Venice’s position as a European state and a global commercial force after1630 lies in the shadow of its medieval and Renaissance glory. No longer adominant Mediterranean power, the Republic also began to lose its status as afirst-rank European state. By 1625 French, English, Dutch, and Hanseatic shipshad assumed prominence in the Mediterranean. The rising cost of lumber and thedifficulties in acquiring sufficient supplies of hemp made it too costly forVenice’s shipbuilders to keep up with the foreigners’ superiorvessels. Moreover, the Venetians had continued to rely on antiquatednavigational methods. Even Venetian merchants preferred to rent foreign-madeships rather than use the ones produced in their own shipyard. Venetian seapower also suffered because Mediterranean piracy escalated notably after 1570.Ottoman Turks, Albanians, Corsairs, Spanish, Maltese, Tuscans, Neapolitans, andSicilians all raided Venetian ships, causing heavy losses. Uskok and Barbarypirates wore down the transport business, compelling merchants either to takeless efficient overland routes or to send their cargo via foreign ships in orderto avoid further losses from raiding marauders. Venetian patrician families,rich from centuries of trade, were unmotivated to take further risks. Theysubstituted agents for themselves on the long sea expeditions that once occupiedtheir energies.