Leonardo Donà
Leonardo Donà (born February 12, 1536 in Venice ; † July 16, 1612 there ) was the 90th Doge of Venice . He reigned from 1606 to 1612. The dispute with the Papal States , which under his predecessor Marino Grimani had inflamed, came to a head under his reign and could be settled in the following only with the cooperation of various European powers.
family
The Donà were among the most respected new families ( case vecchie ). Between the 16th and 17th centuries the family provided three doges, besides Leonardo also Francesco Donà and Nicolò Donà . The penultimate Doge of Venice, Paolo Renier , was married to a Donà from the branch of the dalle Rose , Giustina Donà.
Life
Leonardo Donà had studied moral philosophy , history and ancient languages at the Universities of Padua and Bologna . He wasn't married.
He has held a number of positions in the service of the republic in his life. For 22 years he was the ambassador of Venice, for example in Madrid , with the German emperor and with various popes. He was Bailò in Constantinople, Podestà of Brescia, Procurator of San Marco and Provveditore of Terraferma .
Donà was friends with Galileo , who was a professor at the Venetian University of Padua between 1592 and 1610.
The Doge's Office
At the age of 70 he was elected to the Doge's office. The choice of the strict and ascetic Donà met with little enthusiasm among the Venetians.
He continued his predecessor's policies and tensions with the Vatican increased. He adhered to the laws that curtailed the influence of the Curia in Venice. The Council of Ten hired Venice-born Paolo Sarpi , a monk of the Servite Order, to advise on questions of canon law . On May 14, 1607, the Pope issued an interdict against Venice. Sarpi, suspected of heresy by Rome , was excommunicated . Thereupon the Jesuits were expelled from the city, Capuchins and Theatines followed voluntarily. Other priests and religious, most prominently the Patriarch of Grado , a member of the House of Vendramin, adapted to the new circumstances and stayed. The ecclesiastical conflict between Venice and Rome threatened to spill over to other European states, each of which seized the Venetian and papal parties. The French Cardinal Joyeus finally reached a compromise, which both parties reluctantly agreed: Venice handed the imprisoned priests to the ambassador of the French king, and the Pope lifted the interdict. The sympathies of the Venetian people were on the side of the Pope in this conflict. The anger of the people finally erupted in an assassination attempt on the excommunicated Sarpi. Thereupon the prohibition of the Jesuit order in Venice was confirmed, likewise it was forbidden for the Nobili to send their children to the Jesuit schools. Donà died on July 16, 1612. His surprising death was interpreted by the superstitious people as a punishment from God.
Tomb
His tomb is above the portal of San Giorgio Maggiore .
literature
- Andrea da Mosto: I Dogi di Venezia . Giunti, Florenz 2003, ISBN 88-09-02881-3 (reprint of the Milan 1960 edition).
- Helmut Dumler: Venice and the Doges . Artemis & Winkler, Düsseldorf 2001, ISBN 3-538-07116-0 .
Web links
- Literature by and about Leonardo Donà in the catalog of the German National Library
- Works by and about Leonardo Donà in the German Digital Library
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Marino Grimani |
Doge of Venice 1606 - 1612 |
Marcantonio Memmo |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Donà, Leonardo |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | 90. Doge of Venice |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 12, 1536 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Venice |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 16, 1612 |
| Place of death | Venice |