Felicia Malipiero (d. ''after'' 978) 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 ...

of Venice by marriage to the Doge

Pietro I Orseolo Pietro I Orseolo OSBCam, also named ''Peter Urseulus'', (928–987) was the Doge of Venice from 976 until 978. He abdicated his office and left in the middle of the night to become a monk. He later entered the order of the Camaldolese Hermits of ...

(r. 976–978) and mother of doge

Pietro II Orseolo Pietro II Orseolo (961−1009) was the Doge of Venice from 991 to 1009. He began the period of eastern expansion of Venice that lasted for the better part of 500 years. He secured his influence in the Dalmatian Romanized settlements from the Croa ...

Life

Felicia Malipiero is described as very religious and strict, and spent her time in pious duties. Alongside her spouse, she founded a hospital for pilgrims to the memory of doge

Pietro Tradonico Pietro Tradonico ( la, Petrus Tradonicus; c. 800 - 13 September 864) was Doge of Venice from 836 to 864. He was, according to tradition, the thirteenth doge, though historically he is only the eleventh. His election broke the power of the Partici ...

: while her spouse spent his time praying before the altar of the hospital, she devoted her time to caring for the sick and menial chores. When her spouse abdicated and entered a

Camaldolese The Camaldolese Hermits of Mount Corona ( la, Congregatio Eremitarum Camaldulensium Montis Coronae), commonly called Camaldolese is a monastic order of Pontifical Right for men founded by Saint Romuald. Their name is derived from the Holy Hermita ...

monastery in France, Malipiero entered the

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

Monastery of

San Zaccaria The Church of San Zaccaria is a 15th-century former monastic church in central Venice, Italy. It is a large edifice, located in the Campo San Zaccaria, just off the waterfront to the southeast of Piazza San Marco and St Mark's Basilica. It is de ...

and became a

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...

. Although in a monastery, she continued being the adviser of her ruling sons, advising them always to protect the power of the church.Staley, Edgcumbe:
The dogaressas of Venice : The wives of the doges
', London : T. W. Laurie

Notes

References

* * 10th-century Italian women 10th-century Venetian people Dogaressas of Venice Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Benedictine nuns 10th-century Christian nuns House of Orseolo {{Italy-bio-stub