The World’s Oldest Profession, Venetian-Style

Plus win a copy of THE ASSASSIN OF VENICE by Alyssa Palombo

Jul 11, 2024

This week I’m featuring a guest post by Alyssa Palombo, the celebrated author of several books, including two set in Venice, The Violinist of Venice: A Story of Vivaldi (the first book I read of hers, which convinced me I needed to meet her) and her latest, The Assassin of Venice. Read on for a fascinating post about the world’s oldest profession, and a chance to win a copy of Alyssa’s book!

The World’s Oldest Profession, Venetian-Style

by Alyssa Palombo

During the age of the Venetian Republic, Venice’s courtesans were famous the world over for their beauty, intelligence, and talent. Indeed, by the 18^th century they were something of a tourist attraction for young men on the Grand Tour of Europe. Hundreds of years later, they continue to fascinate, and for good reason: their lives were full of glamor and wealth, but also danger and uncertainty.

Venetian courtesans were also known as cortigiane oneste, or “honest courtesans”. This distinguishes them from the meretrice, or the “streetwalker” of the era, and the distinction was both important and sharp. Courtesans did not provide just sex to their clients, though that was certainly part of the deal. Courtesans were educated women who could not only read and write, but were well-informed as to politics, literature, and the current issues of the day, usually spoke multiple languages, and were sometimes musically trained as well. They were often from middle-class families who could afford to educate their daughters, though there were also plenty of women who learned the courtesan’s trade from their mothers. A courtesan was expected to entertain, whether by reciting poetry, performing music, and/or providing interesting conversation. They often hosted literary salons at their homes, inviting artists, writers and musicians to mingle with the elite of Venetian society. Some of them wrote poetry and music themselves

But why? What was the societal need that these courtesans were answering? It’s important to note that cortigiane oneste served the patrician class of Venice, the wealthy and powerful men who also ran the government of the Republic. Among that social class, it was not considered proper for a “good woman” to receive an education. As such, these highly educated patrician men, raised to run the nation, were married to women of their class who often could not read and write (through no fault of their own, of course). And so these men sought more intellectually stimulating company and conversation, which courtesans could provide. They may as well get sex into the bargain also.

Another demographic of note was the younger sons of these patrician families, who were sometimes not permitted to marry and have children of their own for fear of breaking up the family fortune. They also often patronized courtesans, looking for intimacy and female companionship.

Since the cortigiane oneste served the wealthiest men in Venice, they were often very wealthy in their own right. A single gown a courtesan may have owned during the Renaissance could cost around $400,000 in today’s money. So these ladies, especially the most popular and highly sought-after courtesans, often did extremely well for themselves. And since they dressed as well as or better than patrician women, courtesans were legally required to wear something yellow when in public to set them apart.

And they paid their taxes. Sex work was legal in the Venetian Republic – for women – and so the tax dollars they brought in were not insignificant. It’s estimated that one in four women in Venice during the Renaissance was a sex worker – certainly a high number, but also, Venice was one of the busiest and most important port cities in Europe, and port cities have historically had a very robust sex trade.

Portrait of a woman bearing her breasts (thought to be Veronica Franco), Tintoretto. 1570

Being a courtesan was not all glitz and glamour, of course. There were the obvious dangers, such as sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, the latter of which – wanted or unwanted – remains dangerous for women, though certainly more so hundreds of years ago. There were methods of abortion and birth control that existed, though nothing as safe and effective as what is available today. Courtesans were also at higher risk of sexual and physical assault, and sometimes jealous lovers would slash a woman’s face or commit some other such violent act intended to mar her beauty.

Courtesans in Venice were also occasionally the targets of witchcraft accusations. As celebrated as Venice’s courtesans were, in times of plague, war, or other misfortune, a frightened populace would often look for a scapegoat, and courtesans, being both visible and already “fallen women”, were easy targets. One of the most famous Venetian courtesans, Veronica Franco, a published poet and early feminist writer and thinker, was at one point forced to defend herself in court against witchcraft charges, which were eventually dropped.

My new novel, The Assassin of Venice, takes readers into the decadent world of Renaissance Venice and its courtesans. It also poses the question: what if a courtesan were also pressed into service as an assassin? I didn’t come across any hard evidence in my research that this ever happened, but the idea was irresistible. Courtesans were perfectly placed to get powerful men alone and vulnerable, and there are instances of sex workers throughout history engaging in espionage and passing information. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if one of them, somewhere, did a little light murder as well. After all, if they did, it likely wasn’t the sort of thing that would be put in writing. And that is one of the most fun things about writing historical fiction: playing with the possible and plausible, and weaving it into the tapestry of history.

The Assassin of Venice by Alyssa Palombo

A Renaissance courtesan must choose between love and duty in this high stakes 16th-century mystery, perfect for fans of Madeline Hunter and Rhys Bowen.

Valentina Riccardi is many things: beautiful, cultured, deadly. As one of Venice’s famous courtesans, she’s perfectly positioned to seduce powerful men, get them alone, and assassinate them. Spies. Traitors. Who they are doesn’t matter—only that they made an enemy of the Council of Ten, the shadowy and seemingly omniscient power from which Valentina takes her orders without question. Venice is her home, and after losing everything once before to an invading army, there is nothing she won’t do to protect her city, for there is nothing she loves more.

Almost nothing.

She vowed to never fall in love again, but Valentina can’t help but give her heart to Bastiano Bragadin, a fellow assassin. But when Bastiano starts asking the wrong questions, Valentina receives a new assignment: kill him. Yet the more Valentina learns about the Council of Ten, the more she wonders if they are truly acting in the interest of the Venetian state, or using her for their own dark ambitions. If Valentina is to save Bastiano, she must untangle their conspiracy—with the help of her fellow courtesans—before it’s too late.

The Assassin of Venice is a captivating, sensual, high stakes read that brings 16th-century Venice to life, and draws on the fascinating real history of both Venetian cortigiane oneste—“honest courtesans”—and Renaissance Venice’s sprawling intelligence service.

Do you want to win this book?

This giveaway closed at midnight ET on 07/14/24.
Winners will be notified within 48 hours of the giveaway closing and announced in my next newsletter/post.

Important to Note: You must be 18+ and a United States resident (pesky international laws make it tricky to do giveaways worldwide). If you are someone who loves to read the rules, you can find the obligatory info here.

LOOK! A NEW GOODREADS GIVEAWAY!

My publisher, MIRA Books, is running another Goodreads giveaway, this time for the entire month of July! You can get in on the action to win a print copy here.

A PREORDER DEAL FOR B&N PREMIUM AND REWARDS MEMBERS

Barnes & Noble is having a sale for the pages (get it?). Listen up: from July 10th through 17th, Premium and Rewards members will get 25% off all preorders! Premium members ALSO get double stamps AND an additional 10% off! Preorder here!

AND if you upload your receipt using this form, I'll send you a free signed bookplate!
So what are you waiting for?

WHAT’S BRINGING ME JOY

The Schiaparelli haute couture fall/winter 2024 collection is stunning.
This wonderful video about what makes great writing.

If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷 And now you can pre-order IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS!