Angelo Emo
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Angelo Emo (3 January 1731 – 1 March 1792) was a Venetian
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and
admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
, mostly known for being the last admiral of the
Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
to lead the Venetian navy to battle. Distinguished for his seamanship since early in his career, he introduced reforms based on the practices of the
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, and led raids on the harbours of the
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in retaliation for corsair attacks on Venetian-flagged shipping.


Biography


Early life and career

Angelo Emo was born in Venice on 3 January 1731, at the Palazzo Emo, in the parish of
San Simeone Piccolo San Simeone Piccolo (also called San Simeone e Giuda) is a church in the sestiere of Santa Croce in Venice, northern Italy. From across the Grand Canal it faces the railroad terminal serving as entrypoint for most visitors to the city. History ...
. he hailed from a distinguished aristocratic family. His father, Giovanni di Gabriele, had reached the position of Procurator of Saint Mark, the highest distinction for a Venetian citizen below that of
Doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 a ...
. His mother was Lucia Lombardo. Of mediocre stature, slight build and pale complexion, Emo stood out for his wide forehead, thick eyebrow, and large eyes. Historical accounts portray him in later life as a difficult, stubborn and haughty character. Angelo Emo was educated at the
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college in
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, before returning to Venice, where which his father chose as his tutors the scholars , Jacopo Stellini, and Carlo Lodoli. The beneficiary of an excellent humanistic education, the young Emo was an ardent student of Venetian history, whose ancient glories he sought to emulate, as well as the ancient Roman historian
Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historiography, Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his t ...
, who became his favourite author. Beginning the traditional Venetian ''
cursus honorum The ''cursus honorum'' (; , or more colloquially 'ladder of offices') was the sequential order of public offices held by aspiring politicians in the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire. It was designed for men of senatorial rank. The '' ...
'', in 1752 he entered service in the Venetian navy as a (gentleman cadet). In the same year, he went on his first sea voyage, escorting the Venetian trade convoy to
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
. Emo proved a quick learner in naval matters, and already his first commander remarked on his promise as a naval officer. Within two years he had been promoted to captain () of a first-rate 74-gun
ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...
, the ''Sant'Ignazio''. In this command, Emo tested a new mast configuration by emulating English models, and distinguished himself in escort duties of the trade convoys to Smyrna, repelling the attacks of pirates. He then commanded the second-rate ''Speranza''.


Voyage of the ''San Carlo''

At the time, the Venetian maritime trade, that had once dominated the Mediterranean, was in decline. The wealthy patricians preferred reliable investments in their estates in the
Terraferma The ( vec, domini de terraferma or , ) was the hinterland territories of the Republic of Venice beyond the Adriatic coast in Northeast Italy. They were one of the three subdivisions of the Republic's possessions, the other two being the origina ...
to the hazards of the sea, the emergence of new commercial centres such as
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and
Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
siphoned traffic off from Venice, attacks by the
Barbary pirates The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
were a constant threat, and the Genoese, Dutch, and English merchants had come to dominate the westward routes into the Atlantic. Attacks by the
Barbary pirates The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
of the Ottoman-aligned principalities of
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and
Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...
, as well as raids by the smaller pirate towns of
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(Antivari) and
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(Dulcigno) were also a constant threat. The main task of the Venetian fleet, based at
Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
, was to safeguard Venetian shipping against such attacks. The interruption caused by the
War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...
, however, had allowed the Venetian government, which remained neutral, the opportunity to try and seize back a share of trade with the Atlantic ports of Western Europe, equipping new and better ships and providing subsidies to merchants. Venetian successes proved ephemeral, as the end of the war in 1748 had allowed the English and Dutch traders to resume their voyages, but for some time the Venetian government continued to attempt to revive its Atlantic trade. As part of these attempts, in 1758 Emo was charged to lead an expedition to cover the return of six Venetian merchantmen from London, and protect them from Barbary pirate attacks. He was given a squadron of three ships, comprising the first-rate , the second-rate (large frigate) ''San Vicenzo'', and the frigate ''Costanza''. Emo's squadron left Corfu on 27 September 1658. Three days later, it reached
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, where it gathered intelligence on the Barbary pirates, and in vain tried to find a competent pilot who knew the waters up to
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. Emo set sail westward in mid-October. Contrary winds delayed the voyage near Malaga, before the Venetians were able to cross the
Strait of Gibraltar The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medi ...
and make for Lisbon. Unfortunately for Emo, his pilot mistook Cape da Roca for
Cape Espichel Cabo Espichel is a cape situated on the western coast of the Freguesia (Portugal), civil parish of Castelo (Sesimbra), Castelo, Concelho, municipality of Sesimbra, in the Portugal, Portuguese Setúbal (district), district of Setúbal. History F ...
, and almost wrecked the ''San Carlo'' by drawing near the shore. Emo realized the mistake and tried to correct course, but the heavy wind made the manoeuvre difficult. Emo had to reduce sail, and had to go through three sets of sails as they were ripped apart by the wind. ''San Carlo'' managed to clear the
Berlengas The Berlengas are a Portuguese archipelago consisting of small Atlantic islands off the coast of Peniche, Portugal, in the Oeste region. These islands were traditionally known to British mariners as "the Burlings". The only inhabited island is ...
islands, but the other two vessels were left behind in the process. After two days of struggle with the wind, Emo anchored at the mouth of the
Mondego River The Rio Mondego () or Mondego River is the longest river entirely within Portuguese territory. It has its source in Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in mainland Portugal (i.e. excluding the Portuguese islands). It runs from the Go ...
, but almost immediately the ship lost its
tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ...
. A new tiller was laboriously installed, but it broke apart during the night, followed soon after by the entire
rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...
. Some of his officers panicked and suggested beaching the ship, but Emo managed to restore discipline. He made contact with the shore, and with the help of the British vice-consul at Figueira arranged for Portuguese ships to two the ''San Carlo'' to Lisbon. At Cape da Roca, a hard easterly wind forced the towing vessels to abandon the effort. The ''San Carlo'' was left to drift rudderless for several days, while the crew tried to jury-rig a new rudder. The ''Costanza'', also heavily damaged and leaking water, was sighted and the two ships remained in contact for a day, before they drifted apart again. Water supplies on board the ''San Carlo'' ran low. A makeshift rudder was installed, which allowed the ship to once again reach the Cape da Roca, before yet another violent wind came from the south and drove the ''San Carlo'' to the north. The new rudder had to be cut free, and only with great difficulty, by sailing stern first, did the crew narrowly avoid a shipwreck at the Berlengas. The crew by this time had been reduced by accident, illness and fatigue from 590 to some 130 men, and more were lost to accidents. Although the ship suffered damage to its masts and rigging, it managed to reach a spot further north of its original anchorage at the mouth of the Mondego. This time, Emo went ashore in person and obtained the help of the local Portuguese governor. It took 17 days for a new rudder to be constructed, and five more for it to be installed on the ship, whose effective crew was down to 70, most of whom were inexperienced and exhausted soldiers. Accidents continued while Emo tried out his repaired ship, but at long last he was able to turn it south to Lisbon, entering the
Tagus River The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections, to e ...
on 5 February 1759. There he found his other two ships: the ''San Vicenzo'' had got in on 8 December, and the ''Costanza'' on 22 December. At Lisbon, where Emo's struggle with the elements and misfortune had been followed with great interest, he was received by King
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with the honours due to an ambassador. Taking charge of the Venetian merchant ships from London, he returned home via Genoa and
Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
with little incident, reaching Corfu in mid-July 1759. Over the course of the voyage, ''San Carlo'' had no fewer than 250 dead, while ''San Vicenzo'' suffered 90 dead and ''Costanza'' 4. 76 more crewmen (from an original total of 1236) deserted. Emo's conduct during the voyage gave proof of his seamanship and command skills, earning universal acclaim on his return to Venice in August 1759.


Rise to high command and state offices

Following Venetian tradition, a military appointment was followed by a civilian one. Thus in 1760 Emo was (health commissioner), and until 1767 Emo alternated between anti-piracy commands and public office in Venice. As (water commissioner) in 1761–62, he commissioned a plan of the Venetian Lagoon, which was completed in six months. So accurate was this plan that it continued in use until well into the 19th century. In 1763 he was elected to the higher command rank of (rear admiral of the sailing fleet) and charged with anti-piracy operations in the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
.


Show of force at Algiers

In 1765 he was promoted to (vice admiral of the sailing fleet). In 1767 the
Dey of Algiers Dey (Arabic: داي), from the Turkish honorific title ''dayı'', literally meaning uncle, was the title given to the rulers of the Regency of Algiers (Algeria), Tripoli,Bertarelli (1929), p. 203. and Tunis under the Ottoman Empire from 1671 o ...
tried to extort an increase in the annual sums sent to safeguard Venetian shipping from pirate attacks, and took Venetian ships and their crews captive. Emo sailed to Algiers and threatened to bombard the city. The Dey released the ships and their crews, paid reparations, and renewed the treaty with Venice to its previous terms. The Republic honoured Emo with appointment to the exclusive Order of the Golden Stole, and sent Emo's brother, Luigi, to convey him the Order's insignia. On 12 June 1768, he was raised to , full admiral of the sailing fleet.


Russo-Turkish War

When the Russian fleet under Alexei Orlov arrived in the Mediterranean in 1770 as part of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774, Emo led a Venetian squadron to a cruise in the Aegean, to shadow the Russians, and protect Venetian and French subjects and commercial interests in the area. Emo fulfilled his instructions in exemplary fashion, providing constant updates on Russian operations and making sound judgments on their intentions. The conflict also saw raids by the pirates of Ulcinj, ostensibly acting as subjects of the Sultan, against the
Venetian Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands were an overseas possession of the Republic of Venice from the mid-14th century until the late 18th century. The conquest of the islands took place gradually. The first to be acquired was Cythera and the neighboring islet ...
. Emo pursued them at
Kythira Kythira (, ; el, Κύθηρα, , also transliterated as Cythera, Kythera and Kithira) is an Greek islands, island in Greece lying opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is traditionally listed as one of the seven main Io ...
(Cerigo) and recovered two captured ships. Emo's fleet suffered heavy losses when it was caught by a storm near
Cape Matapan Cape Matapan ( el, Κάβο Ματαπάς, Maniot dialect: Ματαπά), also named as Cape Tainaron or Taenarum ( el, Ακρωτήριον Ταίναρον), or Cape Tenaro, is situated at the end of the Mani Peninsula, Greece. Cape Matapa ...
on 19 December 1771: half his squadron, the 74-gun ship ''Corriera'' and the frigate ''Tolleranza'', foundered off
Elos Elos ( el, Έλος, before 1930: Δουραλί - ''Dourali'') is a village and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Evrotas, of which it is a municipal unit. ...
, the former with almost all hands. Emo's own flagship, the ''Ercole'', only survived by cutting her masts. Emo himself was swept to sea during the manoeuvre and was rescued with difficulty by his crew. Distraught over what he perceived as a personal failure, Emo offered to donate his fortune to make up for the losses. In 1772 he departed his naval duties and entered the
Venetian Senate The Senate ( vec, Senato), formally the ''Consiglio dei Pregadi'' or ''Rogati'' (, la, Consilium Rogatorum), was the main deliberative and legislative body of the Republic of Venice. Establishment The Venetian Senate was founded in 1229, or le ...
, as well as going abroad, visiting the courts of
Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
and
Maria Theresa Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...
of Austria. Elected several times as censor, he worked to revive the manufacture of
Murano glass Venetian glass () is glassware made in Venice, typically on the island of Murano near the city. Traditionally it is made with a soda–lime "metal" and is typically elaborately decorated, with various "hot" glass-forming techniques, as well as ...
. In 1775, Emo was a member of a commission to examine reforms for the Venetian navy. Although the parlous state of the Venetian navy was well known and had been a subject of debate and reform proposals for decades, nothing had been achieved. The new commission's report—authored by Emo—recommended reforms on the model of the British Royal Navy, but although the commission numbered some influential senators, again its proposals failed to be taken up. In 1776–1778, as a , Emo was responsible for several maintenance works around the Lagoon, on the
Brenta River The Brenta is an Italian river that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea just south of the Venetian lagoon in the Veneto region, in the north-east of Italy. During the Roman era, it was called Medoacus (Ancient Greek: ''Mediochos'', ''Μηδ ...
, the Terraglio road, and the canal of Cava.


Demonstration off Tripoli

On 18 July 1778 Emo again received a naval command, being elected , with the heavy frigate as his flagship. His mission was to confront the provocations of the Pashalik of Tripolitania, which tried to exploit the "right of search" accorded to them by treaty on Venetian shipping beyond the agreed-upon limits. Emo led his fleet in a demonstration of force in front of
Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
, leading the pasha to conclude a new peace agreement with the Republic. Emo's appointment was renewed for the year after, but in the event it was not required for him to set sail. In 1779, as a (trade commissioner), Emo promoted reforms such as the reduction of tax on silk, the opening of new shops at
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(Sebenico) and the transfer of the Venetian
consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of diplomatic mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth coun ...
in Egypt from
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
to the port city of
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
. In 1780 he was a (commissioner on uncultivated lands) and laid out plans for the draining of the
Adige The Adige (; german: Etsch ; vec, Àdexe ; rm, Adisch ; lld, Adesc; la, Athesis; grc, Ἄθεσις, Áthesis, or , ''Átagis'') is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the prov ...
marshlands around
Verona Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Northern Italy, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and the ...
, a project begun already by Zaccaria Betti. However, once again due to lack of funds, the plans were not carried out.


Director of the Arsenal and naval reforms

During the January 1782 visit of the
Grand Duke Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. In status, a grand duke traditionally ranks in order of precedence below an emperor, as an approxi ...
Paul (the future
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Paul I of Russia Paul I (russian: Па́вел I Петро́вич ; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1796 until his assassination. Officially, he was the only son of Peter III of Russia, Peter III and Catherine the Great, although Catherine hinted that he w ...
) to Venice, he personally introduced Paul into the details of the Venetian naval apparatus. When Venice resolved to send a permanent envoy to
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
shortly after, Emo's name was on top of the list, but he managed to avoid the appointment by pleading ill health. Instead, in 1782–1784 Emo served as one of the three directors of the
Venetian Arsenal The Venetian Arsenal ( it, Arsenale di Venezia) is a complex of former shipyards and armories clustered together in the city of Venice in northern Italy. Owned by the state, the Arsenal was responsible for the bulk of the Venetian republic's ...
(). Assisted by the reformist senator
Francesco Pesaro Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...
, during his tenure he restored and reformed this vital institution, that had fallen into decline. He imported new models of ships from England and France, introduced
copper sheathing Copper sheathing is the practice of protecting the under-water hull of a ship or boat from the corrosive effects of salt water and biofouling through the use of copper plates affixed to the outside of the hull. It was pioneered and developed by ...
of warships to improve their speed and reduce the maintenance costs, and improved the methods for the manufacture of
hawsers Hawser () is a nautical term for a thick cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship. A hawser passes through a hawsehole, also known as a cat hole, located on the hawse.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, third edition ...
and rigging. He also increased the salaries of non-noble officers, introduced a theoretical training for naval cadets, as well as a publicly funded welfare scheme for invalid and aged sailors. Using his own position as a senator, and later as a member of the central government, the
Signoria of Venice The Signoria of Venice (''Serenissima Signoria'') was the supreme body of government of the Republic of Venice. The older Commune of Venice was replaced by the Signoria from 1423 on, being later officially adopted in the ''Promissione Ducale'' by ...
, Emo secured funds for the construction of new warships: 15 were laid down after his tenure and until the end of the Republic. In 1783 Emo led the negotiations with the
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
envoy
Philipp von Cobenzl Johann Philipp, Graf von Cobenzl (28 May 1741 – 30 August 1810) was a statesman of the Habsburg monarchy and the Austrian Empire. Life Cobenzl was born in Ljubljana, Carniola, the son of treasurer Count Guidobald von Cobenzl (1716–1797) and h ...
on freedom of navigation in
Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...
and
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
.


Naval campaigns against Tunis

On 6 March 1784 he was elected as (commander-in-chief of the sailing fleet) against Tunis, which had declared war on the Republic after a Venetian ship laden with goods from the Barbary coast was burned by the authorities in Malta due to it being infected with the plague. On 21 June, Emo sailed from Venice for a slow voyage to Corfu, where he was joined by more ships. His fleet comprised a few ships of the line, including the Emo's flagship, the , a few
xebec A xebec ( or ), also spelled zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading. Xebecs had a long overhanging bowsprit and aft-set mizzen mast. The term can also refer to a small, fast vessel of the sixteenth to nineteenth ...
s, two bomb-vessels, and a
galiot A galiot, galliot or galiote, was a small galley boat propelled by sail or oars. There are three different types of naval galiots that sailed on different seas. A ''galiote'' was a type of French flat-bottom river boat or barge and also a flat- ...
. The fleet sailed for Tunis on 12 August. On 1 September 1784, his squadron anchored at Cape Carthage, five miles from the city of
Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...
. The Tunisian fleet, geared towards piracy against merchantmen, did not sail to oppose the Venetians, who were able to infiltrate the harbour of
La Goulette La Goulette (, it, La Goletta), in Arabic Halq al-Wadi ( '), is a municipality and the port of Tunis, Tunisia. La Goulette is located at around on a sandbar between Lake Tūnis and the Gulf of Tunis. The port, located 12km east of Tunis, is th ...
during the night of the 3rd/4th and retake a Neapolitan merchant ship just captured by the pirates. After replenishing water and supplies in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
, Emo sailed for
Sousse Sousse or Soussa ( ar, سوسة, ; Berber:''Susa'') is a city in Tunisia, capital of the Sousse Governorate. Located south of the capital Tunis, the city has 271,428 inhabitants (2014). Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf ...
, which he bombarded on 5–7 and 12 October 1784, before the autumn storms forced him to return to winter in
Trapani Trapani ( , ; scn, Tràpani ; lat, Drepanum; grc, Δρέπανον) is a city and municipality (''comune'') on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an impor ...
in Sicily and Malta. In April 1785, Emo returned to Tunis, but as the Bey of Tunis refused to negotiate, forcing Emo to return to Malta and Sicily. The Venetian fleet again bombarded Sousse intermittently (21 July, 27 July and 31 July—4 August) due to the bad weather, but with meagre results.
Sfax Sfax (; ar, صفاقس, Ṣafāqis ) is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Berber Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterrane ...
followed (15–17 August 1785), before the fleet retired to Trapani again. After receiving reinforcements from Venice that raised his fleet to five first-rate ships of the line, one light frigate, two xebecs, one galiot, and the two bomb-vessels, Emo returned to La Goulette. It was here that Emo employed floating batteries of his own invention: large floats made of empty barrels, fortified with wet sandbags, and equipped with 40-pound guns and mortars. Along with the bomb-vessels, this gave the Venetians the ability to hit the settlements behind the sea walls during the nights of 3, 5, and 10 October. As the Bey remained obdurate, Emo dismantled his rafts and returned to Trapani. As the Bey continued to insist on his previous demands, Emo returned to the Tunisian coast in early 1786, attacking Sfax (and 6, 18, and 22 March, 30 April and 4 May). The Tunisians had prepared for his arrival, repairing their walls and installing heavy guns, leading to intense artillery duels between the city and the fleet. Emo too had appreciated the effect of his floating batteries, and had built more of them, with still heavier mortars; in daring nightly operations they were led up to the sea walls, and bombarded the city's interior with such devastating effects that the inhabitants of Sfax pleaded with the Bey to resume negotiations, to little effect. The Venetian fleet retired to Malta, where the news that Emo had been elected Procurator of Saint Mark on 28 May reached the fleet, an event that was celebrated for three days and nights. With the Bey still refusing to negotiate, Emo attacked
Bizerte Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the cap ...
from 30 July to 10 August, and then, from 26 September to 6 October, Sousse, which now was left almost entirely in ruins. These operations not only caused great damage and casualties in these cities, but also confined the Tunisian pirate fleet to its harbours. They also made Emo famous throughout Europe, where the images of his firework-like night bombardments kindled the imagination. Nevertheless, they failed to achieve their principal objective, namely to force the Bey of Tunis to the negotiating table. Venice, like the other European naval powers, preferred to reach an agreement with the pirates, including the annual payments, than engage in long, and far more expensive, campaigns that would be required to thoroughly deal with the pirate threat. Thus Emo's requests of a 10,000-man expeditionary force with which to assault and capture Tunis, were rejected by the Venetian Senate.


Final years and death

In early 1787 the Senate recalled Emo with the bulk of his fleet, leaving only a small squadron under the Tommaso Condulmer to patrol the Tunisian coast. Emo's recall was likely connected to the imminent outbreak of another war between Russia and the Ottomans. Some alarm was caused by an Ottoman fleet that appeared off the coasts of Albania in August 1787, but Emo, who shadowed its movements with a far more formidable force, was not worried. In the event, the Ottoman fleet's mission was merely to overawe the rebellious
Pasha of Scutari The Pashalik of Scutari, Iskodra, or Shkodra (1757–1831), was an autonomous and ''de facto'' independent ''pashalik'' created by the Albanian Bushati family from the previous Sanjak of Scutari, which was situated around the city of Shkodër ...
; having accomplished that, it returned to its base in early 1788. Until 1791, Emo spent his time in anti-piracy cruises off the western coasts of Greece, with the exception of a foray into the Aegean in 1790 that brought him to
Paros Paros (; el, Πάρος; Venetian: ''Paro'') is a Greek island in the central Aegean Sea. One of the Cyclades island group, it lies to the west of Naxos, from which it is separated by a channel about wide. It lies approximately south-east of ...
. In late 1790, the Senate named Emo , but did not entrust him with leading the fleet against the Tunisian coast. With the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
under way in Europe, the Senate was loath to become embroiled in a prolonged conflict, and preferred peace. The Senate feared that Emo's aggressive nature would hamper these efforts, and instead placed Condulmer, promoted to , in charge of the naval blockade and the peace negotiations. In 1791, the Venetian government decided on a final show of force, reuniting the fleet of Emo with the squadron of Condulmer. The combined fleet demonstrated off the Tunisian coast from late August until returning to Malta in December. After an illness, Emo died in Malta on 1 March 1792, reportedly from a bilious attack after learning that a peace, mostly disadvantageous to Venice, had been concluded with Tunis without his being consulted. Celebrated as a great naval hero, his body was embalmed and carried to Venice on board his flagship, ''Fama''. The sculptor
Antonio Canova Antonio Canova (; 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italian Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists,. his sculpture was inspired by the Baroque and the cl ...
was charged with erecting a monument to Emo. Completed in 1794, it is in the second armoury of the Venetian Arsenal. Canova was honoured by the Republic with a medal for this monument, the last such medal issued by the Republic before its end. His funeral took place at St Mark's on 17 April, and he was buried at the church of Santa Maria dei Servi. A funerary monument was erected over his tomb by Canova's teacher,
Giovanni Ferrari Giovanni Ferrari (; 6 December 1907 – 2 December 1982) was an Italian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder/inside forward on the left. He is regarded as one of the best players of his generation, one of Italy's best ever players, ...
, initially at Santa Maria dei Servi, then moved to San Martino, and finally, from 1817, to San Biagio.


Legacy

Following the death of his older brother, Alviso Emo, in 1790, Angelo Emo's death also meant the end of the San Simeon Piccolo branch of the Emo family. Already at the time of his death, his loss was seen as a heavy blow and symptom of the Republic's decline. Emo's reputation was enhanced further by 19th-century historians of Venice, keen on romanticizing the final decades of the Republic: Girolamo Dandolo calls him "the last roar issued by the
Lion of St. Mark The Lion of Saint Mark, representing Mark the Evangelist, pictured in the form of a winged lion, is an aspect of the Tetramorph. On the pinnacle of St Mark's Cathedral he is depicted as holding a Bible, and surmounting a golden lion which is ...
on the sea", while for
Samuele Romanin Samuele Romanin (1808 – September 9, 1861) was an Italian historian, educator and author. Biography He was born of a poor Jewish family in Trieste. Being left an orphan at an early age, he provided for his younger brothers and sister by ...
he might have been able to "shake he Republicfrom the disastrous abandonment" and "inspire in her the strength and energy" that she sorely lacked in the final years of its existence. For Romanin, Emo was the last of the great captains of the Venetian navy, and indeed of the Republic, which "may indeed be said to have herself descended with him into the sepulchre". After him, the Venetian navy would no longer be called upon to fight. His sudden death also led to rumours that he had been poisoned. Girolamo Dandolo insisted that this was the case, and identified his deputy Tommaso Condulmer, ambitious not only to succeed him, but also to conclude a peace treaty with the Barbary states. This has been convincingly disproved by modern historians.


References


Bibliography

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Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Emo, Angelo 1731 births 1792 deaths 18th-century Venetian people Republic of Venice admirals Barbary pirates People involved in anti-piracy efforts Procurators of Saint Mark Ottoman Tunisia