Pactum Lotharii

The Pactum Lotharii is a document that was originally written and produced in 840 AD and signed by the Republic of Venice and the Carolingian Empire. Historians over time have not written much about the Pactum Lotharii. However, historians do talk about the Republic of Venice and Carolingian Italy during this time. Historians have agreed that Venice was a powerful city with many strengths in political and commercial aspects and therefore, the treaty worked to clear up several aspects of trade, borders, and military discrepancies between the two powers. The document outlines specific areas of Italy that were given to the Venetians and drew clearer borders of the Republics domain, it also outlined what circumstances the Carolingians could call upon Venetian help in military matters ^[1] and specific border control issues between people. Because of the power Venice held during the ninth century, it was in poor judgement for a Carolingian conquest to occur, especially as the Carolingian Empire became increasingly characterized as a decaying empire in the time leading up to the Pactum Lotharii and stemming further into history.