Domenico Flabanico

29th Doge of Venice

Domenico Flabanico
Doge Domenico Flabanico

29th Doge of Venice
In office 1032–1043
Preceded by	Pietro Barbolano
Succeeded by	Domenico I Contarini

Personal details
Born	Unknown
Died	1043

Domenico Flabanico (died 1043) was the 29th Doge of Venice. Coming from a family that did not hold public office, Flabanico would work his way up to be a wealthy merchant trading in silk before becoming doge.^[1]

Before Flabanico took office, there was significant chaos in Venice. His predecessor had abdicated the position of Doge following extensive public pressure to reinstate Otto Orseolo, but when it was found out that Otto Orseolo was dying, Domenico Orseolo, Otto's less popular relative, attempted to seize the dogeship. There was public outcry in Republic of Venice regarding the apparent onset of a nepotistic hereditary monarchy. Flabanico, being a successful merchant and a popular individual, but less than noble, was elected to spite the notion that royal blood was required for the position.

Under Flabanico, new laws to limit the powers of the Doge against creating a hereditary monarchy were passed. The practice of appointing co-doges who in effect often became successors was forbidden. From 1032 onwards, the office of the doge would be elected along with the newly created Ducal Council. This council would ensure that the doge could not build absolute power and was seen as a balancing force against the doge. Flabanico would be the first doge elected alongside the council.^[1]

Venice went through a period of infighting and decline. Flabanico struggled to maintain the diplomatic relationships that were necessary for adequate foreign policy. The economy of the Venice also suffered under his leadership. Under his successor, Domenico Contarini, the Republic was restored to a new era of prosperity. His reign lasted from the abdication of Pietro Barbolano in 1032 until his death. He died in 1043, at the end of more than a decade of rule.

References

^ ^a ^b Acemoglu, Daron; Robinson, James A. (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty. Profile. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-84765-461-8.

Acemoglu, Daron (2012). Why Nations Fail. Profile. p. 153. ISBN 9781847654618.
Rendina, Claudio (2003). I Dogi. Storia e segreti. Rome. ISBN 88-8289-656-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links

Treccani Italian Biographical Dictionary

Political offices
Preceded by Pietro Barbolano	Doge of Venice 1032–1041	Succeeded by Domenico Contarini

Doges of Venice

Byzantine period (697–737)
Paolo Lucio Anafesto Marcello Tegalliano Orso Ipato

Regime of the magistri militum (738–742)
Domenico Leoni Felice Cornicola Teodato Ipato Jovian Ceparius John Fabriacus

Ducal period (742–1148)
8th century	Teodato Ipato* Galla Lupanio* Domenico Monegario* Maurizio Galbaio Giovanni Galbaio*
9th century	Obelerio degli Antenori† Agnello Participazio Giustiniano Participazio Giovanni I Participazio Pietro Tradonico† Orso I Participazio Giovanni II Participazio♦ Pietro I Candiano‡ Pietro Tribuno
10th century	Orso II Participazio Pietro II Candiano Pietro Participazio Pietro III Candiano Pietro IV Candiano† Pietro I Orseolo♦ Vitale Candiano♦ Tribuno Memmo Pietro II Orseolo
11th century	Otto Orseolo* Pietro Centranico* Domenico Flabanico Domenico I Contarini Domenico Selvo* Vitale Faliero Vitale I Michiel
12th century	Ordelafo Faliero Domenico Michiel Pietro Polani
* deposed † executed or assassinated ‡ killed in battle ♦ abdicated

Republican period (1148–1797)
12th century	Domenico Morosini Vitale II Michiel Sebastiano Ziani Orio Mastropiero Enrico Dandolo
13th century	Pietro Ziani Jacopo Tiepolo Marino Morosini Reniero Zeno Lorenzo Tiepolo Jacopo Contarini Giovanni Dandolo Pietro Gradenigo
14th century	Marino Zorzi Giovanni Soranzo Francesco Dandolo Bartolomeo Gradenigo Andrea Dandolo Marino Faliero† Giovanni Gradenigo Giovanni Dolfin Lorenzo Celsi Marco Cornaro Andrea Contarini Michele Morosini Antonio Venier
15th century	Michele Steno Tommaso Mocenigo Francesco Foscari* Pasquale Malipiero Cristoforo Moro Nicolò Tron Nicolò Marcello Pietro Mocenigo Andrea Vendramin Giovanni Mocenigo Marco Barbarigo Agostino Barbarigo
16th century	Leonardo Loredan Antonio Grimani Andrea Gritti Pietro Lando Francesco Donato Marcantonio Trivisan Francesco Venier Lorenzo Priuli Girolamo Priuli Pietro Loredan Alvise I Mocenigo Sebastiano Venier Nicolò da Ponte Pasquale Cicogna Marino Grimani
17th century	Leonardo Donato Marcantonio Memmo Giovanni Bembo Nicolò Donato Antonio Priuli Francesco Contarini Giovanni I Cornaro Nicolò Contarini Francesco Erizzo Francesco Molin Carlo Contarini Francesco Cornaro Bertuccio Valiero Giovanni Pesaro Domenico II Contarini Nicolò Sagredo Alvise Contarini Marcantonio Giustinian Francesco Morosini Silvestro Valiero Alvise II Mocenigo
18th century	Giovanni II Cornaro Alvise III Mocenigo Carlo Ruzzini Alvise Pisani Pietro Grimani Francesco Loredan Marco Foscarini Alvise IV Mocenigo Paolo Renier Ludovico Manin*
† Marino Faliero (1354–55) was convicted of treason, executed and condemned to damnatio memoriae * Francesco Foscari (1423–57) was forced to abdicate by the Council of Ten * Ludovico Manin (1789–97) was forced to abdicate by Napoleon leading to the Fall of the Republic of Venice