him particularly dangerous to both Venice and Rome.
Bruno's threat was multifaceted - he challenged not only religious orthodoxy but also the closed system of Venetian finance through his interpretation of the Hermetic Metaphor as an open system of endless creation. His memory system and astronomical knowledge potentially threatened Venetian control over the relationship between celestial cycles and financial markets. The execution by burning in 1600 came after Bruno refused to recant eight charges drawn from his publications.
2. How did Venice transform from a swamp settlement to a dominant maritime power?
Venice began as a refuge in a lagoon where families fled from barbarian invasions of the Italian peninsula. Without agricultural land, the settlement was forced to turn to maritime trade for survival, creating what might be called the world's first "virtual economy" based on trade in bullion, slaves, commodities, and spices. The city's location made it an ideal middleman between East and West.
The relationship with Byzantium proved crucial to Venice's rise. Through strategic diplomacy and military support, Venice gained special trading privileges throughout the Byzantine Empire, eventually leading to the Golden Bull of 1082 which gave Venetians tax-free trading rights. This culminated in the Fourth Crusade of 1204, where Venice orchestrated the conquest of Constantinople, securing its position as the dominant maritime power in the Mediterranean.
3. What role did the Council of Ten play in Venetian governance and intelligence gathering?
The Council of Ten, established in 1310, combined the functions of intelligence agency, counter-intelligence, foreign policy, law-making, and judicial authority. It maintained a vast network of spies both within and outside Venice, coordinating intelligence gathering that extended from Europe to the Mongol Empire. The Council could issue bills of capital attainder and conduct secret trials, with death sentences carried out the same day they were passed.
The Council worked in concert with the Venetian banks and the Grain Office to gather economic and political intelligence critical to Venice's trading empire. Through their intelligence network, the Council could anticipate market conditions and trends, allowing Venetian merchants and bankers to prosper. The Council served as a mechanism of oligarchical control, ensuring that information about discussions among oligarchs was known within 24 hours.
Similarities to Today
The sources argue that the Council of Ten, a powerful body within the Venetian Republic, shares several key features with modern-day institutions. The Council of Ten was formed in 1310 to deal with a temporary crisis but became a permanent body in 1334. Although the Council of Ten was technically under the authority of the Great Council, it was given immense powers and essentially ran the Venetian Republic. The sources make several comparisons between this body and modern-day institutions like central banks and intelligence agencies.
Here is a list of the Council of Ten's functions and the modern-day institutions that share those functions:
The Council of Ten coordinated intelligence and counter-intelligence operations both within Venice and abroad. It maintained a network of spies and informers that provided it with valuable information. This is similar to the activities of modern intelligence agencies like the CIA.
The Council of Ten also had broad powers to act in the name of the state, including the ability to arrest, try, and punish individuals. This is similar to the functions of law enforcement and judicial systems in modern nation-states.
The Council of Ten also acted as a central bank, with control over finances and the ability to grant favors and privileges to various private banks. The Council used the Grain Office, a government agency, as its financial arm. This function is similar to the Federal Reserve in the United States or the Bank of England.
However, the sources suggest that no single organization today perfectly mirrors the Council of Ten. The Council of Ten combined the functions of intelligence gathering, law enforcement, the judiciary, and a central bank, making it a uniquely powerful entity within the Venetian government. In the modern world, these functions are typically spread across multiple government agencies.
The sources ultimately argue that the Council of Ten represents a classic example of oligarchical rule. This small group of powerful individuals used their control over key institutions to maintain their power and advance their interests. They achieved this through several means, including espionage, disinformation, market manipulation, and even violence.
4. How did the Bardi and Peruzzi super-companies rise and fall?
The Bardi and Peruzzi companies emerged as international merchant-banking powerhouses in the 14th century, filling the void left by the dissolution of the Templar banking network. They gained their position through strategic loans to European monarchs in exchange for trading privileges and monopolies, particularly in the English wool trade and the grain trade with the Kingdom of Naples. They established an early form of multinational corporate structure, with branches throughout Europe managed by carefully trained factors.
Their collapse in the 1340s has traditionally been attributed to King Edward III of England's default on loans, but evidence suggests Venetian manipulation played a significant role. Venice controlled the global bullion market and manipulated the gold-to-silver ratio, creating a "bullion vice" that caught the Florentine companies in a liquidity crisis. The timing of large gold shipments to Venice coincided suspiciously with the companies' collapse.
5. What evidence suggests Columbus may have had prior knowledge of the New World?
According to marginal notes on Piri Reis' map, Columbus possessed a book describing lands beyond the Western Sea, complete with details about metals and precious stones. Additionally, Columbus showed Ferdinand and Isabella a world map that apparently convinced them to support his voyage. The existence of Martin Behaim's 1492 map, created before Columbus' return and showing portions of the St. Lawrence seaway and Newfoundland, suggests access to some ancient cartographic tradition.
This hidden knowledge likely came from ancient maps preserved in Constantinople's imperial archives, which became accessible to Italian maritime powers after the Fourth Crusade. Venice, having sacked Constantinople in 1204, would have had access to these archives but had strong motivations to suppress such knowledge since the discovery of new trade routes would threaten its monopoly on East-West trade.
6. What was the Hermetic Metaphor and why was it significant?
The Hermetic Metaphor was a sophisticated philosophical concept expressing the relationship between an original undifferentiated Nothing (symbolized by the empty hyper-set Ø) and its subsequent differentiations into distinct forms through a process of circumscription. This metaphor linked mind, matter, and the physical medium in a way that suggested all creation stemmed from an original unity capable of endless differentiation and creation of new information.
The metaphor's significance lay in its implications for both physics and finance. It could be interpreted either as a closed system of debt and sacrifice (as preferred by banking interests) or as an open system of endless creative potential (as advocated by Bruno). This dual interpretation made it central to conflicts between different power structures in Renaissance Europe, particularly between the Venetian oligarchy's closed system approach and the more open system interpretations of Hermeticists.
Hermetic Metaphor
The sources explain that Hermeticism, a philosophical and religious tradition that draws on ancient Egyptian concepts, utilizes a topological metaphor to explain the nature of the universe and its creation. This metaphor can be challenging to understand because it uses abstract mathematical and topological concepts.
Here is a simplified explanation of the Hermetic metaphor, based on the sources:
Imagine a primordial nothingness, which the sources represent with the empty set symbol Ø. This nothingness represents a state before the universe existed, where there was no matter, space, or time. It is important to note that this nothingness is not empty; it contains the potential for everything.
This primordial nothingness undergoes a process of differentiation or distinction. The sources represent this process with the paragraph symbol ¶. The act of distinction is like drawing a line on a blank piece of paper. You now have two distinct areas: the area inside the line and the area outside the line.
In the Hermetic metaphor, this act of distinction creates God, represented by Ø1, and the Cosmos, represented by Ø2. These are like the two areas created when you drew the line on the paper. They are distinct but still share a common boundary or surface.
This common surface, represented by ∂Ø1.2, is space. Space is what connects and separates God and the Cosmos. In the Hermetic view, space is not just empty; it is mind and is incorporeal.
Human beings are also a manifestation of this common surface, a microcosm of the creative process occurring in the universe. Humans are the boundary between the spiritual and material worlds, and as such, they are capable of great things.
Here are some key takeaways about the Hermetic metaphor:
It emphasizes the interconnectedness of everything. God, the Cosmos, space, and humanity are all part of the same fundamental reality.
It is a metaphor of fecundity and abundance. The primordial nothingness contains the potential for unlimited creation, and the universe is constantly unfolding and expanding.
Humans play an active role in creation. They are not just passive observers but co-creators with God.
The sources argue that the Hermetic understanding of this metaphor posed a threat to the Venetian oligarchs who were heavily invested in a closed system of finance that relied on debt. The Hermetic view suggested that there was no limit to abundance and that debt was not an essential feature of the universe.
7. How did Bruno's interpretation of the Metaphor challenge both religious and financial powers?
Bruno interpreted the Metaphor as an open system of endless creation and differentiation, challenging the closed system interpretations preferred by both religious and financial authorities. His view suggested that every human being was a direct manifestation of divine creative power, thereby undermining the need for institutional religious mediation and the concept of unpayable primordial debt that underpinned both religious and financial power structures.
His system of memory and mathematical magic threatened to expose the connection between celestial cycles and financial markets that banking powers may have secretly exploited. By advocating the Metaphor's principle of endless fecundity rather than debt, Bruno challenged the fundamental basis of Venetian financial power, which relied on maintaining closed systems of controlled scarcity and debt-based money.
8. What was the connection between ancient Egyptian knowledge and Renaissance thought?
The Renaissance revival of Hermetic texts, particularly through the Corpus Hermeticum, claimed to represent ancient Egyptian wisdom predating Moses and the Greek philosophers. Modern scholarship has confirmed significant Egyptian influence on these texts, particularly through their dialogue format between master and disciple characteristic of Egyptian wisdom literature. This Egyptian connection provided an alternative source of authority challenging both Christian and classical Greek traditions.
The emergence of these texts in Renaissance Italy followed significant events providing access to Byzantine sources, including the Council of Ferrara-Florence and the Fourth Crusade's sack of Constantinople. The Medicis sponsored translations of these texts, suggesting their value to banking interests, while Venice appears to have suppressed certain aspects of this knowledge when it threatened their commercial interests.
9. How did the concept of corporate personhood evolve from theological roots?
Corporate personhood emerged from medieval theological interpretations of Romans 5:12, particularly the Latin Vulgate's translation suggesting inherited guilt from Adam. This theological framework created the concept of a "group person" defined by common functions and moral culpability, which then transferred into secular jurisprudence through the doctrine of corporate partnership liability.
The medieval super-companies applied this concept in their partnership arrangements, where shareholders were subject to unlimited liability for corporate debts. This theological foundation of corporate personhood reflected a broader pattern of religious concepts being adapted for financial purposes, though the original theological doctrine emphasized collective responsibility rather than the limited liability that would later characterize modern corporations.
Venetian Oligarchy (also referred to as Black Nobility)
The book discusses a group referred to as the Venetian oligarchy and argues that they played a crucial role in shaping European history.
The Venetian oligarchy was a small group of noble families who controlled the government and economy of the Venetian Republic for centuries. The sources suggest that they were descended from wealthy merchants and bankers who had fled to the Venetian lagoon during the decline of the Roman Empire. They brought with them their business practices and, possibly, ancient Mesopotamian knowledge about the connection between planetary cycles and financial markets.
Here are some of the characteristics and methods attributed to the Venetian oligarchy in the sources:
They were obsessed with maintaining their power and bloodlines, enacting laws to prevent newcomers from joining their ranks and controlling key government institutions.
They were masters of manipulation and intrigue, playing off rival powers against each other to advance Venetian interests.
They used their financial power to influence governments and markets, often engaging in predatory lending practices and even manipulating the value of currency.
They were willing to use violence and repression to silence their opponents, as evidenced by their persecution of Giordano Bruno.
They engaged in the slave trade, which was a major source of wealth for the Venetian Republic.
The sources argue that the Venetian oligarchy eventually transferred their wealth and power northward to Amsterdam and London, where they played a key role in the development of modern banking and finance.
The author speculates that the Venetian oligarchy may have deliberately suppressed knowledge, such as the existence of the New World, that could have threatened their trading monopoly. They may also have attempted to acquire and control esoteric knowledge, such as Giordano Bruno's system of memory, to maintain their power.
The Black Nobility - Lies are Unbekoming
10. Why was Venice hostile to Neoplatonism and Hermeticism?
Venice's hostility to Neoplatonism and Hermeticism stemmed from these philosophies' challenge to the closed system of Venetian finance and power. The Venetian oligarchy was committed to an Aristotelian materialism that supported their view of wealth and physics as zero-sum games, directly opposed to the Hermetic vision of endless creative potential and open systems.
The threat was both philosophical and practical. Hermetic ideas about the relationship between mind, matter, and the physical medium could expose the methods by which Venice manipulated markets through their understanding of celestial cycles. Additionally, the Hermetic emphasis on individual divine potential threatened Venice's hierarchical social and financial structures, which depended on maintaining strict control over knowledge and financial mechanisms.
11. How did Venice control and manipulate the global bullion trade?
Venice dominated the bullion trade through its strategic position between East and West, exploiting different regional valuations of gold and silver. The East traditionally valued silver more highly, while the West valued gold, allowing Venice to profit from arbitrage. Through its relationship with German silver producers like the Fuggers and its control of Mediterranean shipping, Venice could manipulate the flow of both metals to create artificial scarcities or gluts.
Venetian bankers used sophisticated techniques including culling (hoarding high-quality coins), clipping (shaving bits off coins), and manipulating exchange rates between various moneys of account. Their control of both the mint and the banking system allowed them to coordinate these activities with government policy, while their intelligence network provided advance knowledge of market conditions affecting bullion prices.
12. What was the significance of the gold-to-silver ratio in medieval banking?
The gold-to-silver ratio was crucial because it affected all international trade and banking operations. From 1250-1330, gold had been rising in value compared to silver, reaching a ratio of 14:1. By 1350, this had dropped dramatically to 10:1, creating havoc in financial markets. The Florentine super-companies were particularly vulnerable because they conducted international trade in gold while paying domestic expenses in silver.
The manipulation of this ratio proved to be one weapon in Venice's arsenal against competitors. When the ratio changed rapidly, companies caught with the wrong mix of metals in their reserves could face severe liquidity crises. Evidence suggests Venice timed large shipments of gold to coincide with the collapse of the Bardi and Peruzzi companies, exploiting their vulnerability to changes in the gold-silver ratio.
13. How did medieval super-companies use loans to gain political influence?
The Bardi and Peruzzi companies pioneered the technique of making large loans to monarchs in exchange for trading privileges and tax exemptions. They would negotiate specific rights to collect certain royal revenues as repayment, effectively gaining control over portions of state taxation. In the case of the Kingdom of Naples, they even gained the right to have civil cases involving their company heard in special courts rather than ordinary tribunals.
This system created a form of private control over public functions, as the companies gained increasing influence over tax collection, minting of coins, and administration of trade. The practice established a pattern that would be followed by later banking dynasties - using financial leverage to gain increasing control over state functions while maintaining the appearance of public authority.
14. What role did the Grain Office play in Venetian finance?
The Grain Office (Camera Frumenti) functioned as a combination of state bank, intelligence agency, and financial clearinghouse. It accepted deposits from noble families and foreign rulers, making it a kind of "Swiss bank" for the medieval period. The Office made strategic loans to Venetian entrepreneurs, particularly nobles, in sectors deemed crucial to state interests, while also serving as the financial agent for the Council of Ten.
Significantly, the archives of the Grain Office have been "completely lost," suggesting possible deliberate concealment of its inner workings. The Office's operations demonstrate how Venice blurred the lines between public and private institutions, using state agencies to protect and advance oligarchical interests while maintaining the appearance of public service.
15. How did Venice maintain its monopoly on East-West trade?
Venice maintained its trading monopoly through a combination of military force, diplomatic manipulation, and strategic control of information. The city-state created a network of ports and bases that could project naval power quickly when needed, while using its diplomatic skills to play potential rivals against each other. The Golden Bull of 1082 from Byzantium gave Venice tax-free trading privileges throughout the Eastern Empire, effectively shutting out competitors.
Intelligence gathering was crucial to maintaining this monopoly. Through the Council of Ten and its network of agents, Venice monitored potential threats to its trading position. When cartographic knowledge suggesting alternative routes to the East emerged, Venice apparently suppressed this information to protect its position. The city also manipulated currency values and bullion supplies to maintain its advantage over potential competitors.
16. What anomalies appear in the Piri Reis and other medieval maps?
The Piri Reis map displays knowledge that should not have existed in its time, particularly accurate depictions of Antarctica's coastline before its official discovery. Similarly, the Oronteus Finaeus map of 1532 showed Antarctica with remarkable accuracy, including mountain ranges and other geographical features that would not be officially discovered for centuries. These maps showed a level of mathematical and geographical sophistication beyond what was supposedly available in their era.
The accuracy of medieval portolan charts, such as the Dulcert Portolano of 1339, actually exceeded that of the famous ancient geographer Ptolemy's maps. When corrected for Eratosthenes' error in calculating Earth's circumference, these medieval maps showed virtually no longitudinal errors, suggesting they were copied from much more ancient and sophisticated sources.
17. How did ancient cartographic knowledge survive into the Renaissance?
Ancient cartographic knowledge appears to have been preserved primarily through Byzantine archives, which likely contained materials from the Library of Alexandria and other ancient sources. This knowledge became accessible to Western Europe through two main channels: the sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204, which gave Venice access to imperial archives, and the Council of Ferrara-Florence in the 1430s, where Byzantine scholars shared knowledge with Italian humanists.
The survival of this knowledge is evidenced by the existence of highly accurate medieval portolan charts that showed no signs of development or improvement over time, suggesting they were copied from a single ancient source. The Turkish admiral Piri Reis explicitly stated that he used maps dating from the time of Alexander the Great in creating his famous world map.
18. What was Bruno's "mathematical magic" system?
Bruno's mathematical magic combined memory arts, astronomical knowledge, and geometry into a system for understanding and influencing the cosmos. He created a series of rotating wheels filled with zodiacal and astronomical symbols, which could be combined in various ways to represent all possible operations within the universe. This system was based on the idea that mathematical relationships underlay all reality and could be manipulated through understanding their symbolic representations.
The system represented an early attempt to create a formal calculus of analogies, anticipating aspects of modern topology. Bruno believed this system could access higher levels of reality by manipulating archetypal forms within the human psyche, which he saw as directly connected to cosmic forces. This threatened both religious and financial authorities by suggesting direct access to cosmic powers without institutional mediation.
Giordano Bruno System of Memory
Giordano Bruno, a Renaissance philosopher and Hermeticist, developed a complex system of memory known as the “Art of Memory” ( ars memoriae). This system was deeply intertwined with his magical practice, his Hermetic cosmology, and his vision for a religious revolution based on Hermetic principles. Bruno believed that this system could grant access to universal knowledge and even divine powers.
Here are the key features of Bruno’s system of memory, as described in the sources:
Memory Wheels: The system relied on a series of circular charts, or wheels, nested one within the other. These wheels were filled with astrological, zodiacal, and magical symbols representing different aspects of the universe and human knowledge.
Rotation and Combination: By rotating these wheels, different combinations of symbols would align, creating new meanings and associations. Bruno believed that this process mirrored the creative process of the universe, where new forms and ideas emerge from the interaction of different forces.
Astral Connections: The innermost wheel represented the movements of the heavens, reflecting Bruno’s belief that humans are connected to the cosmos and that the stars influence events on Earth. By manipulating the symbols on this wheel, Bruno believed one could manipulate those influences.
Hierarchal Structure: The outer wheels represented different levels of existence, starting with the divine powers, then descending through the elements, plants, animals, and finally, humans. This structure reflected the Hermetic concept of a “Great Chain of Being,” where all things are interconnected and flow from a single source.
Imagination and Alchemy: Bruno believed that the imagination played a crucial role in memory. By visualizing the symbols and their interactions, one could create a kind of “philosopher's stone” in the psyche, transforming the mind and granting access to higher levels of knowledge and power.
The sources suggest that Bruno’s system was not just a mnemonic technique but a form of magic, designed to harness the power of the mind and the cosmos. It combined elements of Platonic philosophy, Hermetic cosmology, and Renaissance magic into a unique system that aimed to transform the individual and society.
Why was Bruno's system of memory seen as a threat?
Bruno’s system of memory and magic posed a threat to the Venetian oligarchy for several reasons:
It challenged their materialist worldview: The Venetian oligarchy, heavily invested in a closed-system view of finance, adhered to a materialist philosophy rooted in Aristotle. Bruno's system, based on Hermetic principles, suggested that the mind was a powerful force that could shape reality, a view that undermined their materialist assumptions.
It threatened their financial monopoly: Bruno's system implied that knowledge and abundance were not limited, a view that directly challenged the Venetian oligarchy's debt-based financial system and their control over trade routes.
It could empower individuals: By granting individuals access to universal knowledge and the ability to manipulate cosmic forces, Bruno's system could empower them and potentially undermine the authority of the oligarchy.
It promoted a dangerous secret society: Bruno's plans to found a secret society to spread his Hermetic teachings further alarmed the Venetian oligarchy, who sought to control and suppress such knowledge.
The sources argue that these factors ultimately led to Bruno’s betrayal by the Venetian nobleman Giovanni Mocenigo and his subsequent execution by the Inquisition.
19. How did medieval navigation knowledge compare to ancient sources?
Medieval navigation knowledge appears to have been inferior to some ancient sources, as evidenced by the superior accuracy of copied ancient maps compared to contemporary ones. The medieval portolan charts, while highly accurate, showed no signs of improvement over time, suggesting they were copies of more ancient originals rather than products of contemporary navigation and measurement.
The evidence suggests the existence of an advanced ancient science of navigation that included methods for accurately determining longitude, something not rediscovered until the 18th century. This ancient knowledge appears to have been partially preserved through Byzantine sources but was largely lost to medieval Europe, with only fragments surviving through copied charts and maps.
20. What evidence suggests suppression of geographical knowledge?
Venice's geopolitical position made suppression of certain geographical knowledge advantageous, as discovery of alternative trade routes would threaten its monopoly position. The city's control over maritime trade gave it the means to restrict the spread of navigational knowledge, while its intelligence network could monitor and control information about potential new routes.
Physical evidence for this suppression includes the suspicious disappearance of various archives, including those of the Grain Office, and the apparent contradiction between Venice's access to Byzantine sources and its failure to exploit geographical knowledge that would later prove valuable. The timing of Columbus's voyage and his apparent prior knowledge suggests he had access to suppressed information about western lands, possibly through Genoese sources competing with Venice.
21. How did Venetian noble families maintain their oligarchical control?
The Venetian nobility maintained control through strict social segregation and institutional mechanisms like the Libro d'Oro (Golden Book), which registered all eligible noble families. The nobility was divided into two classes: the Longhi (ancient families predating 1000 CE) and the Curti (newer noble families). The Great Council included about 2,000 male members from these families by 1500, and the Serrata law of 1298 restricted council membership to those families already represented.
These families maintained control through intermarriage, careful management of information, and control of key state institutions like the Council of Ten and the Grain Office. They also preserved their power through a system of shared interests, subordinating individual factional disputes to the collective interest of the oligarchical class, while using terror against both the masses and potentially dissident nobles.
22. What methods did Venice use to gather and control information?
Venice developed an extensive intelligence network through its merchants, diplomats, and paid informants. The Council of Ten maintained spies throughout Europe and the East, while also penetrating foreign embassies and households within Venice itself. Even courtesans were paid by the state to pass on useful information. The system included double agents who fed false information into foreign intelligence networks.
Information control extended to the manipulation of public records and careful management of official histories. State archives have mysteriously disappeared, including crucial documents about the Grain Office, suggesting deliberate destruction of sensitive information. The oligarchy maintained careful control over what information was preserved and what was destroyed, always presenting a united front to the outside world while concealing internal divisions.
23. How did banking families gain control of government functions?
Banking families gained governmental control by making significant loans to states and then negotiating "conditionalities" that gave them control over tax collection and other state functions. They would secure specific tax revenues as collateral for loans, then gain the right to collect those taxes directly. This created a system where private banking interests gradually assumed core state functions while maintaining the appearance of public authority.
The process was enhanced by placing family members in key government positions and developing expertise in various fields including diplomacy, military affairs, and administration. Banking families also used their control over currency exchange and bullion supplies to influence government policy, while their intelligence networks provided advance knowledge of market conditions and political developments.
24. What role did strategic marriages play in maintaining power?
Strategic marriages served to cement alliances between powerful families and maintain control over key resources and trade routes. The Venetian noble houses intermarried with powerful families across Europe, particularly in Germany and later in the Netherlands and England. The House of Este-Welf exemplifies this pattern, eventually producing the Hanoverian monarchs of Great Britain.
These marriage alliances facilitated the transfer of both wealth and power northward as Venice's position declined. They created networks of influence that survived the decline of Venice itself, allowing oligarchical families to maintain their power by shifting their base of operations to new centers like Amsterdam and London while preserving their fundamental methods of control.
25. How did Venice manage its colonial empire?
Venice managed its empire through a system of strategic bases rather than territorial occupation, creating what historians call the Stato da Mar or "State of the Sea." This network of ports and bases allowed Venice to project power quickly while requiring minimal occupation forces. The system was maintained through a combination of naval power, diplomatic manipulation, and economic control.
Control was exercised through careful selection of colonial administrators from noble families, strict oversight of trade routes, and maintenance of monopolistic trading privileges. Venice used short, sharp applications of military force when needed, while relying primarily on economic leverage and intelligence gathering to maintain control. This system became a model for later maritime empires, including the Dutch and British.
26. What were the key banking innovations of medieval Venice?
Venice pioneered the banchi di scritta system, where banks could transfer sums between accounts through book entries rather than physical coin transfers. This innovation greatly increased the speed of business transactions and expanded the effective money supply while freeing physical coinage for international trade. The system made Venice's banks the "common bookkeepers" for the entire community and eventually the state itself.
Another key innovation was the development of sophisticated systems for handling multiple currencies and moneys of account. Venetian banks became expert at managing complex exchanges between different currency systems, developing techniques for profiting from exchange rate differences while maintaining stable values for domestic transactions. This expertise became crucial to Venice's control over international trade.
27. How did medieval banks manipulate currency values?
Banks employed various techniques including culling (hoarding high-quality coins), clipping (shaving bits off coins), and manipulating exchange rates between different moneys of account. They could affect currency values by controlling the flow of bullion, coordinating with mints to adjust coin weights and purities, and exploiting differences in regional valuations of gold and silver.
The manipulation of seigniorage (the difference between a coin's face value and its bullion content) provided another tool for controlling currency values. Banks could influence the export or import of coins by adjusting these differentials, while their control over exchange rates between different moneys of account allowed them to profit from currency fluctuations while maintaining apparent stability in local markets.
28. What was the significance of different moneys of account?
Moneys of account were abstract units of value used for bookkeeping, often loosely connected to actual coinage but not necessarily corresponding to any physical currency. This system allowed for complex financial transactions without requiring physical transfer of coins, while also providing opportunities for profit through exchange rate manipulation. The system became particularly important in managing international trade where multiple currency systems had to be reconciled.
The use of different moneys of account also allowed banks to maintain separate books for different types of transactions, facilitating both legitimate business and potential manipulation. The Florentine super-companies' use of multiple moneys of account made them vulnerable to changes in gold-silver ratios, while Venetian banks' expertise in managing these systems gave them significant advantages in international trade.
29. How did partnership arrangements protect family wealth?
Partnership arrangements in medieval super-companies were structured to maintain family control while sharing risk with outside investors. The controlling family typically retained majority ownership and management control, while allowing other investors to participate as minority partners. These arrangements could be dissolved and reformed to adjust shareholdings or respond to changing circumstances, providing flexibility while maintaining family dominance.
The system also allowed families to protect wealth through various accounting techniques, including the maintenance of separate books for family and non-family shareholders. The Peruzzi company's "Secret Book" separately recorded family member accounts, allowing for internal transfers and adjustments hidden from outside view. This system anticipated modern techniques for maintaining family control of business enterprises while accessing outside capital.
30. What role did secret account books play?
Secret account books served multiple purposes in medieval banking, primarily recording transactions involving family members and close associates separately from general business dealings. The Peruzzi company's Secret Book, for example, maintained separate records for shareholder accounts while the Assets Book handled non-shareholder accounts. This system allowed for internal adjustments and transfers that could be hidden from outside scrutiny.
The use of secret books also facilitated the manipulation of reported profits and losses, allowing families to protect their wealth during times of crisis. During the collapse of the Peruzzi company, family members managed to protect their personal wealth despite the company's bankruptcy, suggesting sophisticated use of separate accounting systems to shield family assets.
31. How did Venice influence the Protestant Reformation?
Venice played a sophisticated double game during the Reformation, simultaneously supporting both Protestant and Catholic causes to foment religious conflict. The city acquired printing presses to publish both Protestant works and Catholic responses, while Venetian agents like Cardinal Gasparo Contarini worked both sides - helping establish the Jesuit order while also protecting Protestant reformers. This strategy created conditions of maximum instability useful for Venice's planned transfer of operations northward.
The Venetian strategy included placing agents in key positions in both Protestant and Catholic regions. These agents, like Thomas Cromwell in England and Count Heinrich Mathias in Lutheran Germany, helped ensure that religious conflicts served Venetian interests. The goal was to create sufficient chaos and conflict to facilitate the transfer of Venetian family fortunes and operations to new bases in Protestant Northern Europe.
Thomas Cromwell
The book discuss Thomas Cromwell as a potential Venetian agent. The author suggests that Cromwell's actions during the English Reformation, particularly his role in Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church, aligned with Venetian interests.
Here's a summary of the information about Thomas Cromwell and Venetian influence from the sources:
Cromwell's Background: Cardinal Pole claimed that Cromwell had spent time in Italy as a mercenary soldier and potentially worked for a Venetian merchant in Antwerp. The author uses this information to suggest Cromwell may have been recruited as a Venetian agent during this period.
Venetian Goals: The Venetian oligarchy sought to exploit the religious upheaval of the Reformation to weaken their rivals and maintain their economic power. They deliberately published works from both sides of the religious debate, fueling the conflict and destabilizing Europe.
Cromwell's Actions: As Henry VIII's chief advisor, Cromwell played a key role in orchestrating the king's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and the subsequent break from the Catholic Church. The author argues that these actions served Venetian interests by undermining the power of the papacy and the Catholic Church.
Weakening Rivals: By promoting the English Reformation, Venice aimed to weaken Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, both staunchly Catholic powers and rivals to Venetian trade dominance.
The sources emphasize that the Venetian oligarchy employed a strategy of controlling both sides of a conflict to manipulate events to their advantage. The author suggests that Thomas Cromwell's role in the English Reformation exemplifies this strategy, as his actions ultimately served to advance Venetian interests.
32. What caused the transfer of power from Venice to Northern Europe?
The discovery of the New World and the Portuguese route around Africa to Asia made Venice's Mediterranean position increasingly obsolete. Following the War of the League of Cambrai, which demonstrated Venice's vulnerability, the oligarchy recognized that their lagoon city could no longer serve as an effective base for world power. They began systematically transferring their family fortunes (fondi) and operations northward to positions with better access to Atlantic trade.
By 1600, Venice had completed paying off its entire public debt and assembled liquid reserves of around 14 million ducats, clear signs of capital flight preparation. The Venetian and Genoese banks together assumed direction of Stuart England's finances in 1603, helped create the Amsterdam Bank, and influenced the development of French public debt management through Geneva, showing a coordinated movement of financial power northward.
33. How did Venetian families establish influence in Amsterdam and London?
Venetian families used their expertise in banking and trade to establish themselves in new financial centers, particularly Amsterdam and London. They transferred both their capital and their methods, establishing new banking institutions based on Venetian models. The physical similarity between Amsterdam and Venice - both cities built on water-filled marshes - reflected deeper parallels in their financial and political systems.
The transfer occurred through strategic marriages with northern European nobility, establishment of banking operations, and careful cultivation of political influence. Important noble houses like the Welf-Este family exemplified this process, maintaining connections between Italian and northern European power centers while eventually producing the Hanoverian monarchs of Great Britain. Similarly, families like the della Torre e Tassos became the von Thurn und Taxis in Germany.
34. What role did secret societies play in this transition?
Secret societies provided networks for maintaining connections and transferring both knowledge and power during the northward movement of Venetian interests. These organizations, including various Masonic lodges and other fraternal orders, served as vehicles for preserving and transmitting both esoteric knowledge and practical techniques of financial and political control while maintaining the appearance of separation from their Venetian origins.
The societies also provided mechanisms for coordinating activities across national boundaries while maintaining secrecy. The case of Pope Pius IX illustrates the complex intersection of these networks with both religious and financial power, as suggestions of his connection to secret societies coincided with his promotion of papal infallibility and handling of church finances during Italian unification.
35. How did the discovery of the New World affect Venetian power?
The discovery of the New World fundamentally challenged Venice's position by opening new trade routes that bypassed its Mediterranean monopoly. Evidence suggests Venice may have had prior knowledge of western lands through ancient maps in Constantinople's archives but suppressed this information because its geographic position made exploitation of such routes impossible while their discovery by others would threaten Venetian power.
This situation forced Venice to adapt by transferring its operations to locations better positioned to exploit New World opportunities. The transfer of power to northern Europe thus represented both a strategic retreat from an untenable position and an aggressive move to maintain oligarchical control through new institutional forms better suited to changed global conditions.
36. How did Venetian banking methods influence modern finance?
Venetian banking innovations established patterns that persist in modern finance, including the use of book-entry transfers between accounts (banchi di scritta), manipulation of currency values through control of bullion flows, and the development of complex systems for managing multiple currencies. Their techniques for using intelligence gathering to gain market advantages and their methods of maintaining family control while accessing outside capital remain relevant to modern banking practices.
The Venetian system of using government institutions like the Grain Office to serve private banking interests while maintaining public appearances set patterns for later central banking development. Their techniques for managing public debt, manipulating currency values, and using financial leverage to gain political control became standard tools of international banking.
37. What aspects of Venetian intelligence gathering persist today?
The Venetian system of combining financial, political, and military intelligence through central coordinating agencies like the Council of Ten established patterns still visible in modern intelligence operations. Their techniques of maintaining networks of informants, using economic intelligence to gain market advantages, and coordinating intelligence gathering with financial operations remain relevant to modern state and corporate intelligence gathering.
The use of double agents, strategic disinformation, and careful control of public records also established enduring patterns. The Venetian practice of maintaining apparent transparency while carefully controlling actual information flow through destruction or concealment of sensitive records parallels modern information management techniques.
38. How did Venetian legal innovations affect corporate law?
Venetian developments in partnership law and corporate liability helped establish foundations for modern corporate law. Their system of maintaining family control while sharing risk with outside investors through carefully structured partnerships influenced the development of corporate structures. The use of separate books for family and non-family shareholders anticipated modern techniques for maintaining insider control of publicly traded companies.
The Venetian integration of theological concepts of corporate personhood into secular business law helped establish legal frameworks still influential today. Their techniques for limiting personal liability while maintaining control over corporate assets contributed to the evolution of modern corporate law and governance structures.
39. What role did Venice play in shaping modern capitalism?
Venice pioneered key features of modern capitalism including sophisticated banking systems, manipulation of currency markets, use of intelligence gathering for market advantage, and integration of state and private financial interests. Their system of using public institutions for private profit while maintaining appearance of separation established patterns still visible in modern financial-political relationships.
The Venetian model of maritime empire based on control of trade routes rather than territory influenced later colonial empires and international trading systems. Their techniques for maintaining oligarchical control through financial mechanisms while preserving democratic facades contributed to the development of modern financial capitalism.
40. How did Venetian methods of control influence later power structures?
Venetian techniques for maintaining oligarchical control through combination of financial power, intelligence gathering, and careful information management established patterns visible in modern power structures. Their system of using public institutions as fronts for private interests while maintaining apparent separation between public and private spheres influenced development of modern governmental-financial relationships.
Their methods of controlling opposition through combination of financial pressure, strategic disinformation, and selective use of force established enduring patterns of social control. The Venetian practice of maintaining apparent democracy while ensuring actual oligarchical control through financial and institutional mechanisms continues to influence modern power structures.
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I’m just an idiot, but this post reminded me of and corroborated something I’ve been pondering lately on my gnostic, impractical blind stagger through this life: Why does a man do anything? Why are we here? What is it that a man should strive for? Our theologies and economies have answered that question in the same way for so very very long: he must strive to repay his debts. The material world is owned by someone else, and the spiritual world is owned by a cruel God. The very act of birth creates a debt to God, as you are a miserable fallen sinner carrying the stain of original sin. School, cars, houses, medicine… if you want to stay here, you must borrow from those who own it. And you are a meager little soul, riddled with imperfections and possessing little means, and you must work hard and serve your master or he has no reason to feed you or to consider your pathetic pleas for salvation. These ideas crush the human spirit and embolden the utter psychopaths who siphon our blood. They are quite clearly the ideas of a man without consult with woman. One stern and unforgiving half of what should be whole. The dim hearted patriarch ruling alone. We walk around with holes in our chests and the cube of Saturn on our heads. We dream of a world of angels and demons, when that world is right here, right now, only our pineals are too crusty, our heart chakras too dim, and our spirits too crushed to even dare to perceive it. These debt-based philosophies are all black ass lies that serve those who serve nobody but themselves. Imagine a binary where the 1 comes first. Imagine a world where people acted with pride and purpose instead of shame and debt. Imagine a world where people were celebrated and maximized instead of embarrassed and stifled. Maybe we’d once again build cathedrals instead of aluminum boxes to retail plastic crap. Maybe we’d openly discuss spirituality instead of smugly supporting vacuous materialism. Maybe we’d find enough light, enough sparks freed from the kelipot, that we could finally illuminate this vast and intimidating darkness.
The level of sophistication, manipulation, espionage, and deception somewhat boggles the mind seeing that this was all taking place starting in the 1300s! Not that people were stupid back then but if you hadn’t listed the years it was taking place, one would assume it was a 20th-21st century creation.
Evil never sleeps and hasn’t since the Garden of Eden. It’s good to keep this perspective when framing the history of what we once knew as truth against the reality of what actually occurred.
Thanks for all the wonderful information you bring to us and have a very merry Christmas!