Vitale I Michiel

Vitale I Michiel
Coat of arms of Vitale I Michiel
Doge of Venice
In office 1095–1102
Personal details
Born	Unknown
Died	1102

Vital I Michiel (died 1102) was a Doge of Venice; he was the 33rd traditional (31st historic) Doge of the Republic of Venice. A member of one of the so-called “twelve apostolic” families, he was married to Felicia Cornaro, who had influence on his politics.^[1]

Life

When Pope Urban II initiated the First Crusade, Vitale I Michiel did not initially urge Venice’s support, perhaps because he could not see the advantages to Venice of such an expedition.

When Doge Vitale I Michiel saw the European commitment to the First Crusade, he then understood the war’s economic importance. In particular, he foresaw that it was vital to Venice’s trade advantage to participate in territorial conquest, lest these advantages inure to the benefit of other marine republics. In July 1099, 207 ships sailed from Venice to support the First Crusade. Doge Vitale I Michiel appointed his son, Vitale Giovanni, and the Bishop of Castello, Enrico Contarini, as the fleet’s commanders. In December 1099, at Rhodes, the Venetian fleet intercepted enemy ships and sank them.

In the spring of 1100, the Venetian fleet headed towards the Levant, where in the meantime, Godfrey of Bouillon and his troops had taken Jerusalem. Enemy ships had cut off Godfrey’s ability to receive aid and he was forced to negotiate with the Venetians. In exchange for its services, Venice obtained the right to maintain a quarter not subject to custom offices, taxes, or excise taxes in every conquered city or territory.

In 1101, Vitale I Michiele interceded in favor of Mathilde of Tuscany in regards to the purchase of Ferrara, and obtained generous trade concessions as a result. He died in the spring of 1102 and was buried at St. Mark’s Basilica.

References

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Doges of Venice

Byzantine period (697–737)
Paolo Lucio Anafesto Marcello Tegalliano Orso Ipato

Regime of the magistri militum (738–742)
Domenico Leoni Felice Cornicola Teodato Ipato Jovian Ceparius John Fabriacus

Ducal period (742–1148)
8th century	Teodato Ipato* Galla Lupanio* Domenico Monegario* Maurizio Galbaio Giovanni Galbaio*
9th century	Obelerio degli Antenori*† Agnello Participazio Giustiniano Participazio Giovanni I Participazio* Pietro Tradonico† Orso I Participazio Giovanni II Participazio♦ Pietro I Candiano‡ Pietro Tribuno
10th century	Orso II Participazio Pietro II Candiano Pietro Participazio Pietro III Candiano Pietro IV Candiano† Pietro I Orseolo♦ Vitale Candiano♦ Tribuno Memmo Pietro II Orseolo
11th century	Otto Orseolo* Pietro Centranico* Domenico Flabanico Domenico I Contarini Domenico Selvo* Vitale Faliero Vitale I Michiel
12th century	Ordelafo Faliero Domenico Michiel Pietro Polani
* deposed     † executed or assassinated     ‡ killed in battle     ♦ abdicated

Republican period (1148–1797)
12th century	Domenico Morosini Vitale II Michiel Sebastiano Ziani Orio Mastropiero Enrico Dandolo
13th century	Pietro Ziani Jacopo Tiepolo Marino Morosini Reniero Zeno Lorenzo Tiepolo Jacopo Contarini Giovanni Dandolo Pietro Gradenigo
14th century	Marino Zorzi Giovanni Soranzo Francesco Dandolo Bartolomeo Gradenigo Andrea Dandolo Marino Faliero† Giovanni Gradenigo Giovanni Dolfin Lorenzo Celsi Marco Cornaro Andrea Contarini Michele Morosini Antonio Venier
15th century	Michele Steno Tommaso Mocenigo Francesco Foscari* Pasquale Malipiero Cristoforo Moro Nicolò Tron Nicolò Marcello Pietro Mocenigo Andrea Vendramin Giovanni Mocenigo Marco Barbarigo Agostino Barbarigo
16th century	Leonardo Loredan Antonio Grimani Andrea Gritti Pietro Lando Francesco Donato Marcantonio Trivisan Francesco Venier Lorenzo Priuli Girolamo Priuli Pietro Loredan Alvise I Mocenigo Sebastiano Venier Nicolò da Ponte Pasquale Cicogna Marino Grimani
17th century	Leonardo Donato Marcantonio Memmo Giovanni Bembo Nicolò Donato Antonio Priuli Francesco Contarini Giovanni I Cornaro Nicolò Contarini Francesco Erizzo Francesco Molin Carlo Contarini Francesco Cornaro Bertuccio Valiero Giovanni Pesaro Domenico II Contarini Nicolò Sagredo Alvise Contarini Marcantonio Giustinian Francesco Morosini Silvestro Valiero Alvise II Mocenigo
18th century	Giovanni II Cornaro Alvise III Mocenigo Carlo Ruzzini Alvise Pisani Pietro Grimani Francesco Loredan Marco Foscarini Alvise IV Mocenigo Paolo Renier Ludovico Manin*
† Marino Faliero (1354–55) was convicted of treason, executed and condemned to damnatio memoriae * Francesco Foscari (1423–57) was forced to abdicate by the Council of Ten * Ludovico Manin (1789–97) was forced to abdicate by Napoleon leading to the Fall of the Republic of Venice