House of Donà

The House of Donà is an old patrician family of Venice which produced three doges of Venice. The family has existed since at least the late twelfth century.^[2] Until the sixteenth century, the family were merchants.^[3] During that period, they bought land, which supported the family through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.^[4] Around and throughout the nineteenth century, the family's wealth was significantly diminished due to the influences of the French Revolution and industrialisation.^[5][3]

Country Republic of Venice

Earlier spellingsDonato^[1]
Donatus
Donati

Etymologyfrom the diminutive of the masculine given name Donatus

Place of origin

• Romagna, Emilia-Romagna
• Altinum, Veneto

Quick facts Donà, Country ...

Donà
Italian noble family
Arms of the Donà dalle Rose Blazon: Argent, two bars Gules, in chief three roses barbed and seeded of the Second
Country	Republic of Venice
Earlier spellings	Donato[1] Donatus Donati
Etymology	from the diminutive of the masculine given name Donatus
Place of origin	Romagna, Emilia-Romagna Altinum, Veneto
Founded	12th century
Titles	Doge of Venice Procurator of Saint Mark Patrician of Venice (hereditary) Archbishop of Crete various other bishoprics Ambassador of the Republic of Venice in Constantinople various other ambassadorships Podestà of Venice Governor (respectively) of Ravenna, Brescia, Cremona, and Crete
Style(s)	Serene Highness
Traditions	Roman Catholicism
Motto	Candore ("Candour")
Cadet branches	dalle Rose dalle Trezze (extinct) many other minor now-extinct branches

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The dalle Rose branch (the main branch) of the family, which produced two of the Donà doges of Venice, survives to this day.^[6] In the second half of the twentieth century, the Donà dalle Rose included a number of businesspeople, most notably the founders of the Costa Smeralda’s Porto Rotondo, brothers Luigi and Nicolò Donà dalle Rose.