Marco I Sanudo

Who was Marco I Sanudo?

Marco Sanudo was the creator and first Duke of the Duchy of the Archipelago, after the Fourth Crusade.

Maternal nephew of Venetian doge Enrico Dandolo, he was a participant in the Fourth Crusade. He was part of the negotiations when the Republic of Venice bought the island of Crete from Boniface of Montferrat.

Between 1205 and 1207, or a little after 1213-1214 according to sources, he gathered a fleet and captured the island of Naxos, laying the foundations of the Duchy of the Archipelago. He built a new capital city on the island, Kastro. During his reign, he blended the Byzantine and occidental organizations.

He became Vassal of the Latin Emperor Henry of Flanders around 1210 or 1216. For his lord, he fought against the Empire of Nicaea. But for Venice, he took part to the Cretan expedition of 1211.