Faliero

The family was one of the oldest in Venice, its history being lost in the myths surrounding the city's foundation at the end of Late Antiquity.^[3] According to the not very reliable 13th-century Chronicon Altinate, the family originally was called Anafesti, and haled from Fano, before moving to Padua and thence to Jesolo in the Venetian Lagoon as a result of Padua's fall to the Lombards.^[4] Other sources try to connect the Falieri with the Ordelaffi from Forli, and suggest a Lombard origin, but this is mostly speculation on the basis of the similarity of their names (Ordelaf being the anagram of Faledro).^[5]

When the seat of Venice was moved from Eraclea to the Rialto in the early 9th century, they were among the fifty or so tribunician families to move there.^[6] The first member of the family is attested in a public act of April 912, where a certain Orso Faletro Dodono acted as witness.^[5] It appears that the family was numerous and may have been divided into three branches, the Anafesti, Ordelaffi, and Dodoni.^[5]

It was one of the most centrally connected of Venetian families.^[7] Four members were among the first colonists of Venetian Crete. Their descendants took the Greek name Phalieros (Φαλιέρος).^[8]

The family produced three Doges of Venice:^[2]

• Vitale Faliero, Doge of Venice from 1084 until 1096
• Ordelafo Faliero, Doge of Venice from 1102 until 1117, married to Matelda Faliero
• Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice from 1354 until 1355, executed for the Faliero coup, married to Alucia Falier

Other famous members include:

• Bonifacio Falier [it], bishop of Castello (1120–1133)
• Vitale Falier [it] (fl. 1152–1172), diplomat
• Benedetto Falier [it], patriarch of Grado (1201–1207)
• Leonardo Falier [it], Latin patriarch of Constantinople (1302–1305)
• Marinos Phalieros [de] (died 1474), writer
• Domenico Falier (1492–1564)
• Giovanni Falier [de] (16th century), medallist
• Luca Falier (1545–1614)
• Francesco Falier (1557–1614)
• Giovanni Falier (1637–1681)

• Palazzo Falier