Francesco Morosini
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Francesco Morosini (1618 – 1694) was the Doge of Venice from 1688 to 1694, at the height of the Great Turkish War.
Morosini first rose to prominence as Captain-General of the Venetian forces on Crete during the siege of Candia by the Ottoman Empire. He was eventually forced to surrender the city, and was accused of cowardice and treason on his return to Venice; however, he was found innocent after a brief trial.
In 1685 Morosini took command of a fleet against the Ottomans and sacked Corone. Over the next several years, he captured most of the Morea with the help of Otto von Konigsmark. During the siege of Athens in 1687, his artillery partly destroyed the Parthenon, and he oversaw the looting of many of the surviving sculptures.
In the summer of 1688 Morosini, now having been proclaimed Doge, attacked Negropont, but was unable to capture it, and was forced to return to Venice when plague broke out among his troops. He embarked on a final campaign in 1693, but was again unsuccessful in taking Negropont, and returned to Venice after sacking some minor coastal towns.
In memoriam
- Scuola Navale Militare Francesco Morosini named for him
- Ship Francesco Morosini (Ruggiero Di Lauria Class), launched 30 July 1885, named for him
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