Giovanni Bembo

Giovanni Bembo

Giovanni Bembo (21 August 1543 in Venice – 16 March 1618 in Venice) was the 92nd Doge of Venice, reigning from his election on December 2, 1615 until his death. His reign is notable for Venetian victories during the War of Gradisca (1617) and for the Bedmar Plot (1618), in which the Spanish ambassador to Venice, Alfonso de la Cueva, 1st Marquis of Bedmar, was unsuccessful in his plans to destabilize the Most Serene Republic.

Background, 1543–1615

Giovanni was the son of Augustine Bembo and Chiara Del Basso. The Bembo's were one of the vecchie, old Venetian noble families. Giovanni Bembo's mother left him with a large inheritance, which he divided with one brother.

Bembo enrolled as a crew of a galley at age 12, and he remained aboard ship for sixteen years. He fought in the Battle of Lepanto (1571), showing great courage in spite of being wounded repeatedly.

Following his good showing in the Battle of Lepanto, Bembo was appointed provveditore. after which he served with distinction and went on to become savio, consigliere, and subsequentlyProcurator of San Marco.

Reign as Doge of Venice, 1615–1618

Painting by Domenico Tintoretto depicting Giovanni Bembo kneeling before the personification of the Republic of Venice.

Marcantonio Memmothe elected Doge died on 31 October 1615, leaving no obvious choice as a successor as Doge. The old noble families (the vecchie faction) were divided between two candidates as doge, while the new noble families (the nuove faction) were unable to unite behind a candidate. After several rounds of voting, the 41 electors were unable to decide on a candidate, leading to rioting in Venice. Eventually, on 2 December 1615 a compromise was concluded and Bembo, a moderate member of the vecchie faction, was elected as Doge. As always, sumptuous feasts were held to celebrate the occasion.

For a number of years, Venice had been harassed by Uskoci pirates, encouraged by Ferdinand, Archduke of Inner Austria, who offered the Uskoci his protection. Bembo's first act as Doge was therefore to declare war on Austria, launching the War of Gradisca (known in German as the Friulian War). This war saw the destruction of the Uskoci. The war took place in Friuli, Gradisca d'Isonzo, Gorizia, and Istria. Venice had the upper hand militarily, with troops under Francesco Erizzo besieging Gradisca d'Isonzo successfully until the arrival of troops commanded by Albrecht von Wallenstein arrived, at which point Venice sued for peace, and a peace treaty was signed in Paris on 27 September 1617.

1617-18 saw Alfonso de la Cueva, 1st Marquis of Bedmar, the Spanish Ambassador to Venice, attempted to destabilize Venice by sowing discord, which would allow Spanish troops to march into Venice and seize control of the city. Bembo participated in the councils called to stop the Spanish occupation of the city. But Spain believed to have spies in the city were able counter actions of the council allowing the Spanish forces to stay longer in the city. Unfortunately Bembo died while fighting for the liberation of his city from Spanish occupation on 16 March 1618.

References

This article is based on this article from Italian 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