Domenico Morosini

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Domenico Morosini (d. February, 1156) was the thirty-seventh doge of the Republic of Venice, reigning from 1148 until his death.

The Morosini were a noble Venetian family, and one of the greatest successes of Domenico's reign was the reconciliation of the two factions then dividing the patrician families.

During Domenico's reign, the Venetian fleet, commanded by Naimero and Giovanni Polani, the sons of Morosini's predecessor Pietro Polani, defeated the Normans under George of Antioch at Cape Matapan (the southwest point of the Peloponnese). The property of the Dandolo family, destroyed under the previous doge, was restored at the expense of the state. The Badoer were recalled from exile. Nemerio Polani married a granddaughter of the patriarch of Grado, Enrico Dandolo.

In foreign politics, the new doge was considered less Byzantine than his predecessor, thus prompting the Pope to withdraw the excommunication of Venice, and nominating the doge dominator Marchie Trying to reconcile with the other maritime republics, Morosini gave privileged suburbs of Constantinople to Pisa, and promised to allow Genoa to trade in Dalmatia.

Domenico Morosini died in February 1156.

Preceded by Pietro Polani

Doge of Venice 1148 – 1156

Succeeded by Vital II Michele