Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the

Doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ) – in Italian, was the doge or highest role of authority within the Republic of Venice (697–1797). The word derives from the Latin , meaning 'leader', and Venetian Italian dialect for 'duke', highest official of the ...

. The title was unique for Venice: while the heads of the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...

were also called Doge, the wives of the Doges of Genoa were not called ''Dogaressa'', nor did they have such a public position.

History

The first bearer of the title was reportedly

Dogaressa Carola Carola (fl. 811) is the name used by Edgecumbe Staley in his book ''The dogaressas of Venice'' to refer to the Dogaressa of Venice married to Doge Obelerio degli Antenori (r. 804-811). Among many claims, she is sometimes purported to be the firs ...

in the 800s, and the last was

Elisabetta Grimani Elisabetta Grimani (died August 31, 1792) was the last Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Ludovico Manin ( 1789–1797). Biography Elisabetta Grimani was the daughter of Antonio Grimani. She married Ludovico Manin on 14 September 1748. ...

in the 1790s. The position of the Dogaressa was regulated by the laws of the Republic, which specified which duties and rights she had, and what was prohibited to her. These rights changed several times during the history of the Republic.

Position

Just like the Doge, the Dogaressa was crowned, made a Solemn Entry, and gave a vow of loyalty (''

promissione ducale The ''promissione ducale'' (; ) was an oath of office sworn by the incoming Doge of Venice. It contained not only an oath of allegiance to the Republic of Venice, but also spelled out the constitutional limitations to the Doge's power, which he ...

'') to the republic upon her coronation. The symbols of her rank were a golden veil, and a crown in a similar shape as that of the Doge. Similar to a queen, the Dogaressa was provided with a household of ladies-in-waiting. The coronation of the Dogaressa was abolished during certain periods, as specified below. Formally, the Dogaressa had no political rights whatsoever, and her task was to participate in the representational life of the republic through the official ceremonies and rituals designed to personify the glory of the state. Thus, she had a very visible public role. She was expected to act as the formal protector of certain guilds and trades, and could, as such, play an important part in the role of these trades within the state: something several Dogaressas are known to have done. Alicia Giustiniani, for example, played an important part in Venetian commerce and business because of this role. Though the law disallowed any influence over affairs of state to the Dogaressa, some wielded a great deal of influence over such affairs in practice, most notably

Felicia Cornaro Felicia Cornaro (died 1111) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Vitale I Michiel (). She was politically active and exerted an acknowledged influence over the affairs of state. She was a strong supporter of the First Crusade ...

. When the Dogaressa became a widow, she was expected to become a nun. However, there was no actual law to require this, and some widowed Dogaressas refused to follow this custom, although doing so was considered scandalous.

Changes in position

During the centuries, the regulations around the Dogaressa introduced laws to restrict her rights. In the 13th century, the Dogaressa was banned from receiving dignitaries and making public donations on her own, and in 1342, a law banned her from conducting business affairs of her own. The coronation ceremony of the Dogaressa did not occur between those of Taddea Michiel in 1478 and

Zilia Dandolo Zilia Dandolo (died 13 October 1566) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Lorenzo Priuli (ruled 1556–1559). Life She was the daughter of Marco Dandolo and related to the doges Andrea Dandolo and Arigo Dandolo. She married Pri ...

in 1556. After the coronation of

Morosina Morosini Morosina Morosini-Grimani (1545 - January 21, 1614) was a Venetian patrician. She was the Dogaressa of Venice from 1595 to 1605. Life Morosina Morosini-Grimani was the daughter of Andrea Morosini, a wealthy Venetian patrician. She married in ...

in 1597, the coronation of a Dogaressa was deemed unnecessary by 1645 and the other ceremonies around her were suppressed to a minimum. The last Dogaressa to be crowned was

Elisabetta Querini Elisabetta Querini (November 12, 1628 in Venice – January 19, 1709 in Venice) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Silvestro Valier (r. 1694–1700). Early life Elisabetta was born as the daughter of the procurator Paolo Qu ...

in 1694, after which the ceremony was permanently abolished. After the tenure of Elisabetta Querini, most other ceremonial privileges of the Dogaressa was abolished as well: in 1700, she was no longer permitted to wear a crown or to receive gifts from dignitaries. In 1763, the Solemn Entry was revived by the wish of the Doge for Pisana Cornaro, who was the last Dogaressa to perform it.

List of Dogaressas of Venice

* 804-811:

Carola Carola is a female given name, the Latinized form of the Germanic given names Caroline or Carol. People named Carola include: Acting * Carola Braunbock (1924–1978), Czech-born East German actress * Carola Höhn (1910–2005), German actre ...

* 811-827: Elena * 827-830: Felicita * 888-912: Angela Sanudo * 942-959:

Arcielda Candiano Arcielda Candiano (fl. 927 - 959) was a Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Pietro III Candiano (r. 942 - 959). Her name is sometimes given as Richelda. Life She was possibly the child of a Venetian and one of the Narentine Slav women w ...

* 959-966:

Giovanniccia Candiano Giovanniccia Candiano, also called Giuliana, was Dogaressa of Venice by her marriage to the Doge Pietro IV Candiano (r. 959–976) Giovanniccia was not a member of the aristocracy and was previously divorced when Pietro entered into a relati ...

* 966-976:

Waldrada of Tuscany Valdrada (Gualdrada) of Tuscany (died 997) was a Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge (title), Doge Pietro IV Candiano (r. 959–976). Early life She was the daughter of Hubert, Duke of Spoleto, grandfather of Mathilda of Tuscany. She wa ...

* 976-978:

Felicia Malipiero Felicia Malipiero (d. ''after'' 978) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Pietro I Orseolo (r. 976–978) and mother of doge Pietro II Orseolo. Life Felicia Malipiero is described as very religious and strict, and spent her time in ...

* 979-991: Marina Candiano * 991-1009: Maria Candiano * 1009-1026: Grimelda of Hungary * 1075-1083:

Theodora Doukaina Selvo Theodora Doukaina (), renamed Anna (1058– after 1075), was a Byzantine princess and dogaressa. Life Born in Constantinople, Theodora Doukaina was the second daughter of Byzantine emperor Constantine X Doukas by his second wife, Eudokia Makrembo ...

* 1084-1096: Cornella Bembo * 1096-1102:

* 1102-1116: Matelda Falier * 1116-1130: Alicia Michiel * 1130-1144: Adelasa Michiel * 1148-1156: Sofia Morosini * 1156-1172:

Felicita Maria di Boemondo Felicita Maria di Boemondo of Antioch (d. ''after'' 1172) was a Princess of Antioch and the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Vital II Michele (r. 1156–1172). She was the daughter of Bohemund of Antioch. As a dogaressa, Felicita Mari ...

* 1172-1178: Cecilia (Froyza) * 1192-1205: Felicita Bembo * 1205-1213: Maria Basilio * 1213-1229:

Constance of Sicily Constance of Sicily can refer to: *Constance I of Sicily Constance I (; 2 November 1154 – 27 November 1198) was the queen of Sicily from 1194 until her death and Holy Roman empress from 1191 to 1197 as the wife of Emperor Henry VI. As queen ...

* 1229-1240: Maria Storlato * 1242-1249:

Valdrada of Sicily Valdrada of Sicily (died c. 1252) was a Sicilian princess and the Dogaressa of Venice 1242⁠–⁠1249 by her marriage to Doge Jacopo Tiepolo (r. 1229–1249). Born at the very latest in 1194, Valdrada was the youngest child of King Tancred ...

* 1252-1268:

Loicia da Prata Loicia (Aloicia) da Prata or Alucia da Frata (d. ''after'' 1268) was the Dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the heads of the Republic of Genoa were also ...

* 1268-1275: Marchesina Ghisi * 1275-1280: Jacobina * 1280-1289: Caterina * 1289-1310: Tommasina Morosini * 1310-1312: Agnese * 1312-1329: Franchesina * 1329-1339: Elisabetta * 1339-1342: Giustina Cappello * 1342-1354: Francesca Morosini * 1354-1355:

Aluycia Gradenigo Alucia (or Alvica) Gradenigo FalierAccording to , she signed her own will as ''Aluycha Falier''. Hurlburt calls her "Alucia" throughout. spells it "Alvica". Other contemporary spellings are Aloica, Alucia, Lodoica and Loycha (). (died 1387) was t ...

* 1355-1356: Marina Cappello * 1361-1365: Maria Giustinian * 1365-1367: Caterina Corner * 1382-1382: Cristina Condulmer * 1382-1400: Agnese da Mosto * 1400-1413:

Marina Galina Marina Galina (died 1420) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Michele Steno file:Interior of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Venice) - Monument to the doge Michele Steno.jpg, His tomb in Venice. Michele Steno (''Michiel Sten'' in Vene ...

* 1423-1457:

Marina Nani Marina Nani (circa 1400–1473) was a Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Francesco Foscari Francesco Foscari (19 June 1373 – 1 November 1457) was the 65th Doge of the Republic of Venice from 1423 to 1457. His reign, the longest of a ...

* 1457-1462:

Giovanna Dandolo Giovanna Dandolo was a dogaressa of Venice by marriage to doge Pasquale Malipiero (reign 1457–1462). She was born circa 1400 as the daughter of Antonio Dandolo and married to Pasquale Malipiero in 1414. She had four children: Lorenzo, Antonio ...

* 1462-1471:

Cristina Sanudo Cristina Sanudo (circa 1400 – 12 December 1471) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Cristoforo Moro (r. 1462–1471). She was the daughter of Leonardo Sanudo and Barbara Memo, and married Cristoforo Moro in 1412. She would have ...

* 1471-1472:

Aliodea Morosini Aliodea Morosini, called "Dea Moro" (died 1478), was the Dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the heads of the Republic of Genoa were also called Doge, the ...

* 1473-1474: Contarina Contarini Morosini * ''1474-1476: Laura Zorzi (erroneously called dogaressa, but died in 1474 before her spouse became doge)'' * 1476-1478: Regina Gradenigo * 1478-1479: Taddea Michiel (d. 1479) * 1485-1486: Lucia Ruzzini (d. 1496) * 1486-1501: Elisabetta Soranzo * ''1501-1521: Morosina Giustinian di Pancrazio di Marco (erroneously called dogaressa, but died in 1501 before her spouse became doge)'' * 1521-1523: Caterina Loredan * ''1523-1538: Benedetta Vendramin (erroneously called dogaressa, but died in 1477 before her spouse became doge)'' * 1538-1545: Maria Pasqualigo * 1545-1553: Alicia Giustiniani * 1556-1559:

* ''1559-1567: Elena Diedo (erroneously called dogaressa, but died before her spouse became doge)'' * ''1567-1570: Maria Lucrezia Cappello (erroneously called dogaressa, but died before her spouse became doge)'' * 1570-1572:

Loredana Marcello Loredana Marcello (1518 - 12 December 1572) was a Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge (title), Doge Alvise I Mocenigo (r. 1570-1577). She was an author of letters and poetry and studied botany, and was regarded as a model of an educated an ...

* 1577-1578: Cecilia Contarini * ''1578-1585: Arcangela Canali (often erroneously called dogaressa, but she died in 1566)'' * ''1585-1595: Laura Morosini (often erroneously called dogaressa, but she died in 1570)'' * 1595-1606:

* ''1618-1623: Elena Barbarigo (often erroneously called dogaressa, but she died in 1614)'' * ''1625-1629: Chiara Dolfin (often erroneously called dogaressa, but she died in 1623)'' * 1655-1656: Paolina Loredan * ''1656-1656: Andriana Priuli (died 1656)'' * ''1656-1658: Elisabetta Pisani or Benedetta Pisani (often erroneously called dogaressa, but she died in 1655)'' * ''1658-1659: Lucia Barbarigo (predeceased the accession of her husband, who was then secretely married to Maria da Santa Sofia'' * 1694-1700:

* 1709-1722:

Laura Cornaro Laura Cornaro (died 1739) was the Dogaressa of Venice by marriage to the Doge Giovanni II Cornaro (r. 1709-1722). Laura Cornaro was born to Nicolo Cornaro and married her cousin Giovanni II Cornaro in 1667. In 1709, her husband was elected doge, ...

* ''1735-1741: Elena Badoer (often erroneously called dogaressa, she died in 1729Nicolini, F. (1937). L'Europa durante la guerra di successione di Spagna: con particolare riguardo alla cittaʾ e regno di Napoli. Note di cronaca lavorate sugli inediti dispacci degli ambasciatori residenti e consoli veneti. Opera pubblicata sotto gli auspicii del Banco di Napoli.... Italien: Presso la R. Deputazione. s. 470)'' * 1763-1769: Pisana Cornaro * ''1771-1779: Polissena Contarini Da Mula (married to the son and namesake of the Doge, but filled the role of Dogaressa)'' * 1779-1789: Margherita Dalmet * 1789-1792:

References

* Staley, Edgcumbe:
The dogaressas of Venice (The wives of the doges)
', London : T. W. Laurie, 1910 {{Republic of Venice topics Noble titles of women Republic of Venice