Pietro Loredan

Who was Pietro Loredan?

Pietro Loredan was a Venetian nobleman and admiral.

Loredan was responsible for making Venice a dominant power in northeastern Italy in the 15th century. His first great victory was over the Ottoman Turks near Gallipoli in June 1416. He later triumphed over rival Genoa near Rapallo in 1431. In 1423, he tried to use his popularity to become the doge, but was defeated by Francesco Foscari, who remained his chief rival for the rest of his life. He was named general of the republic in 1436 during a war with Mantua and was elected generalissimo in 1438. That year, he reconquered the Venetian fortresses along the Po River. The next year, he was murdered, probably due to the machinations of Doge Foscari.

He died in Venice in 1439. Centuries later, his relative Francesco Loredan would become doge.