Question

what is the signifigance of the liscense to venice to trade with the sarcens?

Answer 1

The Saracens were Muslims and at the time, Christianity saw them as enemies of the faith and were actually at war with Muslim powers via the Crusades. But Italian city-states made their living off of dealing with Muslim merchants since they were the only pipeline to the spices in the East, so the Pope made a special exception for trade as long as it didn't involve anything that might be used as a military resource. To both sides, like the old saying goes, it's business...not personal.