AGNELLO PARTECIACO (847)

Also spelled ANGELO PARTECIPAZIO.
Died 827, Venice.

Doge of Venice founder of a dynasty that produced seven doges between 810 and 942 as well as many bishops and church officials.

Agnello opposing a faction that had placed Venice under the control of Charlemagne´s son Pepin, Frankish king of Italy, moved the government from the island of Malamocco (now Lido) to its present site on the Rialto group of islands where political independence could be more eaisily maintained.

He undertook the building of many bridges connecting the islands and began the construction of the first Doges´ Palace.

A merchant as well as a statesman he obtained important commercial privileges from the Byzantine emperors Leo V the Armenian and Michael II.

He was succeeded by his sons Giustiniano and Giovanni I. Giustiniano is known to economic historians because of his will which contained large bequests of pepper and other spices demonstrating that Venice was already engaged in large-scale trade with the Levant in the early 9th century.

In 828 during Giustiniano´s reign the remains of St. Mark were smuggled out of Alexandria Egypt and the buildings of a basilica was begun on the site of the present St. Mark´s to house the relics.

During the rule of Orso (864-881) many reforms were accomplished including a reorganization of the national church.