Nicolò Contarini
Encyclopedia
Nicolò Contarini was the 97th Doge of Venice
, reigning from his election on January 18, 1630 until his death 15 months later. Contarini was the Doge who presided over Venice during the Italian plague of 1629–1631, which killed one third of Venice's population.
, the son of Giovanna Morosini and Giangabriele Contarini
, a man who was not rich, but who nevertheless was familiar with high culture
. Nicolò Contarini became familiar with philosophy
and soon gained a reputation for fairness in his conduct of the public administration
of the Republic of Venice
. Politically, he was a supporter of Leonardo Donato
. During the factional divisions of Venice between supporters of Giovanni I Cornaro
and Renier Zen in late 1629, Contarini was critical of Cornaro, but was never extreme in his opposition, which won him the respect of Cornaro's supporters.
Upon the death of Contarini, a heated debate led to many rounds of balloting as supporters of Cornaro and supporters of Zen were unable to agree on a candidate. Contarini ultimately emerged as the compromise candidate and was elected Doge on January 18, 1630.
Contarini's reign began poorly, with Venetian troops, who were participating in the War of the Mantuan Succession
, lost a decisive battle at Valeggio in May 1630, a predecessor to the unsatisfying Peace of Regensburg
in October 1630.
Venice suffered its first outbreak of bubonic plague
in June 1630. The government acted promptly, imposing quarantine
on plague victims and burning the corpses, but it was unable to prevent the death of thousands. In October 1630, at the request of the Signoria
, Contarini vowed to construct a church in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary once the plague was over. Contarini died in Venice on April 2, 1631, before the cornerstone
of this church, Santa Maria della Salute, was laid.
.
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...
, reigning from his election on January 18, 1630 until his death 15 months later. Contarini was the Doge who presided over Venice during the Italian plague of 1629–1631, which killed one third of Venice's population.
Biography
Nicolò Contarini was born in VeniceVenice
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...
, the son of Giovanna Morosini and Giangabriele Contarini
Contarini
Contarini is an illustrious Venetian family, which furnished eight Doges to the Republic of Venice, as well as an array of eminent figures of the Church, statecraft, generalship, art, and letters.- Notable members :* Domenico I Contarini Contarini is an illustrious Venetian family, which furnished...
, a man who was not rich, but who nevertheless was familiar with high culture
High culture
High culture is a term, now used in a number of different ways in academic discourse, whose most common meaning is the set of cultural products, mainly in the arts, held in the highest esteem by a culture...
. Nicolò Contarini became familiar with philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and soon gained a reputation for fairness in his conduct of the public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. Politically, he was a supporter of Leonardo Donato
Leonardo Donato
Leonardo Donà, or Donato was the 90th Doge of Venice, reigning from January 10, 1606 until his death...
. During the factional divisions of Venice between supporters of Giovanni I Cornaro
Giovanni I Cornaro
Giovanni I Corner or Cornaro was the 96th Doge of Venice, reigning from January 24, 1625 until his death.-Early years, 1551-1625:He was the son of Marcantonio Cornaro and Cecilia Giustinian...
and Renier Zen in late 1629, Contarini was critical of Cornaro, but was never extreme in his opposition, which won him the respect of Cornaro's supporters.
Upon the death of Contarini, a heated debate led to many rounds of balloting as supporters of Cornaro and supporters of Zen were unable to agree on a candidate. Contarini ultimately emerged as the compromise candidate and was elected Doge on January 18, 1630.
Contarini's reign began poorly, with Venetian troops, who were participating in the War of the Mantuan Succession
War of the Mantuan Succession
The War of the Mantuan Succession was a peripheral part of the Thirty Years' War. Its casus belli was the extinction of the direct male line of the House of Gonzaga in December 1627. Brothers Francesco IV , Ferdinando and Vincenzo II , the last three dukes of Gonzaga, had all died leaving no...
, lost a decisive battle at Valeggio in May 1630, a predecessor to the unsatisfying Peace of Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
in October 1630.
Venice suffered its first outbreak of bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in June 1630. The government acted promptly, imposing quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
on plague victims and burning the corpses, but it was unable to prevent the death of thousands. In October 1630, at the request of the Signoria
Signoria
A Signoria was an abstract noun meaning 'government; governing authority; de facto sovereignty; lordship in many of the Italian city states during the medieval and renaissance periods....
, Contarini vowed to construct a church in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary once the plague was over. Contarini died in Venice on April 2, 1631, before the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
of this church, Santa Maria della Salute, was laid.
External links
This article was based on this article on Italian WikipediaItalian Wikipedia
The Italian Wikipedia is the Italian-language edition of Wikipedia. This edition was created on May 11, 2001 and first edited on June 11, 2001. As of 2011 it has over articles and more than registered accounts...
.