[alehlopeh]

This event lead to the Byzantines having a silk monopoly in Europe. It follows that the Venetians didn’t have the means to produce silk. They may have therefore tried to acquire said means. The show apparently depicts that attempt, with inspiration from the story in TFA.

[valarauko]

I'd also add that holy men smuggling out the means to break monopolies in their walking sticks is a popular theme, to the point of being a trope.