Marco Cornaro

Marco Corner, also known as Marco Cornaro (c. 1288; † January 13, 1368 ) was from 1365 to 1368 59th Doge of Venice. During his reign Venice lost possessions to Genoa and to the Ottomans.

Family

The Corner belonged to the old families of Venice. They led their pedigree back to the Romans. They were one of the richest families and had gained their wealth primarily through money lending. The Corner presented in the 17th and 18th centuries, with the 96th Doge Giovanni Cornaro I., the 101st Doge Francesco Cornaro and the 111th Doge Giovanni II Cornaro three more doges, which also were all direct descendants of Marco.

Life

Marco Corner had acquired a fortune through trade with Egypt. He had undergone both a military and a political career in the service of the Republic. He led the troops on the sea and on the mainland. He was in the diplomatic service ambassador to Pope Clement VI. and Emperor Charles IV in 1363 and was a member of the Venetian delegation in Avignon on the occasion of the election of Urban V. He was active in the management of cities in the Terraferma, before he was procurator of San Marco.

Marco Corner was instrumental in the discovery and suppression of the attempted overthrow of his predecessor, the 55th Doge Marino Faliero. Following the discovery of the conspiracy, he served as deputy the official duties of the doge. He was married in first marriage with Giovanna Scrovegni, Enrico Scrovegni daughter, the builder of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, with whom he had one son and two daughters. In his second marriage he was married to a woman, of which only the first name Caterina is known, and that did not come out of the patricians; a fact that hampered his election as Doge.

The Dogenamt

Marco Corner was chosen at the age of 80 years to the Doge. In the Dogenwahl he had prevailed against Giovanni Foscarini and his later successor Andrea Contarini. During his reign Venice lost the islands of Chios, Lesbos and Phokea at Genoa, which also made claims of Venice in Cyprus and the Crimea dispute. As a construction project he led the establishment of the Seefassade the Doge's Palace.

Pictures

• Bust of Marco Corner. Capella Corner in the church of San Niccolò da Tolentino, Venice

Tomb

The wall tomb is in the presbytery of Saints John and Paul. His tomb is decorated with various sculptures, including an imported from Florence Statue of Madonna with child of Nino Pisano.