Elisabetta Querini (November 12, 1628 in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

– January 19, 1709 in Venice) was the

Dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the head of the Republic of Genoa were also called Doge, the wives of the Doges of Genoa were not called ''Dogaressa'', nor did t ...

by marriage to the Doge

Silvestro Valier Silvestro Valier or Valiero (Venice, 28 March 1630 – Venice, 7 July 1700) was the 109th Doge of Venice, reigning from his election on 25 February 1694 until his death six years later. The Morean War between the Republic of Venice and the Ottom ...

(r. 1694-1700). Querini is described as the only Venetian dogaressa of any significance of the 17th century since

Morosina Morosini-Grimani Morosina Morosini-Grimani (1545 - January 21, 1614) was a Venetian patrician. She was the Dogaressa of Venice from 1595 to 1606. Life Morosina Morosini-Grimani was the daughter of Andrea Morosini, a wealthy Venetian patrician. She married in 1 ...

. Her consort was said to be known in history mostly through her. Although the Grand Council had, in 1645, abolished the elaborate ceremony for installing a new ''

dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the head of the Republic of Genoa were also called Doge, the wives of the Doges of Genoa were not called ''Dogaressa'', nor did t ...

'', because of its large expense to the state and to the Doge, Valiero convinced the council to grant an exception. As such, on March 4, 1694, Elisabetta Querini appeared clad in a

cloth of gold Cloth of gold or gold cloth (Latin: ''Tela aurea'') is a fabric woven with a gold-wrapped or spun weft—referred to as "a spirally spun gold strip". In most cases, the core yarn is silk, wrapped (''filé'') with a band or strip of high conten ...

robe adorned with

sable The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...

, with a white

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...

and ''corno ducale'', (the version of ducal crown worn by the Doge and his wife) adorned with

jewels A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, a ...

, and a large

diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

on her chest.Pompeo Molmenti, ''La storia di Venezia nella vita privata dalle origigini alla caduta della Repubblica'', 1927-1929. Together Valiero and his wife sat on the throne of Venice and received counselors, ministers, judges, and the ''capis'' of

the Ten ''The Ten'' is a 2007 anthology comedy film directed by David Wain and cowritten by Wain and Ken Marino. It was released through ThinkFilm. The film was released on August 3, 2007. The DVD was released on January 15, 2008. It is an internationa ...

. She also had the traditional Solemn Entry 4 March 1694. She was the last dogaressa to be crowned. Elisabetta used her right as dogaressa to receive foreign dignitaries and accept gifts from them: both this right, as well as the right for a dogaressa to wear a crown, was forbidden after the reign of her spouse in 1700.

Gallery

File:Interior of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Venice) - Elisabetta Querini Giovanni Bonazza.jpg, Elisabetta Querini by Giovanni Bonazza

References

* Staley, Edgcumbe:
The dogaressas of Venice : The wives of the doges
', London : T. W. Laurie, 1910 1628 births 1709 deaths 17th-century Venetian people 17th-century Venetian women 18th-century Venetian people 18th-century Venetian women Dogaressas of Venice {{Italy-noble-stub