Bartolomeo Contarini ( Italian. Bartolomeo Contarini ) - Regent of the Athenian Duchy in 1453-1454.
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Bartolomeo Contarini came from a noble patrician Venetian family, who gave the Republic a few doge . His father, Priamo, was a castellan of Nuplion , a Venetian possession in Greece , and Bartolomeo himself was a merchant and engaged in trade.
After the death of the Athenian duke Nério II, Contarini arrived in Athens on commercial matters and met with his widow Clara Zorza , regent for the little duke Francesco I , who passionately fell in love with him. Contarini and Clara decided to get married, but the matter was complicated by the fact that Contarini was already married. In order to marry the duchess, Bartolomeo went to Venice and insidiously poisoned his spouse, the daughter of a famous senator, and soon married with the regent.
This monstrous crime became known to the Athenians, who rightly began to fear for the life of their young duke. They asked Sultan Mehmed II , the overlord of the Duchy of Athens, to intervene and protect Francesco from his stepfather's ambitions of power. Sultan summoned Bartolomeo and Francesco to Adrianople. After hearing all the arguments, he declared himself guardian of Francesco I, and left him at his court. Clara and Contarini were deprived of the regency; Bartolomeo was detained in Adrianople, and the Athenian throne was handed over to Francesco II , cousin Francesco I.
The new duke ordered his people to kill Clara, whom he suspected of wanting to regain power. Clara Zorci was killed in Megara in 1454. Upon learning of the death of his wife, heartbroken Bartolomeo Contarini filed a complaint against the Duke Francesco II to the Sultan. Sultan decided to deprive the Duke of the throne and sent troops to Attica. The further fate of Bartolomeo Contarini is unknown.
Sources
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