Pope Eugene IV

 



There were still other forces that had to take the danger from the East into consideration, and they were the Papacy, Venice and Genua. At the end of the 14th century the power of  the Catholic Pope court in the Middle Age Europe was rather weak.

Of all Italian commercial sea republics, that were connected with European South-East to some extent, Venice was the most active in political combinations and rivalry in the field, closely connected with the Ottoman invasion in the Balkan Peninsula. Venice was striving to keep its position in East Mediterranean commerce, to keep its possessions, threatened by the Ottomans, and its influence in other Balkan lands. That’s why it manoeuvered skillfully, continuously and tirelessly among its powerful rivals – Hungary, the Ottomans and Genua.

            The threat from East made it undertake open struggle against the invaders. Genua also strived for keeping its commercial interests in the Balkans, East Mediterranean and the Straits, taking into consideration the position of political powers. Inhabitants of its Levantine colonies had long ago felt the rising power of the Ottomans and did their best to be in good relations with them by all means, in order to keep commercial privileges and freedom in economical activity in Balkan lands. At the time when restraining of the Ottoman hurricane was still possible, Venice and Genua were either exhausting themselves in reckless endless rivalry, or intriguing with invaders, or secretly supporting their enemies.

            The rest of the powerful European countries – England, France, Spain and Germany felt far away from the coming Ottoman danger. That was the reason for West Europe to remain indifferent and keep aside from the events when the united armies of Vladislav Varnenchick amd John Hunyadi set off for Bulgaria.