Nicolò Donà zecchino Nicolò Donà of Nicolò Donato (January 28, 1539 - May 9, 1618) was the 93rd Doge of Venice. He ruled only 35 days, from his election on April 10, 1618 until his death.
Donato was the son of Giovanni Donà and Isabetta Morosini. He studied for a while in Padua before he entered the trade. He earned a big fortune, but remained all his life alive. He never married, and eventually left his fortune to his brother Francesco and his cousin Pietro.
Donato was not prepared to count down the big sums of money needed to get a high job in the Republic of Venice. In 1617-18, Alfonso de la Cueva, Bedmar's Marks, the Spanish ambassador in Venice attempted to destabilize the republic by dissipating disputes, in order for Spanish troops to march in Venice and take over power. In the midst of this crisis, the ruling Doge, Giovanni Bembo, died on March 16, 1618.
Donato was chosen as Doge on April 10, 1618 at the age of 79 after 35 votes after paying bribes. He was an embarrassment candidate because he could not join Giambattista Nani, suspected of secret sympathies for the Protestants. He tried to mitigate his reputation of economy by giving a traditional big banquet in honor of his election, but this failed when his parents sent a number of relatives to save money.
He died 35 days after his election, while the Bedmar Complot continued to run. Sources
This article is based on this article in Italian Wikipedia, supplementing the German-speaking Wikipedia.
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