Chiara Zorzi
Chiara Zorzi or Giorgio, also Clara or Claire (died 1454), was duchess consort of Athens by marriage to
Life
She was the daughter of
Not long after she came to power, she fell in love with the Venetian Bartolomeo Contarini, who visited Athens, and asked him to propose to her.[1] He explained that he was already married, but to make himself able to marry Chiara, he returned to Venice, and murdered his wife, after which he returned to Athens and married the regent, in 1453. As her spouse, he also took a share in her government.[1]
The Athenians were not happy about the Venetian influence, and complaints reached the Ottoman Sultan. Evidently, the citizenry mistrusted the two lovers' influence over the young duke, for whose safety they may have feared.
Another
References
- ^ OCLC 563022439.
Sources
- ISBN 0-299-06670-3.
- Setton, Kenneth M. Catalan Domination of Athens 1311–1380. Revised edition. Variorum: London, 1975.