During the Middle Ages, the Republic of Venice gradually gained control over the Adriatic Sea. Leading medieval jurists argued in favour of Venetian maritime jurisdiction based on Roman law principles and geopolitical realities. However, starting from the end of the fifteenth century, new developments, such as oceangoing navigation, challenged the foundations of the Serenissima’s wealth and power. The 1610s represented a particularly critical conjuncture for Venice, whose dominion over the Adriatic Sea was disputed by powerful actors. In 1609, Hugo Grotius published the famous pamphlet Mare liberum, which advocated the freedom of the sea towards the Indies based on natural law principles and had the potential to endanger Venetian dominance over the Adriatic Sea as well. In this context, Paolo Sarpi, consultant of the Venetian government, elaborated a legal-political defence of Venetian dominion over the Adriatic. His ideas should be read as a reaction but not a direct reply to Mare liberum.

在中世纪，威尼斯共和国逐渐控制了亚得里亚海。主要的中世纪法学家主张基于罗马法原则和地缘政治现实的威尼斯海洋管辖权。然而，从十五世纪末开始，新的发展，例如远洋航行，挑战了Serenissima的财富和权力基础。1610 年代对威尼斯来说是一个特别关键的时刻，威尼斯对亚得里亚海的统治权受到了强大的演员的质疑。1609 年，Hugo Grotius 出版了著名的小册子Mare liberum，主张基于自然法原则的印度群岛的海洋自由，并有可能危及威尼斯人对亚得里亚海的统治地位。在此背景下，威尼斯政府的顾问保罗·萨尔皮 (Paolo Sarpi) 详细阐述了威尼斯对亚得里亚海的统治的法律政治辩护。他的想法应该被理解为一种反应，而不是对Mare liberum的直接答复。