Pietro Grimani

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bartolomeo Nazzari: Pietro Grimani

Pietro Grimani (born October 5, 1677 in Venice , † March 7, 1752 ibid) was the 115th Doge of Venice . He ruled from 1741 to 1752.

family

The Grimani were one of the 16 new families, the case nuove , of the patriciate of Venice and were among the most respected families in Venice. Several members of the family held state offices or held high offices in the Catholic Church. The family provided a total of three doges, apart from Pietro the doges Marino Grimani (1595–1605) and Antonio Grimani (1434–1523). The name Grimani is associated with numerous art and book collections and foundations in Venice.

Life

Pietro Grimani was the second of five sons of the eponymous Pietro Grimani and his wife Caterina Morosini. He received a thorough humanistic education, was interested in natural sciences, especially astronomy. He worked as a poet and as a prose author and was in lively correspondence with writers and scientists of his time. He assembled an extensive library in his palace, but it was dispersed after his death.

In the service of the republic he went through a brilliant career in domestic and foreign policy. He served the Republic as savio for 22 years and, like many Doges before him, was procurator of San Marco . He was ambassador to Vienna and London, where he became a member ( fellow ) of the Royal Society at the suggestion of John Keill .

Grimani wasn't married.

The Doge's Office

Grimani was able to prevail in the Doge election in the first ballot against his competitors, the procurators Barbon Morosini and Niccolò Venier . His election was received with little enthusiasm by the people, as he had proved to be rather stingy than generous as procurator, as was expected of a procurator. In addition, his accession to government was under a bad star: in the fight for the silver money that the new Doges threw among the people after the enthronement, three arsenal workers were killed, on the third day of the coronation celebrations a storm extinguished all the lights in the ballroom of the Doge's Palace and on the same day Two Grimani coats of arms were destroyed by fireworks. The people interpret all of this as a sign of a rule of war and destruction.

Contrary to expectations, however, Venice enjoyed a period of peace in which even the economy was able to recover.

Thanks to the many armed conflicts between the quarreling European states and thanks to Venice's successful neutrality policy, trade transactions could be carried out undisturbed, and new customers were even won among the quarreling parties. As a result, cultural life also flourished again. As usual, the Venetians enjoyed balls and festivities and the performances in the many theaters in which the new comedies and operas by Carlo Goldoni , Carlo Gozzi , Baldassare Galuppi or Giovanni Pescetti were played. In 1750, with his support, an art academy was opened, the Accademia di disegno, pittura e scultura , to which a branch for architecture was affiliated, and which Tiepolo counts among its directors.

Grimani died in March 1752 after a short illness, only a little mourned by the people. He had never succeeded in gaining his appreciation, although his clever politics had brought him peace and a certain degree of prosperity again. He could never get rid of the reputation of being a curmudgeon. From the time of his election until his death, the poet-doge was accompanied by the sharp-tongued pasquills of his Venetians.

Tomb

Grimani was buried in a family grave in front of the main altar of the Madonna dell'Orto church . A small marble plaque with his coat of arms reminds of the Doge.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Entry on Grimani, Pietro (1677 - 1752) in the archive of the Royal Society , London
predecessor Office successor
Alvise Pisani Doge of Venice
1741–1752 		Francesco Loredan
personal data
SURNAME Grimani, Pietro
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Doge of Venice (1741–1752)
DATE OF BIRTH October 5, 1677
PLACE OF BIRTH Venice
DATE OF DEATH March 7, 1752
Place of death Venice