Sebastiano Venier

Sebastiano Venier (or Veniero) (c. 1496 – 3 March 1578) was the 86th Doge of Venice from 11 June 1577 to 3 March 1578. He is best remembered in his role as the Venetian admiral at the Battle of Lepanto.

Biography

Venier was born in Venice around 1496. He was a son of Moisè (Mosè) Venier and Elena Donà, and a nephew of Zuan Francesco Venier, Co-Lord of Cerigo. He was a paternal grandson of Moisé Venier (ca. 1412 - ca. 1476). He was the great-great-great-grandson of Pietro Venier, Governor of Cerigo.

He worked as a lawyer from a very early age, though without holding formal qualifications, and subsequently was an administrator for the government of the Republic of Venice. In 1570 he was procurator of St Mark's and, in the December of the same year, capitano generale da Mar of the Venetian fleet in the new war against the Ottoman Turks, substituting Girolamo Zane. Venier later provided Filippo with a benefice and Marco, who became a functionary of the chancellery, with a post in Dalmatia.

Sebastiano Venier died on 3 March 1578. She was abducted during the Ottoman–Venetian War (1537–1540) and sent to the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent