Maurizio Galbaio
Encyclopedia
Maurizio Galbaio (died 787) was the seventh traditional, but fifth historical, Doge of Venice
from 764 to his death. He was the first great doge, who reigned for 22 years and set Venice on its path to independence and success.
Maurizio was raised to the dogeship at a time when two tribunes were being elected annually to check the power of the doge. His predecessor had been from a pro-Lombard
faction, but Maurizio was a wealthy man from pro-Byzantine
Heraclea
. He opposed both the strong republican faction, which supported moving towards de facto independence, and the pro-Frankish and pro-Lombard factions. He received the titles of magister militum
and hypatos from the Emperor Leo IV
.
The Lombard king Desiderius
, in light of the alliance between the papacy and the Frankish king Charlemagne
and the strong clerical support for Frankish hegemony in Venice, ravaged the states of the church and Istria
, even capturing the doge's son Giovanni
. Through the pope, Maurizio sent ambassadors to Charlemagne and his son was released. Maurizio then made the first of many subsequent attempts to create a hereditary dogeship when, in 778, he had his son made a second doge. Maurizio obtained the consent of the emperor of the East for this last act.
During Maurizio's final eleven years, the Venetians expanded permanently to the Rialto
islands. On the little island of Olivolo (now Castello
), he reconsecrated the church of SS Bacchus and Sergius
as that of St Peter
. It was raised to episcopal status and was the cathedral of Venice throughout the republican era. The low point of Maurizio's reign was the expulsion from the Pentapolis
of Venetian traders for trading in slaves and eunuchs.
Maurizio was indeed succeeded by his son on his death. His name, Galbaio, came from his reputed descent from the ancient Roman emperor
Galba
.
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 764 to his death. He was the first great doge, who reigned for 22 years and set Venice on its path to independence and success.
Maurizio was raised to the dogeship at a time when two tribunes were being elected annually to check the power of the doge. His predecessor had been from a pro-Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
faction, but Maurizio was a wealthy man from pro-Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
Heraclea
Eraclea
thumb|250px|right|Location of Eraclea in the province of Venice.Eraclea is a town and comune in the province of Venice, Veneto, Italy. SP42 goes through it.Eraclea Mare is the Lido of Eraclea....
. He opposed both the strong republican faction, which supported moving towards de facto independence, and the pro-Frankish and pro-Lombard factions. He received the titles of magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
and hypatos from the Emperor Leo IV
Leo IV the Khazar
Leo IV the Khazar was Byzantine Emperor from 775 to 780 CE.Leo was the son of Emperor Constantine V by his first wife, Irene of Khazaria , the daughter of a Khagan of the Khazars...
.
The Lombard king Desiderius
Desiderius
Desiderius was the last king of the Lombard Kingdom of northern Italy...
, in light of the alliance between the papacy and the Frankish king Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
and the strong clerical support for Frankish hegemony in Venice, ravaged the states of the church and Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
, even capturing the doge's son Giovanni
Giovanni Galbaio
Giovanni Galbaio was the eighth Doge of Venice according to tradition, but only the sixth historically verifiable one. He succeeded his father Maurizio Galbaio, who had associated him as doge in 778...
. Through the pope, Maurizio sent ambassadors to Charlemagne and his son was released. Maurizio then made the first of many subsequent attempts to create a hereditary dogeship when, in 778, he had his son made a second doge. Maurizio obtained the consent of the emperor of the East for this last act.
During Maurizio's final eleven years, the Venetians expanded permanently to the Rialto
Rialto
The Rialto is and has been for many centuries the financial and commercial centre of Venice. It is an area of the San Polo sestiere of Venice, Italy, also known for its markets and for the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal....
islands. On the little island of Olivolo (now Castello
Castello, Venice
Castello is the largest of the six sestieri of Venice, Italy. The district grew up from the thirteenth century around a naval dockyard on what was originally the Isole Gemini, although there had been small settlements of the islands of San Pietro di Castello , also called Isola d'Olivolo, since at...
), he reconsecrated the church of SS Bacchus and Sergius
Saints Sergius and Bacchus
Saints Sergius and Bacchus , were third century Roman soldiers who are commemorated as martyrs by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches...
as that of St Peter
San Pietro di Castello (church)
The Basilica di San Pietro di Castello , commonly called San Pietro di Castello, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica of the Patriarch of Venice located in the Castello sestiere of the Italian city of Venice. The present building dates from the 16th century, but a church has stood on the site since...
. It was raised to episcopal status and was the cathedral of Venice throughout the republican era. The low point of Maurizio's reign was the expulsion from the Pentapolis
Pentapolis
A pentapolis, from the Greek words , "five" and , "city" is a geographic and/or institutional grouping of five cities...
of Venetian traders for trading in slaves and eunuchs.
Maurizio was indeed succeeded by his son on his death. His name, Galbaio, came from his reputed descent from the ancient Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Galba
Galba
Galba , was Roman Emperor for seven months from 68 to 69. Galba was the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, and made a bid for the throne during the rebellion of Julius Vindex...
.
Sources
- Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. A History of Venice. Alfred A. KnopfAlfred A. KnopfAlfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
: New York, 1982.