ciano Doria
fell in the battle, and the Genoese, who had suffered severely, did
not at once follow up their success. On the arrival of his successor,
Pietro Doria, with reinforcements, they appeared off the Lido, the
outer barrier of the lagoon of Venice, in July, and in August they
entered on a combined naval and military attack on the city, in
combination with the Carrarese and the Hungarians. The Venetians had
closed the passages through the outer banks except at the southern
end, at the island of Brondolo, and the town of Chioggia. The barrier
here approaches close to the mainland, and the position facilitated
the co-operation of the Genoese with the Carrarese and Hungarians, but
Chioggia is distant from Venice, which could only be reached along the
canals across the lagoon. The Venetians had taken up the buoys which
marked the fairway, and had placed a light squadron on the lagoon. The
allies, after occupying the island of Brondolo, attacked, and on the
13th of August took the town of Chioggia with its garrison of 3000
men.

There appeared to be nothing to prevent the enemy from advancing to
the city of Venice except the difficult navigation of the lagoon. The
senate applied for peace, but when the Genoese replied that they were
resolved to "bit and bridle the horses of Saint Mark" the Venetians
decided to fight to the end. Vettor Pisani, who had been imprisoned
after the defeat at Pola, but who possessed the confidence of the
people and the affection of the sailors, was released and named
commander-in-chief against the wish of the aristocracy. Under his
guidance the Venetians adopted a singularly bold and ingenious policy
of offensive defence. The heavy Genoese vessels were much hampered by
the shallow water and intricate passages through the lagoon. By taking
advantage of their embarrassment and his own local knowledge, Pisani
carried out a series of movements which entirely turned the tables on
the invaders. Between the 23rd and 25th of August he executed a
succession of night attacks, during which he sank vessels laden with
stores not only in the canals leading through the lagoon to Venice,
but in the fairways leading from Chioggia to the open sea round both
ends of the island of Brondolo. The Genoese were thus shut in at the
very moment when they thought they were about to besiege Venice.
Pisani stationed the galleys under his command in t