Leonardo Donato

Leonardo Dona (* 1536, † July 16, 1612 ) was the 90th Doge of Venice. He reigned from 1606 to 1612. The dispute with the Papal States, which had inflamed under his predecessor Marino Grimani, came to a head under his reign, and was settled in the sequence only with the participation of various European powers.

Family

The Dona were among the most respected new families (case vecchie ). The family produced between the 16th and the 17th century three doges, except Leonardo Francesco Nicolò and Dona Dona. The penultimate Doge of Venice Paolo Renier was a member of the branch of Dona dalle Rose, Giustina Dona married.

Life

Leonardo Dona had studied at the universities of Padua and Bologna, moral philosophy, history and ancient languages ​​. He was not married. He has held in his life a number of offices in the service of the Republic. For 22 years he was the ambassador of Venice, as in Madrid, the German Kaiser and in various popes. He was Bailo in Constantinople Opel, podestà of Brescia, Procurator of San Marco and Provveditore the Terraferma.

Dona was a friend of Galileo, who was 1592-1610 Professor at the University of Padua Venetian.

The Dogenamt

At the age of 70 years he was elected to the Dogenamt. The choice of the austere and ascetic Dona met with the Venetians with little enthusiasm.

He continued the policy of his predecessor, and the tensions with the Vatican increased. He stopped at the laws that curtailed the influence of the Curia in Venice, firmly. As a consultant in matters of canon law of the Council of Ten hired the Venice -born Paolo Sarpi, a Servite monk. On 14 May 1607 Pope issued an interdict against Venice. Sarpi, the Rome suspected of heresy, was excommunicated. Then they pointed the Jesuits out of town, Capuchin and Theatines followed voluntarily. Other priests and religious, the most prominent of the Patriarch of Grado, a member of the House Vendramin, to fit the new circumstances and remained. The church conflict between Venice and Rome threatened to spread to other European countries over access, each taken the Venetian and papal party. The French cardinal Joyeus finally succeeded in a compromise that both parties reluctantly agreed: Venice handed the imprisoned priests the ambassador of the French king and the pope lifted the interdict. The sympathies of the Venetian people were in this conflict on the part of the Pope. The anger of the people finally erupted in an assassination attempt on the excommunicated Sarpi. Then, the prohibition of the Jesuit Order in Venice was confirmed as it was the Nobili forbidden to send their children to schools of the Jesuits. Dona died on 16 July in 1612. Surprising His death was interpreted by the superstitious people as a punishment from God.

Tomb

His tomb is located above the portal of San Giorgio Maggiore.