CONTARINI, an illustrious family of Venice, which has given to the republic many senators, doge; and etateamen. The first doge of the name was Domenico Contarini, in the 11th century; another, Andrea Contarini, was doge during the war of Chiozza. After the Genoese had taken that place, and were threatening the very existence of Venice, in 13S0, Contarini, then eighty years of age, led the Venetian fleet against the enemy; and being assisted by Vetter Pisani and Carlo Zeno, he defeated the Genoese, retook Chiozza, and thus saved the republic. Ambroglo Contarini was sent, in 1473, by the republic, then at war with Mehemet Ii., as ambassador to Ilussum Hassan Bey, sovereign or usurper of Persia, to contract au offensive alliance against the Ottomans. The coasts of Asia Minor and Syria being occupied by the Turks, Contariul was obliged to take his wry through Poland and Tartary to Cafe in the Crimea, from whence he crossed the Euxine to the mouth of the Phasie, and thence proceeded through Mingrolia and Armenia to Persia. Ha met linseum Hassan at Ispahan, accompanied him to Tabreez, and then returned home wards by Derbent and the Caspian Sea to Astrakhan, and thence to Moscow, where lie was well received by the grand-duke of Muscovy.
lie returned to Venice in 1477, and published the journal of his noivion, which le curious, and written with much apparent regard to truth. Itinerario Deli' Amino 1473, ad Usun Canaan It6 di Persia,' 4to, Venezia, 1524. Ilussum Haman attacked Mehemet, while tho Venetian fleet was ravaging the coasts of Asia Minor; but the Persians were defeated by the Turks near Trebizoud, and the alliance led to no other result than to effect a temporary diversion in favour of Venice.
There have been likewise several men of learning of the family of Contarini, such as Cardinal Gaspare Contarini, in the 16th century, who was employed on several important missions, and wrote many philosophical and theological works ; among others, `De Immortalitate Animas adversus Petrum Pomponacium," De Libero Arbitrio et Prwdestinatione,' and also a treatise, 'De Magistratibus et Republica Venetorum.' His works were collected and published together at Paris, folio, 1571. Vincenzo Contarini was professor at Padua at the beginning of the 17th century. He wrote several works on classical erudition ; ' De re frumentaria,' De Militari Romanorum Stipendio,' and Variarum Lectionum Liber.'