This work studies the nature of Venetian rule over the Slavs of Dalmatia during the 18th century, focusing on the cultural elaboration of an ideology of empire that was based on a civilizing mission toward the Slavs.

This work studies the nature of Venetian rule over the Slavs of Dalmatia during the 18th century, focusing on the cultural elaboration of an ideology of empire that was based on a civilizing mission toward the Slavs. It argues that the Enlightenment within the "Adriatic Empire" of Venice was deeply concerned with exploring the economic and social dimensions of backwardness in Dalmatia, in accordance with the evolving distinction between "Western Europe" and "Eastern Europe" across the continent. It further argues that the primitivism attributed to Dalmations by the Venetian Enlightenment was fundamental to the European intellectual discovery of the Slavs. The text discusses Venetian literary perspectives on Dalmatia, notably the drama of Carlo Goldoni and the memoirs of Carlo Gozzi. It then studies the work that brought the subject of Dalmatia to the attention of the European Enlightenment: the travel account of the Paduan philosopher Alberto Fortis, which was translated from Italian into English, French, and German.

The Drama Of The Adriatic Empire - Dalmation Loyalty And The Venetian Lion
The Useful Or Curious Products Of Dalmatia - From Natural History To National Economy
The Character And Customs Of The Morlacchi - From Provincial Administration To Enlightened Anthropology
The Morlacchi And The Discovery Of The Slavs - From National Classification To Sentimental Imagination
Public Debate After Fortis - Dalmation Dissent And Venetian Controversy
The End Of The Adriatic Empire - Epidemic, Economic, And Discursive Crises
Conclusion And Continuities - The Legacy Of The Venetian Enlightenment In Napoleonic Illyria
Habsburg Dalmatia, And Yugoslavia.