Lodovico Gritti

Alvise Gritti (also Ludovico or Lodovico Gritti, born 29 September 1480, died 1534, ) was a Venetian politician. He was influential in the Hungarian Kingdom under the reign of King John I of Hungary. He was also a minister of the Ottoman sultan, and regent of Hungary from 1530 to 1534. He was the natural son of Andrea Gritti, the Venetian Bailo of Constantinople during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, who later became the Doge of Venice in 1523.

Youth Gritti’s father, Andrea, lived in Constantinople as a grain merchant for about twenty years before returning as a diplomat on behalf of Venice. Alvise was one of multiple sons Andrea had with a Greek mistress during this time. The commonly cited number of sons is four, Pietro, Alvise, Lorenzo, and Zorzi; however, Eric Dursteler mentions only three, citing one of Gritti's father's political opponents who argued that "one who has three bastard sons in Turkey [i.e. Ottoman Empire] should not be made Doge." As an illegitimate child, Gritti was unable to hold high-ranking positions in Venice, but this barrier did not exist in Constantinople, to which he returned in 1506.

Early career Stationing himself in Galata, across the Golden Horn from Constantinople, Gritti became involved in banking and trade, particularly with Venice. Though trading in a variety of goods, such as saltpeter, salt milk, clothes, saffron, tin, and wine, grain and gems were some of Gritti’s most prominent ventures. The former was imported to Venice, while the latter found a patron in the sultan. Gritti was thus involved in the creation and presentation of Süleyman the Magnificent's Venetian Helmet. His success was evidenced by his luxurious palazzo, with expansive gardens, stables, and numerous servants, stables, as well as by extravagant garments and jewelry. His court was host to feasts and entertainments, as well as Italian merchants and humanists.

The origins of Gritti’s relationship with Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha, who was appointed Grand Vizier to Suleiman in 1523, are unclear, but Gritti won favor with Ibrahim, who entrusted him with great responsibilities, making him a business partner. It is possible that Ibrahim Pasha was influenced by his childhood ties to Venice, as he was born on the Venetian island of Parga. Instead, he used his wealth to greatly bolster his political power, including by giving frequent loans to many government officials. Since he was born into a power family with his father as the Doge of Venice, he was also already well-acquainted with this level of society, and had many strong political connections throughout Europe. Lodovico stayed in the city of Buda first as King John's advisor, and then between 1530 and 1534 as regent of Hungary.

Governor of Hungary In 1529, Gritti began receiving promotions for his role in Hungary under the Sultan. At first, he became the great treasurer and a Bishop of Erlau. Afterwards, in 1530, Gritti defended John Zápolya's rule over Hungary from an unexpected siege on Buda by Ferdinand I's forces while Gritti was supposed to be attending a peace conference regarding the status of Hungary in this imperial conflict. The helmet was designed by Gritti himself, along with a scepter and a crystal mirror that accompanied the piece for the Sultan.

Gritti's attempt to take over Transylvania caused a general uprising but in the end he was killed along with his two sons at the siege of Medgyes. His remains were buried in the church of St. Francis in Mediaș in modern-day Romania.