1309    Pope Clement V excommunicates Venice and all its population.

1328    Antipope Nicholas V, a claimant to the papacy, is consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice.

1508    The League of Cambrai is formed by Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Ferdinand II of Aragon as an alliance against Venice.

1539    Council of Trent: Paul III sends out letters to his bishops, delaying the Council due to war and the difficulty bishops had traveling to Venice.

1609    Galileo Galilei demonstrates his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers.

1797    First Coalition: Napoleon I of France conquers Venice.

1800    With the church leadership driven out of Rome during an armed conflict, Pius VII is crowned Pope in Venice with a temporary papal tiara made of papier-mâché.

1849    The first air raid in history. Austria launches pilotless balloons against the city of Venice.

1849    After a month-long siege, Venice, which had declared itself independent, surrenders to Austria.

1851    The first performance of ''Rigoletto'' by Giuseppe Verdi takes place in Venice.

1853    Giuseppe Verdi's opera ''La Traviata'' receives its premiere performance in Venice.

1902    The Campanile in St. Mark's Square, Venice collapses, also demolishing the loggetta.

1934    Adolf Hitler and Mussolini meet in Venice, Italy; Mussolini later describes the German dictator as "a silly little monkey".

1996    La Fenice, Venice's opera house, is destroyed by fire.