Antonio Grimani

Antonio Grimani (* December 28, 1434, † May 7, 1523 ) was from 1521 to 1523 the 76th Doge of Venice.

Family

The Grimani were one of the 16 new families, the case nuove, and were among the first families of Venice. 21 members of the family were active procurators or in other important offices of the Republic, as a diplomat and in the Navy or held high offices in the Catholic Church, among which were three cardinals. The family provided a total of three doges, except the Doge Marino Grimani Antonio (1595-1605) and Pietro Grimani ( 1741-1752 ). The name is connected Grimani in Venice with numerous art, book collections and foundations.

Life

Antonio was the oldest of three brothers. In his youth, the family lived under difficult financial conditions and in a difficult social status, his mother, Agnesina Montagner di Modone, not from one of the noble families. Even in his youth he undertook trading journeys to Syria and Egypt, where he was able to generate a very large fortune ( for economic history ). In Venice it was said of him that if he take hold of dirt, become the gold.

1499 he was appointed against his will captain general of the Navy, but was charged with a heavy defeat by the Ottomans in court. The court of the Great Council, the maggior consiglio whose competence was, however, disputed acted. He was accused of the loss of 169 ships while at the same time he had acquired a huge fortune. He was charged with high treason. One of exile he eluded by fleeing to Rome to his son, the Cardinal Domenico Grimani. It was not until 1510 he was able to return to Venice after it was his family succeeded through generous payments, set aside the verdict against him. He received the office of Procuratore di sopra and worked as a generous patron. Grimani contributed to the cost of construction of the old Magistrates, and he had to restore the destroyed in an earthquake roof of the Campanile, for which he donated the gilded statue of the archangel Gabriel on top.

He was married to Caterina Loredan, with whom he had five sons, who held all the outstanding positions in public life. The oldest of them, the Cardinal Domenico Grimani, was important as a patron and art collector.

Despite process, conviction for high treason and banishment Grimani was elected in 1521 at the age of 86 years to the Doge.

Pictures

• Titian and workshop: The Doge Antonio Grimani Kneeling before the Faith to 1555-78, Sala delle Quattro Porte, Doge's Palace, Venice

Tomb

The tomb of the Doge was in the Church of San Antonio di Castello, which was demolished in 1807.