In September, the Venetian Senate voted on new members of the Council of Ten. In 1518 an extra vote was held against precedent for one Francesco Donado. He, an old friend of Sanudo was granted the extra procedure and, on this second vote, beat a newcomer, Francesco Foscari, Donado's rival who in the previous vote had beaten Donado by sixteen votes. Foscari, a member of the Great Council had previously been accused of 'contraband with steel' but not arrested for it.
State legal counsel spoke up about the additional procedure and the Great Council asked for their opinion. But that was split into two equal groups, those that said the additional vote was valid and those who said it was not. Then, Sanudo himself spoke up and gave a rousing speech in the Council though he knew the Great Council could not really be held to task on this issue: Foscari was unpopular and, having served with Donado years before as savi ai ordeni was an old friend of his.
This seemed a conflict of interest to Sanudo so he reminded them of his name and his father who was well remembered for his patriotism and government service. This speech of Sanudo's was so well received that they immediately took up his proposal and the original vote was accepted and the second vote rescinded.
A few days later, they elected Sanudo to the Senate's zonta. The Editors tell us he thought this body was 'at the heart' of Venetian government. He was elated.
Sanudo Diaries: September 30, 1518 (26:72); "The election for the zonta was held.... Only fifty-two were elected, among whom I, Marin Sanudo, formerly of the Senate, was included by a wide margin, thanks to this most excellent Great Council, and with so muich glory and honor that no one, in a number of years, has enetered the zonta more favored than I was and, one might say, "without entitlement," because my title of Senator was through a loan."
Editor's note: "The coveted title senator ... was not awarded if the entry to the Senate had been facilitated by a loan, as had Sanudo's entry in 1516."
Sanudo Diaries (con't): "But now I have been chosen because of the speech I gave Sunday, which pleased the Great Council, whom I shall serve for all eternity. I consider myself repaid for my every labor, since they have received me into the most excellent Senate with such great honor. Present in the Great Council were 985 members."
Editor's footnote: "A few days later, on 3 October, Francesco Danado's supporters were able to get him elected to the Council of Ten to finish out the term of a member elected to the Collegio as a savio grande." [p. 20]
This story is much longer and more detailed in, and
_______________________________________________
All quotes as Sanudo Diaries or Editor's notes or Editor's Footnotes from Venice, Cita Excellentissima, Selection from the Renaissance Diaries of Marin Sanudo translated by Linda L Carroll, editors: Patricia H LaBalme and Laura Sanguineti White, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment