The following is a list of doges of Venice, ordered by the dates of their reigns.
For more than 1,000 years, the chief magistrate and leader of the city of Venice and later of the Most Serene Republic of Venice was styled as the doge, a rare but not unique Italian title derived from the Latin dux. The doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. The Venetian combination of elaborate monarchic pomp and a republican (though "aristocratic") constitution with intricate checks and balances makes "La serenissima" (Venice) a textbook example of a classical republic.
Despite the great power given to them, the Venetian doges were restricted by law (unlike the doges of the Republic of Genoa) to spend the rest of their lives inside the Doge's Palace complex and St Mark's Basilica, occasionally leaving for diplomatic reasons.
Magistri militum of Byzantine Venetia Name Reigned Note Sources1 Mauricius 639 Regional governor (magister militum)of Byzantine Venetia. 2 Marcellus First half ofthe 8th century Regional governor (magister militum)of Byzantine Venetia.
Legendary doges Portrait Name Reigned Coat of Arms Note1 Paolo Lucio Anafesto 697–717 Designated as the first doge by some later medieval chronicles, but not accepted as such by modern scholars.2 Marcello Tegalliano 717–726 Designated as the second doge by some later medieval chronicles, but not accepted as such by modern scholars.
First historical doge Portrait Name Reigned Coat of Arms Note3 Orso Ipato(died 737) 726–737 Ipato is described as the first historical Doge of Venice. Nominated by the popular assembly opposed to the iconoclast policies of the Byzantine Emperor; murdered by rebels during a civil conflict
Annual magistri militum Portrait Name Reigned Coat of Arms Note1 Domenico Leoni 738 Leoni was the first Byzantine magister militum per Venetiae.2 Felice Cornicola 7393 Teodato Ipato 7394 Jovian Ceparius 741Sometimes called Jovian Ceparius Hypatus (Gioviano Ceparico Ipato).Samuele Romanin, Storia documentata di Venezia, Pietro Naratovich tipografo editore, Venezia, 1853.5 John Fabriacus 742
Ducal period Portrait Name Reigned Coat of Arms Note4 Teodato Ipato 742–755 The first doge since its restoration. Deposed, blinded, and exiled.5 Galla Gaulo 755–756 Deposed, blinded, and exiled.6 Domenico Monegario(died 764) 756–764 Deposed, blinded, and exiled.7 Maurizio Galbaio(died 787) 764–787 The first historical doge not to be forcefully removed from power.8 Giovanni Galbaio(Unknown) 787–804 Fled to Mantua in 803 with family, where they all probably died.9 Obelerio degli Antenori(Unknown) 804–811 Exiled, attempted to return to power, killed and head displayed in the market.10 Agnello Participazio(died 827) 811–82711 Giustiniano Participazio(died 829) 827–82912 Giovanni I Participazio(died 837) 829–836 Arrested and tonsured (head shaved like a monk).13 Pietro Tradonico( – 13 September 864) 836–864 Assassinated, although in this case his successor arrested and executed the assassins.14 Orso I Participazio(died 881) 864–88115 Giovanni II Participazio(died 887/888) 881–887 Resigned due to poor health.16 Pietro I Candiano(died 18 September 887) 887–887 Killed in open battle while invading the Narentines.—Giovanni II Participazio(died 887/888)887–887Briefly reassumed office before resigning again after a few months.17 Pietro Tribuno(died 912) 887–91218 Orso II Participazio(died 932) 912–93219 Pietro II Candiano(–939) 932–93920 Pietro Participazio(died 942) 939–94221 Pietro III Candiano(died 959) 942–95922 Pietro IV Candiano(928–976) 959–976 Assassinated, along with his son Pietro, while fleeing an arson attack on the Doge's Palace by rebelling citizens.23 Pietro I Orseolo(928–987) 976–978 Resigned to become a Benedictine hermit in the Abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa in the Pyrenees.24 Vitale Candiano(died 979) 978–979 Abdicated, for health reasons.25 Tribuno Memmo(died 991) 979–991Deposed peacefully to a monastery. Died shortly afterwards.26 Pietro II Orseolo(961−1009) 991–100927 Otto Orseolo(993−1032) 1009–1026 Arrested, beard shaved, and banished to Constantinople for nepotism.28 Pietro Barbolano(died 1032) 1026–1030 Forced to abdicate by the Orseolo. Banished to Constantinople and forced to became a monk.—Orso Orseolo(988−1049)1030–1032 (As regent for Otto Orseolo)Patriarch of Grado and regent on behalf of his brother, Otto Orseolo. Otto never assumed de facto power, having died on his journey back from Constantinople.—Domenico Orseolo(died after 1036)1032–1032Appointed Doge by his brother Orso Orseolo, but rejected by the popular assembly. He was subsequently exiled to Ravenna, where he died.29 Domenico Flabanico(died 1041) 1032–104130 Domenico I Contarini(died 1071) 1041–107131 Domenico Selvo(died 1087) 1071–1084 Deposed peacefully to a monastery because of naval defeat, died three years later.32 Vitale Faliero(died 1095) 1084–109533 Vitale I Michiel(died 1102) 1095–110234 Ordelafo Faliero(died 1117) 1102–111735 Domenico Michiel(died 1130) 1117–113036 Pietro Polani(died 1148) 1130–1148
Republican period Portrait Name Reigned Coat of Arms Note37 Domenico Morosini(died February 1156) 1148–115638 Vitale II Michiel(died 1172) 1156–1172 Murdered39 Sebastiano Ziani(1178) 1172–1178Resigned to a monastery, died three days later40 Orio Mastropiero(died 13 June 1192) 1178–119241 Enrico Dandolo(1107 – May/June 1205) 21 June 1192 – June 120542 Pietro Ziani(died 13 March 1230) 1205–1229Resigned in February 122943 Jacopo Tiepolo(died 19 July 1249) 1229–124944 Marino Morosini(1181– January 1, 1253) 1249–125345 Reniero Zeno(died 7 July 1268) 1 January 1253 – 7 July 126846 Lorenzo Tiepolo(died 15 August 1275) 1268–127547 Jacopo Contarini(1194–1280) 1275–128048 Giovanni Dandolo(died 2 November 1289) 31 March 1280 – 2 November 128949 Pietro Gradenigo( – 14 August 1311) 1289–131150 Marino Zorzi( – 3 July 1312) 1311–1312 51 Giovanni Soranzo(1240 – 31 December 1328) 1312–132852 Francesco Dandolo(died 1339) 1329–133953 Bartolomeo Gradenigo(1263 – 28 December 1342) 7 November 1339 – 28 December 134254 Andrea Dandolo(1306 – 7 September 1354) 1343 – 7 September 135455 Marino Faliero(1274 – 17 April 1355) 11 September 1354 – 15 April 1355 Convicted of treason, executed and condemned to damnatio memoriae. Age c.80/8156 Giovanni Gradenigo( – 8 August 1356) 21 April 1355 – 8 August 1356 Age c.75/7657 Giovanni Dolfin( – 12 July 1361) August 13, 1356 – 12 July 1361 Age c. 53/5858 Lorenzo Celsi( – 18 July 1365) 16 July 1361 – 18 July 1365 Age c. 51/5559 Marco Cornaro( – 13 January 1368) 21 July 1365 – 13 January 1368 Age c. 79/8260 Andrea Contarini( – 5 June 1382) 1367 – 5 June 1382 Age c. 67/8261 Michele Morosini(1308 – 16 October 1382) 10 June 1382 – 16 October 1382 Age c. 74/7462 Antonio Venier( – 23 November 1400) Late October 1382 – 23 November 1400 Age c. 52/7063 Michele Steno(1331 – 26 December 1413) 1 December 1400 – 26 December 1413 Age c. 69/8264 Tommaso Mocenigo(1343– 4 April 1423) Early January 1414 – 4 April 1423 Age c. 71/8065 Francesco Foscari(19 June 1373 – 1 November 1457) 15 April 1423 – 22 October 1457 His reign was the longest of all Doges in Venetian history.