La prima rivoluzione inglese nel giudizio delle diplomazie veneziana e genovese

The Venetian diplomats in London during the English Civil War sided explicitly and without uncertainties with Charles I and avoided, with clear and firm hostility, any approachs from the parliamentary side. The tendencies of Anglo-Venetian diplomatic relations in the years of civil war and Interregnum give a clear measure of Venetian disinterest towards England; clearly showing their hostility towards the Parliament and their sympathy towards the cause of the monarchy. The Venetian Republic, considered as a possible model, if only for propaganda reasons, by early “Republican” England, was hostile to the English “Republican” revolution and, to the extent permitted by its foreign policy needs, supported the Stuarts and welcomed the Restoration with relief. The history of Anglo-Genoese diplomatic relations during the revolutionary years is completely different from Anglo-Venetian ones. Anglo-Genoese relations, very limited in preceeding years, were never as good as during the Interregnum years mainly thanks to their diplomatic representative Francesco Bernardi, who had access to the closest entourage of the future Protector of England, with whom we know he had private and unofficial meetings, one of whose daughters married a relative of General Charles Fleetwood.