“Queen of the Seas” Venice. She went from boundless power and wealth to decline and destruction. The luxury that reigned among the doges was amazing, and the treachery of the rulers of this medieval city-state was terrifying. Travelers considered it their duty to describe the beauty of Venetian palaces - and with trepidation retold the terrible legends about the mysterious Council of Ten, the slightest disobedience to which led to unknown death or life imprisonment in the most terrible prison in Europe. What caused the unprecedented flourishing of the Venetian Republic? What caused her fall? Which of the many legends about her are true and which are not? Sir John Julius Norwich talks about this in his fascinating book.