Bajamonte Tiepolo

Who is Bajamonte Tiepolo?

Bajamonte Tiepolo was a Venetian noble, great-grandson of Doge Jacopo Tiepolo, grandson of Doge Lorenzo Tiepolo, son of Giacomo Tiepolo.

Unhappy with the policies of the reigning Doge, Pietro Gradenigo, Tiepolo and other members of the leading families of the old aristocracy, the Querini and the Badoer, organized a conspiracy, put into effect on 15 June 1310, the Feast of Saint Vitus, to overthrow the Doge and the Great Council of Venice. Their plot failed due to treachery, bad planning, insufficient popular support and stormy weather. The rebels were stopped near Piazza San Marco by the forces faithful to Doge and defeated. According to a popular but historically confirmed tale, Tiepolo himself fled from the fight when his standard-bearer was killed by a stone mortar thrown down from a window by the elder woman named Giustina or Lucia Rossi. During their retreat to the San Polo sestiere, the Rialto Bridge was burnt down.

Eventually, Tiepolo surrendered and was then sentenced to exile in Istria, condemned to damnatio memoriae and his house was demolished, as well as a house belonging to the Querini brothers. After Tiepolo's house was demolished, a column of infamy was erected in Sant'Agostin bearing these words: