Nicolò Contarini
Nicolò Contarini ( born September 26, 1552 Venice, † April 2, 1631 ibid ) was from 1630 to 1631 the 97th Doge of Venice.
Family
The Contarini family had the first Doge made in 1042, the seven more followed. Nicolò Contarini was the fourth in the series of Contarini - Doge.
Life
Nicolò was born as the first of six sons of Giangabriele Contarini and Morosini Giovanna. After completing his studies in philosophy at the University of Padua, he entered the Venetian government service. He was successively avogadore, Provveditore general of the Terraferma, savio and riformatore dello studio at the University of Padua. Result of his work in Padua was the treatise De rerum libri VI perfectione (Venice 1576 ).
At the request of the Council of Ten he succeeded Andrea Morosini, author of The Venetian chronicle Degl'istorici delle cose veneziane for the period 1567-1604.
Nicolò Contarini was not married and had no children.
The Dogenamt
Nicholas was elected on 18 January 1630 Doge at an advanced age of 75 years and died after a period of only 15 months. During his tenure, Venice was hit by a severe plague, which is a third of its population fell victim to 1630. The description of this plague by Alessandro Manzoni in his book I Promessi Sposi is one of the most impressive features of this epidemic in the world literature. On October 22, 1630, the Doge of the Virgin Mary promised to build a church if the past year raging in Venice plague cease. When after a few months, ended the plague, his promise was redeemed and the church of Santa Maria della Salute built.
Nicolò Contarini died on April 2, 1631, probably of the plague. He was buried in a hurry and without the usual ceremonies in the church of Santa Maria Nova. This church, which was used as a warehouse during the Upper Austrian rule over the city has been demolished in 1852, the Dogengrab has since been lost.
Writings
- De Rerum perfectione libri VI. Venice 1576th
- Modo della elezione del Serenissimo principe di Venezia. Rome 1630th