The Venetians were greeted by a jubilant population, for whom Venetian rule meant not only security from the Turks--some 5,000 Ottoman troops were besieging the city--but also a secure flow of supplies.
The Venetians were greeted by a jubilant population, which at the time numbered between 25,000 and 40,000 inhabitants. For the Thessalonians, Venetian rule meant not only security from the Turks--some 5,000 Ottoman troops were besieging the city--but also a secure flow of supplies.