Jacopo Tiepolo

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Jacopo Tiepolo
Portrait by Domenico Tintoretto, late-16th-century
Doge of Venice
In office
1229–1249
Preceded byPietro Ziani
Succeeded byMarino Morosini
Podestà of Constantinople
In office
  • 1218–1220
  • 1223–1224 (?)
Duke of Crete
In office
1209–1214
Personal details
Bornshortly before 1170
Venice, Republic of Venice
Died (aged c. 78–79)
Venice, Republic of Venice
Spouses
Maria Storlato
(died 1240)
(m. 1242⁠–⁠1249)
Coat of arms of Jacopo Tiepolo

Jacopo Tiepolo (

Emperor Frederick II
, which broke into open war from 1237 to 1245.

Early life and career

Jacopo Tiepolo was the son of Pietro Tiepolo of the

Byzantine capital, Constantinople. In 1196, he is even recorded as participating in a merchant fleet to Constantinople which failed due to a mutiny of its crews at Abydos, at the entrance of the Dardanelles.[1]

Unlike his ancestors, who had been merchants but uninvolved in Venetian politics, Tiepolo's social rise was couple with increasing participation in politics. Thus in 1205 he was one of the forty electors of

Duke of Crete, a post he held until 1214.[1][2]

Duke of Crete

Tiepolo's job was to establish the Venetian administration over the island of

Duchy of Naxos, Marco Sanudo. Sanudo successfully subdued the revolt, but initially refused to vacate the island. It was not until 1213 that Tiepolo was able to persuade Sanudo, through diplomatic means, to abandon his claims on Crete.[1]

Podestà of Constantinople

This experience as a colonial administrator was likely a major reason why in 1218 Tiepolo appointed as

Sultan of Iconium, Kayqubad I, in March 1220.[1][2] His understanding of his role is exemplified by his assumption of the Byzantine title of despot and the appropriation of the appellation "ruler of a quarter and a half of the Empire of Romania" that was normally attributed to the Doge.[1] During the interregnum after the death of Latin Empress Yolanda in September 1219, he was among the most powerful magnates of the Empire along with regent Conon de Béthune.[1]

In January 1221 Tiepolo was at Rome, to witness

Patriarch of Aquileia, which favoured the latter.[1]

Tiepolo was back in Rome in April 1223, in order to obtain from

Robert of Courtenay which confirmed the economic privileges the Venetians enjoyed in the Latin Empire.[1][4] It is unknown when his tenure ended; his immediate successor is not known, and at the earliest he cannot have left Constantinople before autumn 1224.[4]

In spring 1227, Tiepolo was again sent as envoy to Rome, and was again podestà of Treviso later in the same year. His second tenure there was marked by his legislative activity.

Dogate

Jacopo was elected Doge on 6 March 1229, his predecessor

Dandolo, who were an old aristocratic family, and the Tiepolo, who were seen as nouveau-riches.[5] In an attempt to prevent the recurrence of a split vote in future elections, the number of electors was increased from forty to forty-one. Prior to ascending the ducal throne, Tiepolo also had to sign a traditional promissione, seriously limiting his powers.[6]

Domestic reforms

Tiepolo's dogate brought significant change to Venice. The new doge promulgated new laws on commerce (1219), criminal law (1232), and

Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
.

Foreign policy

In foreign affairs, Tiepolo continued his predecessor's policy of safeguarding the

Latin Empire of Constantinople, a division of spheres of influences with Venice's rivals, Genoa and Pisa, and a dense web of diplomatic and commercial treaties with both Italian and Mediterranean states.[1]

Emperor Frederick II

Despite

Papacy and the Lombard League. Not only that, but Venice gradually moved to active opposition of Frederick, securing the appointment of Venetians as podestàs in Lombard cities, and encouraging them to resist the Emperor.[1]

After Frederick's victory over the League at the Battle of Cortenuova in 1237—in which Tiepolo's son, Pietro, led the Milanese forces and was taken prisoner—Venice allied with both Genoa and the Papacy. An envisaged Papal invasion of the Kingdom of Sicily, from which Venice would have gained control of the ports of Barletta and Salpi, failed to materialize, but the Venetians proceeded to campaign in Emilia-Romagna, capturing Ferrara in 1240.[1] In the same year, in retaliation for Venetian attacks against the Apulian coasts, Frederick II ordered the execution of Pietro Tiepolo.[1] Venetian agents also tried to oppose Frederick's policies in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and in 1242, Tiepolo reconquered the rebellious city of Pula in Istria.[1]

After the sack of Pula, Tiepolo married a second time, to the Sicilian princess Valdrada of Sicily. This union was viewed with suspicion, as it was held to signify Tiepolo's designs on securing the succession of his offspring to the Sicilian throne.[1] This suspicion came at a time when a large part of the ruling establishment began growing weary of Tiepolo's policies and ambitions: indeed, in 1245, three leading Venetian patricians, Marino Morosini, Reniero Zeno and Giovanni da Canal, when captured and brought before Frederick II, repudiated the recently announced excommunication of the Emperor. This was a clear repudiation of Tiepolo's policy and marked an end to the open conflict between Venice and Frederick.[1]

Abdication and death

Jacopo and Lorenzo's Tiepolo ark, in Venice.

Tiepolo abdicated in May 1249,[1] and retired thereafter to his private residence at Sant' Agostino, in San Polo.

Tiepolo died on 19 July 1249, and was buried in the church of

San Zanipolo.[1]

Family

Tiepolo married twice, firstly to Maria Storlato, and secondly to Valdrada of Sicily.[1] Maria bore him four children: Lorenzo, who served as doge from 1268 to 1275; the aforementioned Pietro, podestà of Treviso; a third son named Giovanni, who was active as a military commander in the war against Frederick; and a daughter, also named Maria, who married into the Gradenigo family.[1] Valdrada bore him two children, both young at the time of their father's death, and whose identities remain unknown. She outlived her husband by around three years.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Pozza 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Jacoby 2006, p. 69.
  3. ^ Jacoby 2006, p. 70.
  4. ^ a b Jacoby 2006, pp. 70–71.
  5. ^ John Jeffries Martin and Dennis Romano, Venice Reconsidered: The History and Civilization of an Italian City-state, p. 77-81
  6. ^ John Julius Norwich A History of Venice (London: Penguin Books), p. 151
  7. ^ Edgcumbe Staley The Dogaressas of Venice: The Wives of the Doges (London: T. W. Laurie, 1910), pp. 97-99

Sources

  • Jacoby, David (2006). "The Venetian Government and Administration in Latin Constantinople, 1204–1261: A State within a State". In Gherardo Ortalli; Giorgio Ravegnani; Peter Schreiner (eds.). Quarta Crociata. Venezia - Bisanzio - Impero latino. Atti delle giornate di studio. Venezia, 4-8 maggio 2004. Venice: Istituto veneto di scienze, lettere ed arti. pp. 19–79. .
  • .
  • Pozza, Marco (2019). "TIEPOLO, Giacomo". .
Political offices
Preceded by Doge of Venice
1229–1249
Succeeded by
Preceded by Podestà of Constantinople
1223–1224 (?)
Unknown
Next known title holder:
Teofilo Zeno
Unknown
Last known title holder:
Marino Dandolo
Podestà of Constantinople
1218–1220
Unknown
Next known title holder:
Marino Michiel
New title
Duke of Crete

1209–1214
Succeeded by
Pietro Querini