Marino Zorzi born in Venice

Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...

, was the 50th doge of the Republic of Venice

Doge of Venice

The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...

, from August 23, 1311 to his death. He was married to Agneta Querini. Considered to have been a devout man, he had served as an ambassador to Rome

Papal States

The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...

. He may have been elected to decrease tensions in the city caused by the attempted revolt of Bajamonte Tiepolo

Bajamonte Tiepolo

Bajamonte Tiepolo was a Venetian noble, great-grandson of Doge Jacopo Tiepolo, grandson of Doge Lorenzo Tiepolo, son of Giacomo Tiepolo....

 as well as tensions with Rome, still angry with Venice over her occupation of the city of Ferrara

Ferrara

Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...

 (1308–09).

Zorzi had not been the first choice as Doge; Stefano Giustinian had been chosen first, but Giustinian had refused the honor. The elderly Zorzi did not succeed in re-establishing good relations with the Papacy and his short reign was characterized by several natural calamities. His reign lasted only eleven months, and Zorzi, considered a saint

Saint

A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...

 in his lifetime, died in 1312. His garments were sought after as holy relics.