Zorzi



The Zorzi or Giorgi was a noble family of Venetian origin. They thrived in the Late Middle Ages, especially in the remnants of the Latin Empire in Greece, where they controlled the Margraviate of Bodonitsa and through marriage the Duchy of Athens until the Ottoman conquest.

Doge Marino Zorzi had at least one brother. His name was Pietro Zorzi and his descendants changed their surname to Zazzera (sometimes deformed into Zazzara) and spread to various parts of Italy. Francesco Zazzera, ''Della nobilta dell'Italia parte prima. Del signor D. Francesco Zazzera napoletano. Alla sereniss. e catol. maesta' del re Filippo 3. nostro signore'', 1615, p. 16. English translated from original (Italian of XVII century):

"MARINO a very eloquent man, he was so versed in politics and the reasons of state that his opinion prevailing, in all the Consults and Councils, he rose in such a way that he had to sit in the Dogal Seat, after the death of Pietro Gradenigo, in which place ruled Doge 49th being created according to the truest opinion the year 1311. because others want it to be in 1303. where knowing himself (however given to the later spiritual, and contemplative life) not able, according to his desire to wait; on the contrary, unfortunately they seemed to him too strange and different from each other, detesting his first studies, and regretting having spent so many years madly; Moved by divine inspiration, the tenth month and tenth day of his rule, renouncing that dignity, he retired to his villa, where I refrain from the practices, conversations and of the century; some want him to die in the Religion of the Benedictines, and others in his ancient solitude, where from the beginning leading his life he chose to withdraw completely from the world: and so it was in truth, because advancing continuously in the wilderness, if I did, he almost lost his life A hermitic until 1320 who gave back the spirit to her Creator, she acquired Standofi a soura name of Saint; and offering the opportunity to more affectionate relatives, to originate a new surname. when he had grown up, seeing Zazzera wearing a hat up to his shoulders, as was mentioned by all of Zazzera, so Pietro, his brother, was the reason to take it away for his undertaking on the journey to the Embassy, where he was destined; and to his successors he later formed a new surname: which having done this briefly, the aforementioned Andrea Dandolo in the Chronicle of him mentions with the aforementioned words, adding advantageously, as at his own expense, he built the noble Temple of San Domenico; also endowing him with an income suitable for many fathers: all that was content to have his bones buried in the Church of S. Giovanni and Paolo, where his almost continuous residence was.

MARINO huomo eloquentissimo, fu di maniera versato ne la Politica, e ne le ragioni di Stato che prevalendo la sua opinione, in tutte le Consulte, e Consegli, in maniera si sollevò, che gli ne toccò à seder nel Segio Dogale, dopo la morte di Pietro Gradenigo, nel qual luogo governò Doge 49° essendo creato secondo la più vera epinione l'an.1311.perche altri vogliono che fusse nel 1303.oue conoscendosi (dato però à la vita dopo spirituale, e contemplativa) non potere, conforme al suo desiderio attendere; anzi pur troppo strana parendogli, e diversa l'una da l'altra operazione, detestando i suoi primi studi, e pentito di haver cosi follemente Spesi tanti anni; mosso da divina ispirazione, il decimo mese, e decimo giorno del suo dominio, à quella dignità renunziando, si ritirò in una sua Villa, ove remoro da le pratiiche, conversazioni e del secolo; alcuni vogliono che morisse ne la Religion di Benedettini, ed altri ne l'antica sua solitudine, ove fin dal principio menar vita si elesse in tutto ritirata dal mondo: e così fu invero, perche avanzandosi continuamente ne la inselvatichir se medefimo, menò quasi vita Eremitica fino al 1320 che rendè lo spirito al suo Creatore, acqui Standofi un soura nome di Santo; e porgendo occasione à parenti più affezzionati, di originarsi nuovo coagnome. posciache cresciuta vedendosegli fina a le spalle una Zazzera, à capelliera, com'era da tutti de la Zazzera menzionato, così à Pietro suo fratello fu cagione di toglierla per sua Impresa nel viaggio de l'Ambasceria, ove fu destinato; ed à soccessori suoi dopò di formarlo nuovo cognome: che fatto ciò brevemente il sudetto Andrea Dandolo ne la sua Cronica accenna con le parole sudette, soggiungendo di vantaggio, come a proprie sue spese, edificasse il nobilissimo Tempio di San Domenico; dotandolo eziandio di rendita conveniente per molti padri: tutto che si contentasse far sepellir le sue ossa, ne la Chiesa di S. Giovanni, e Paolo, ov'era la sua quasi continua abitazione."

Under Nicholas I they took control of Bodonitsa in 1335. Nicholas was succeeded by Francis, who governed the margraviate for almost forty years. In 1414, Nicholas II was defeated and the Turks took control of Bodonitsa, nonetheless Nicholas III continued to employ the title and garner the prestige that came with it. He married his daughter Chiara to the duke of Athens, Nerio II. She was to govern the duchy on behalf of her young son Francesco I.