Giovanni Pesaro

Giovanni Pesaro

Giovanni Pesaro (Venice, September 1, 1589 – Venice, September 30, 1659) was the 103rd Doge of Venice, reigning from his election on April 8, 1658 until his death.^[1] The Cretan War (1645–1669) was ongoing for the entirety of his brief reign.

Background, 1589–1658

Giovanni Pesaro was the son of Elena Soranzo and Vettor Pesaro, a rich man. He rose to prominence quickly, being repeatedly elected as consigliere to the Doge, as a member of the Senate of Venice, and then serving as the Republic of Venice's Ambassador to the Vatican, prior to serving as Procurator of San Marco.

In spite of all of these honours, his reputation was far from spotless. In 1642, he abandoned the garrison of Pontelagoscuro (a frazione of Ferrara), which he was commanding, in the face of the enemy. In the years following this incident, he was implicated of embezzlement and abuse of office. As rector, he appropriated land owned by a citizen for himself. Following the death of his wife Lucia Barbarigo, Pesaro married his housekeeper, a low born woman whose brother was a criminal banished from the republic.

Bust of Pesaro on display in the Royal Castle, Warsaw.

In spite of these disabilities, Pesaro managed to work his way into the mainstream of Venetian politics. With the war against the Ottoman Empire at a low point, and many Venetian nobles considering giving up Crete, Pesaro gave an impassioned speech in the Maggior Consiglio (Grand Council) in favour of continuing the war, in the course of which he pledged 6000 ducats of his own money. This action inspired the other nobles to continue the war. His militant attitude won him great favour, and, following the death of Doge Bertuccio Valiero on March 29, 1658, Pesaro was the consensus candidate for new Doge.

Reign as Doge, 1658–1659

Monument to Pesaro in the Frari, by Carlo Ponti ca. 1860–1870.

On April 8, 1658, Pesaro was elected as Doge on the first ballot, not least because he was considerably younger than his opponents, and it was hoped that he would have a longer reign than had his predecessors, a wish regrettably unfulfilled. Pesaro was hated by the people of Venice, and fell ill soon after his election as Doge.

Pesaro faced a difficult situation on becoming Doge. The war had displaced Venice's commerce, and Venice was heavily overtaxed to pay for the war.

Pesaro died on September 30, 1659, and was buried with great pomp.

References

An initial version of this article was based on the corresponding article on French Wikipedia.

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