• Source: Dogaressa

Dogaressa ( DOH-gə-ress-ə, DOH-jə-, Italian: [doɡaˈressa], Venetian: [doɡaˈɾesa]) 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 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 in the 800s, and the last was Elisabetta Grimani 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

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Just like the Doge, the Dogaressa was crowned, made a Solemn Entry, and gave a vow of loyalty (promissione ducale) 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.
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

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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 in 1556. After the coronation of Morosina Morosini 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 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
811-827: Elena
827-830: Felicita
888-912: Angela Sanudo
942-959: Arcielda Candiano
959-966: Giovanniccia Candiano
966-976: Waldrada of Tuscany
976-978: Felicia Malipiero
979-991: Marina Candiano
991-1009: Maria Candiano
1009-1026: Grimelda of Hungary
1075-1083: Theodora Doukaina Selvo
1084-1096: Cornella Bembo
1096-1102: Felicia Cornaro
1102-1116: Matelda Falier
1116-1130: Alicia Michiel
1148-1156: Sofia
1156-1172: Felicita Maria di Boemondo
1172-1178: Cecilia
1192-1205: Felicita Bembo
1205-1229: Constance of Sicily
1229-1240: Maria Storlato
1242-1249: Valdrada of Sicily
1252-1268: Loicia da Prata
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
1355-1356: Marina Cappello
1361-1365: Maria Giustinian
1365-1367: Caterina Corner
1382-1382: Cristina Condulmer
1382-1400: Agnese
1400-1413: Marina Galina
1423-1457: Marina Nani
1457-1462: Giovanna Dandolo
1462-1471: Cristina Sanudo
1471-1472: Aliodea Morosini
1473-1474: Contarina Contarini Morosini
1474-1476: Laura Zorzi
1476-1478: Regina Gradenigo
1478-1485: Taddea Michiel
1485-1486: Lucia Ruzzini
1486-1501: Elisabetta Soranzo
1501-1521: Giustina Giustiniani
1521-1523: Caterina Loredan
1523-1538: Benedetta Vendramin
1538-1545: Maria Pasqualigo
1545-1553: Alicia Giustiniani
1556-1559: Zilia Dandolo
1559-1567: Elena Diedo
1567-1570: Maria Cappello
1570-1577: Loredana Marcello
1577-1578: Cecilia Contarini
1578-1585: Arcangela Canali
1585-1595: Laura Morosini
1595-1606: Morosina Morosini
1618-1623: Elena Barbarigo
1625-1629: Chiara Dolfin
1655-1656: Paolina Loredan
1656-1656: Andreana Priuli
1656-1658: Elisabetta Pisani
1658-1659: Lucia Barbarigo
1694-1700: Elisabetta Querini
1709-1722: Laura Cornaro
1735-1741: Elena Badoer
1763-1769: Pisana Cornaro
1771-1779: Polissena Contarini Da Mula
1779-1789: Margherita Dalmet
1789-1792: Elisabetta Grimani




References



Staley, Edgcumbe: The dogaressas of Venice (The wives of the doges), London : T. W. Laurie, 1910

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Agnello Participazio
• Géza dari Hungaria
• Sarolt dari Hungaria
• Dogaressa
• Dogaressa Elena
• Caterina Corner (dogaressa)
• Carola, wife of Obelerio degli Antenori
• Constance of Sicily, Dogaressa of Venice
• Grimelda of Hungary
• Matelda Faliero
• Pietro II Orseolo
• Elisabetta Grimani
• Margherita Dalmet