Dandolo, Enrico

Dandolo, Enrico

(born 1107?, Venice—died 1205, Constantinople) Doge of the Republic of Venice (1192–1205). After a career as a Venetian diplomat, he was elected doge at age 85. He swore the “ducal promise,” spelling out the duties of his office, and instituted reforms, revising the penal code and publishing the first Venetian civil code. He also revised the coinage and sought to promote trade with the East. In 1199 he fought a victorious war against the Pisans. He was prominent in the Fourth Crusade, offering ships and supplies in return for payment (see Treaty of Venice). When the Crusaders were unable to pay, they agreed to help recover Zara for Venice and helped place Alexius IV on the Byzantine throne, an action that led to the conquest of Constantinople. As a leader of the expedition, Dandolo took the title “Lord of the Fourth Part and a Half of the Empire of Romania,” which equaled the territory of the Byzantine Empire given to the Venetians.

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Dandolo, Enrico 

Born about 1108 in Venice; died June 14, 1205, in Constantinople. Became Venetian doge in 1192. Dandolo and the leaders of the Fourth Crusade concluded an agreement on the transport of the crusaders across the sea. Taking advanatage of the desperate situation of the crusaders, who had gathered in Venice, he forced them to attack Dalmatia, where in 1202 they conquered Zadar, a trade rival of Venice. Then, with his backing, the destination of the Fourth Crusade was changed from Palestine or Egypt to Byzantium. With his assistance it looted Constantinople in 1204. This event marked the beginning of the Latin Empire, in which Venice received considerable territory, mainly coastal lands. Thus, the transformation of Venice into a colonial power was basically completed.

REFERENCES

Sokolov, N. P. Obrazovanie Venetsianskoi kolonialnoi imperii. Saratov, 1963. Pages 357–446.
Gozzano, U. Enrico Dandolo. Turin, 1961.