Bartolomeo Gradenigo

Gold coin of Bartolomeo Gradenigo (1260–1342): the Doge kneeling in front of Saint Marc.

Bartolomeo Gradenigo (1259 or 1260 – December 28, 1342) was the 53rd Doge of Venice from November 7, 1339 until his death.

Born in Venice to an ancient noble family, he was a rich tradesman. Gradenigo devoted to politics very early in his life, acting as podestà of Ragusa and Capodistria, as well as procuratore in the capital. He also became soon renowned for his excessive love for luxury. He married three times and had six children. One of his spouses was Giustina Capello.^[1]

His short reign was rather peaceful, apart from a revolt in Crete and some Turkish incursions. It was also characterized by some diplomatic moves towards Genoa. The most important event was the tempest that struck against Venice on 15 February 1340 and which, according to legend, was pushed back only through the supernatural intercession of St. Mark, St. George and St. Nicholas, brought to the lagoon by a humble fisherman. After the storm had disappeared, the three saints gave the fisherman a ring, called "Ring of the Fisherman", which he gave to the doges and has since then been part of the ducal jewelry. In fact, Bartolomeo appears in the painting The Presentation of the Ring by Paris Bordone which shows the fisherman presenting the ring to him.

Sources

• Claudio Rendina, I dogi di Venezia, Newton Compton, Rome, 1984.

References

1. ↑ Staley, Edgcumbe: The dogaressas of Venice : The wives of the doges. London : T. W. Laurie

Doges of Venice
Byzantine period (697–737) Paolo Lucio Anafesto Marcello Tegalliano Orso Ipato
Regime of the magistri militum (738–742) Domenico Leoni Felice Cornicola Teodato Ipato Jovian Ceparius John Fabriacus
Ducal period (742–1148) 8th century Teodato Ipato* Galla Lupanio* Domenico Monegario* Maurizio Galbaio Giovanni Galbaio* 9th century Obelerio degli Antenori*† Agnello Participazio Giustiniano Participazio Giovanni I Participazio* Pietro Tradonico† Orso I Participazio Giovanni II Participazio♦ Pietro I Candiano‡ Pietro Tribuno 10th century Orso II Participazio Pietro II Candiano Pietro Participazio Pietro III Candiano Pietro IV Candiano† Pietro I Orseolo♦ Vitale Candiano♦ Tribuno Memmo Pietro II Orseolo 11th century Otto Orseolo* Pietro Centranico* Domenico Flabanico Domenico I Contarini Domenico Selvo* Vitale Faliero Vital I Michele 12th century Ordelafo Faliero Domenico Michele Pietro Polani * deposed     † executed or assassinated     ‡ killed in battle     ♦ abdicated
Republican period (1148–1797) 12th century Domenico Morosini Vitale II Michele Sebastiano Ziani Orio Mastropiero Enrico Dandolo 13th century Pietro Ziani Jacopo Tiepolo Marino Morosini Reniero Zeno Lorenzo Tiepolo Jacopo Contarini Giovanni Dandolo Pietro Gradenigo 14th century Marino Zorzi Giovanni Soranzo Francesco Dandolo Bartolomeo Gradenigo Andrea Dandolo Marino Faliero† Giovanni Gradenigo Giovanni Dolfin Lorenzo Celsi Marco Cornaro Andrea Contarini Michele Morosini Antonio Venier 15th century Michele Steno Tommaso Mocenigo Francesco Foscari* Pasquale Malipiero Cristoforo Moro Nicolò Tron Nicolò Marcello Pietro Mocenigo Andrea Vendramin Giovanni Mocenigo Marco Barbarigo Agostino Barbarigo 16th century Leonardo Loredan Antonio Grimani Andrea Gritti Pietro Lando Francesco Donato Marcantonio Trivisan Francesco Venier Lorenzo Priuli Girolamo Priuli Pietro Loredan Alvise I Mocenigo Sebastiano Venier Nicolò da Ponte Pasquale Cicogna Marino Grimani 17th century Leonardo Donato Marcantonio Memmo Giovanni Bembo Nicolò Donato Antonio Priuli Francesco Contarini Giovanni I Cornaro Nicolò Contarini Francesco Erizzo Francesco Molin Carlo Contarini Francesco Cornaro Bertuccio Valiero Giovanni Pesaro Domenico II Contarini Nicolò Sagredo Alvise Contarini Marcantonio Giustinian Francesco Morosini Silvestro Valiero Alvise II Mocenigo 18th century Giovanni II Cornaro Alvise III Mocenigo Carlo Ruzzini Alvise Pisani Pietro Grimani Francesco Loredan Marco Foscarini Alvise IV Mocenigo Paolo Renier Ludovico Manin* † Marino Faliero (1354–55) was convicted of treason, executed and condemned to damnatio memoriae * Francesco Foscari (1423–57) was forced to abdicate by the Council of Ten * Ludovico Manin (1789–97) was forced to abdicate by Napoleon