Tonisto family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Tonisto family | |
|---|---|
| Venetian nobility | |
 | |
| Country |  Republic of Venice |
| Titles | Patrician (Patrizio veneto) |
| Dissolution | 1523 |
The House of Tonisto was a Venetian noble family, which reached its peak in the first half of the 13th century.
According to the tradition, the family originated from Tunis or Constantinople.[1] They were among the early families who settled the Venetian lagoon. It is possible that they built the San Tomà church, of which they became patrons.[2]
The most illustrious member of the family was Niccolò, who lived in the first half of the 13th century. He is first referred to as podestà of Capo d'Istria (present-day Koper, Slovenia) in 1222. He served as bailo in Acre in 1227. He was Duke of Crete from 1230 to 1232, then podestà of Verona in 1233. He functioned as podestà of Ragusa (present-day Dubrovnik, Croatia) between 1238 and 1240.[2]
The Tonistos were added to the hereditary families of the Great Council of Venice, during the constitutional reforms of the Serrata del Maggior Consiglio in 1298.[1] Nevertheless, the family lost its influence by the end of the 13th century. A member of the family, Marco was a canon at St Mark's Basilica in 1291. He was a titular bishop in Lesser Armenia in 1334.[3] One Nicholas was podestà of Chioggia until his death in 1316. The family became extinct in 1523.[1]
