They suppressed Spanish and Mexican attacks from the south, attempts to settle the land by the United States from the east, and numerous other indigenous peoples' bids for power.
But a great part of the sons of Men, whether of the people of Uldor or others new-come out of the east, marched with the Enemy; and the Elves do not forget it.
Carving out colonies across the Adriatic coast along with a sizable chunk of Greece and Cyprus by dominating the Mediterranean, the Venetians completely monopolized the flow of trade coming into Europe from the east.