ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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Biography

Family and training
Son of John, came from a branch of the Trevisan family, resident in San Stae, who had entered the patriziato in recent times: to be ennobled was in fact the grandfather Paul who, during the war of Chioggia, had offered his financial help to the Republic for the maintenance of soldiers.

He graduated from the University of Bologna in Utroque iure, and was soon distinguished by culture and charisma. Professor of Canon Law at the same Studio, in 1394 Pellegrino Zambeccari, Chancellor of the city of Bologna, on behalf of the Rectors of the Athenaeum, recommended it to Pope Boniface IX to lead him to the patriarchate of Aquileia in exchange for the deceased Giovanni Sobieslaw of Moravia. The pontiff, however, preferred Antonio Gaetani.

In the same year he married Catherine of Giovanni Marcello, thus joining one of the most prestigious Venetian houses. She had five children: Giovanni, Daniele, Andrea, Elisabetta and Zaccaria iunior (born posthumous); the latter traveled as the father a remarkable political career.

Political and diplomatic career
In 1397 he left the University of Bologna and settled in Florence, where he was podestà until 1398. On this occasion he became a friend of Leonardo Bruni and Coluccio Salutati.

Particularly appreciated for the political capacities and the qualities of balance, he was called to Rome by Bonifacio IX to take charge of senator on 1 July 1399. During this term, he helped to break a conspiracy against the pope who was ordered by Niccolò Colonna, leading the defense of the city and the pontiff. These, grateful, granted him a co-responsion of 500 golden flowers that were added to his ordinary salary; the money was issued directly by the Marquis d'Este, subtracting them from the tribute he paid to the pope as lord of Ferrara.

On 7 May 1400 he was still in Florence as ambassador of the pope, to return to Venice where he immediately entered the service of the Republic. In the same year he was appointed ambassador to Ferrara, where the dispute between Niccolò III d'Este and Faenza Astorgio Manfredi was ongoing. The first claimed on the other hand the return of his uncle Azzo X d'Este, with whom he was struggling for succession, and had blackmailed him imprisoning his wife, son Gian Galeazzo, the daughter's daughter and sister. The dispute was resolved by the Serenissima and certainly Trevisan played a leading role: in the end Manfredi handed Azzo X to the Venetians who confined him to Candia at the expense of Niccolò III, while the family members of the Marquis were released.

In 1402, together with Giovanni Mocenigo and Lodovico Loredan, he negotiated the purchase of Corfu, which was sold on August 16 by the Ladislaus of Naples. In 1403 he took to Genoa to discuss the damage suffered by Venetian merchants in Cyprus and Rhodes due to two Genoese galleys. In the same year he was sent to Candia as ca