Fiorenza Sommaripa


Fiorenza Sommaripa was suo jure Lady of Paros in 1517-1518.

Life

She was a daughter of Nicolò I Sommaripa and his spouse, a woman from the da Pesaro family, whose first name is unknown.
She married in 1479 the Venetian Zuan Francesco Venier, Co-Lord of Cerigo.
Her brother Crusino succeeded their father in Paros at the latter's death ca. 1505. He died without issue in late 1517 or early 1518; since he hated her, he had bequeathed the island to a relative, Polimeno Sommaripa.
The island of Paros was thus disputed among several pretenders, including the Duke of Naxos who claimed it as its overlord after the extinction of its successoral line. However, the Republic of Venice did not wish to see Paros incorporated with Naxos and took it from Naxos claiming that Venice would hold it until the matter of succession could be solved by a senate of experts in Venice.
The senate decided that Fiorenza Venier was its rightful heir and attributed the island to her, which introduced a Venetian dynasty in Paros. She was succeeded by her son, who was in turn succeeded by her daughter.
;Issue:
  1. Nicolò Venier, Lord of Paros, lord in 1518-1530.
  2. Moisè Venier, married Elena Donà, father of Sebastiano Venier, Doge of Venice.
  3. Cecilia Venier, lady in 1531-1537.