A large factor in Venice's ascension to power in the Medieval Era was due to vast trade connections and agreements with civilizations in the east such as Persia, India, and China, also known as the Silk Road.  In 1221, Venice created a trade agreement with the Mongol Empire, the major Asian power of the time.  From the East, goods such as silk, cotton, spices, and feathers were brought over in exchange for European goods, such as grain, salt, and porcelain.  All of the Eastern goods were brought over through Venetian ports, making Venice a very wealthy and prosperous city.  Source: SILK ROAD Dialogue, Diversity & Development. (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://en.unesco.org/silkroad/content/venice.  This image is in the public domain because it came from the site http://www.demis.nl/home/pages/Gallery/examples.htm and was released by the copyright holder. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this map since it is based on free of copyright images from: www.demis.nl.