116 THE REPUBLIC OF RAGUSA
every port of the Eastern Mediterranean. A special form of trade which had now arisen is that described in the Statute-book as ultra marinis partibus, i.e. up the courses of navigable rivers like the Narenta and the Bojana.
  The Levant trade became extremely active, and was no longer limited to the tract of sea between the Capo Cumano on one side, and Apulia and Durazzo on the other. From the commercial provisions contained in the various treaties between Ragusa and Venice, we learn that the former traded with all parts of the Eastern Empire, Syria, Tunis, Barbary, Italy, Sicily, and probably Egypt. At Constantinople the privilege granted by the Comneni were renewed by the Latin Emperors Baldwin I. and Henry. The Ragusans traded especially with the Morea and the feudal duchy of Chiarenza or Clarence,1 whence they brought silk to Ancona and other parts of Italy. At the same time they kept up their connection with the Greek princes who held sway over the fragments of the Greek Empire, namely, the Emperors of Nicasa and Trebizond2 and the despots of Epirus. After the capture of Constantinople by the Latins, Epirus continued to hold out against their arms, and was ruled by the despots Michael I. (who died in 1214), Manuel (1214-1241), and Michael II. (1241-1271), all of whom granted valuable privileges to the Ragusans.3
   1	Whence the title of the English Duke of Clarence is derived.
   2	The documents on this subject are lost, but the privileges are frequently mentioned by later writers.
   3	Tafel und Thomas, Griechische Urkunde in the Sitzungsberichte der Kais. Wiener Akad. der Wissenschaften, Philos.-histor. Classe, vi. 508-529; Miklosich u. Müller, Acta Grceca, iii., 58 sqq., 66-67; Heyd, Histoire du Commerce du Levant, i. 308 sqq.