uld accept the patron saint
of the other, they chose a fresh one, S. Blaise. They put themselves
under Venetian protection in 998, the first count being Ottone Orseolo.
The earliest recorded commercial treaty is with Pisa, made in 1169. From
1205 we find Venice supreme, and she remained so for nearly a hundred
and fifty years, with an interval of Byzantine rule. In 1358 Ragusa was
under the protection of the king of Hungary: the sneer against it of
being "sette bandiere" (seven flagged) suggests that it sought
protection from more than one power at a time. It was the headquarters
of effort for the conversion of the Slavs, which explains the gifts made
to its churches by Servian kings and nobles. From 1358 it was
practically independent, though it paid a tribute of 500 iperperi to
Hungary, and used the Hungarian standard as well as that of S. Biagio.
The fifteenth century was the period of greatest prosperity,
overshadowed by the fear of being eaten up by Venice. To make themselves
secure the Ragusans paid tribute to Constantinople in 1453 of 1,500
ducats, increased afterwards to 10,000; and this tribute appears to
have been continued till 1718. Sigismond Malatesta came to Ragusa in
1464, intending to make it a base of attack on Italy in conjunction with
the Sultan, but stayed there, and became military commander. Ragusa thus
gained the special benevolence of the Pontifical Court, and permission
to traffic with the infidel.

The greatest misfortune which befel Ragusa was the earthquake of April
6, 1667, which is thus described. In the early morning "there came from
below ground a horrible and dreadful earthquake, which in a few moments
destroyed the Rector's palace, the Rector himself being killed, and all
the other palaces, churches, monasteries, and houses in the city,
everything being overthrown, and there was much loss of life; the havoc
was increased by the huge rocks which fell from the mountains; thus the
city became a heap of stones. At the same time, a wind having arisen,
misfortune was heaped upon misfortune, and, in consequence of the fall
of timbers upon the kitchen fires, flames burst forth: the fire lasted
several days, causing much suffering to the few survivors of this
horrible disaster. Not more than 600, besides 25 nobles, escaped, and it
was a sad sight to see these people, most of them injured, wandering
about almost beside themselves with despair, in the ruined streets,
imploring pity and pardon from