Zadar and Trogir against Venice, where we chartered a yacht and finally Chioggia became better protected by Venicein 1412, because Šibenik became in 1412 the seat of the main customs office and the seatof the salt consumers office with a monopoly on the salt trade in Chioggia and on the wholeAdriatic Sea.

 

After the death of Louis, Zadar recognized the rule of king Sigismund, andafter him, that of Ladislaus of Naples. During his reign Croatia-Hungary was enveloped ina bloody civil war.

In 1409, Venice, seeing that Ladislaus was about to be defeated, andeager to exploit the situation despite its relative military weakness, offered to buyhis "rights" on Dalmatia for a mere 100,000 ducats. Knowing he had lost the region inany case, Ladislaus accepte. Zadar was, thus sold back to the Venetians for a paltry sum.

The population of Zadar during the Medieval period was predominantly Croatian, accordingto numerous archival documents, and the Croatian language was used in liturgy, as shown bythe writings of cardinal Boson, who followed Pope Alexander III en route to Venice in 1177.

When the papal ships took shelter in the harbour of Zadar, the inhabitants greeted the Popeby singing lauds and canticles in Croatian. Even though interspersed by sieges and destruction,the time between the 11th and 14th centuries was the golden age of Zadar. Thanks to itspolitical and trading achievements, and also to its skilled seamen, Zadar played an importantrole among the cities on the east coast of the Adriatic.

 

This affected its appearanceand culture: many churches, rich monasteries and palaces for powerful families were built,together with the Chest of Saint Simeon. One of the best examples of the culture and prosperityof Zadar at that time was the founding of the University of Zadar, built in 1396 bythe Dominican Order.

15th to 18th centuries After the death of Louis I, Zadar came underthe rule of Sigmund of Luxembourg and later Ladislaus of Naples, who, witnessing his lossof influence in Dalmatia, sold Zadar and his dynasty's rights to Dalmatia to Venice for100,000 ducats on July 31, 1409. Venice therefore obtained control over Zadar without a fight,but was confronted by the resistance and tensions of important Zadar families.