What happened on March 31 in Venice

According to the Venetian Liturgical Calendar, today is St. Lazarus’ and St. Amos Prophet’s Day.

In 2021 it’s Holy Wednesday.

- March 31, 1404: Caterina, widow of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, lord of Milan, sends a letter to the Doge in which she offers Feltre, Bassano and Cividale in exchange for help against Carraresi, Estensi and Scaligeri.

- March 31, 1495: the Holy League of 1495 or League of Venice is signed in Venice, including the Serenisima, the Papacy, Ferdinand II of Aragon Naples, the Emperor Maximilian, House of Sforza in Milan and the Kingdom of England, to try and stem the hegemony of the French king Charles VIII in Italy.

- March 31, 1763: at the age of 68 N.H. Marco Foscarini, after only a ten month’s reign, and one of the most distinguished Doges of the Republic, dies in Venice; literate, historian, politician and diplomat of great value, he wrote a treatise on the perfection of the Republic, a poem on coral and a 'History of Venetian literature' of which he publishes only the first volume, which is still a good example of literary criticism today. He used to study in the company of Gaspare Gozzi, who called him El Gran Cagnesco, delighting in consulting together the precious codes of the Foscarini library, then sold by the heirs to the Vienna Library.

Taken from 'Almanacco di Venezia -1600 anni ab Urbe còndita' by Andrea Gersich and Edoardo Rubini

Venice, 31st March 2021