Volume II Part 75 (1/2)

e (Illegitimate)

Fiordelisa || Felice Polo, called Cousins, 1280, 1300.

(II.) THE POLOS OF SAN GEREMIA.

The preceding Table gives the Family of our Traveller as far as I have seen sound data for tracing it, either upwards or downwards.

I have expressed, in the introductory notices, my doubts about the Venetian genealogies, which continue the family down to 1418 or 19, because it seems to me certain that all of them do more or less confound with our Polos of S. Giovanni Grisostomo, members of the other Polo Family of S. Geremia. It will help to disentangle the subject if we put down what is ascertained regarding the S. Geremia family.

To the latter with tolerable certainty belonged the following:--

1302. MARCO Polo of Cannareggio, see vol. i. pp. 64-67. (The Church of S. Geremia stands on the ca.n.a.l called Cannareggio.)

Already in 1224, we find a Marco Polo of S. Geremia and Cannareggio.

(See _Liber Plegiorum_, published with _Archivio Veneto_, 1872 pp.

32, 36).

1319. (Bianca, widow of GIOVANNI Polo?)[1]

1332. 24th March. Concession, apparently of some privilege in connection with the State Lake in San Basilio, to DONATO and HERMORAO (= Hermolaus or Almor) Paulo (Doc.u.ment partially illegible).[2]

1333. 23rd October. Will of Marchesina Corner, wife of Marino Gradenigo of S. Apollinare, who chooses for her executors ”my mother Dona Fiordelisa Cornaro, and my uncle (_Barba_) Ser Marco Polo.”[3]

Another extract apparently of the same will mentions ”_mia cusina_ MARIA Polo,” and ”_mio cusin_ MARCO Polo” three times.[4]

1349. MARINO Polo and Brothers.[5]

1348. About this time died NICOLO Polo of S. Geremia,[6] who seems to have been a Member of the Great Council.[7] He had a brother MARCO, and this Marco had a daughter AGNESINA. Nicolo also leaves a sister BARBARA (a nun), a son GIOVANNINO (apparently illegitimate[7]), of age in 1351,[6] a nephew GHERARDO, and a niece FILIPPA,[6] Abbess of Sta. Catarina in Mazzorbo.

The executors of Nicolo are GIOVANNI and DONATO Polo.[6] We have not their relations.h.i.+p stated.

DONATO must have been the richest Polo we hear of, for in the Estimo or forced Loan of 1379 for the Genoese War, he is a.s.sessed at 23,000 _Lire_.[8] A history of that war also states that he (”Donado Polo del Canareggio”) presented the Government with 1000 ducats, besides maintaining in arms himself, his son, and seven others.[9] Under 1388 we find Donato still living, and mention of CATARUZZA, d. of Donato:[10] and under 1390 of Elena, widow of Donato.[10]

The Testamentary Papers of Nicolo also speak of GIACOMO [or Jacopo]

Polo. He is down in the _Estimo_ of 1379 for 1000 _Lire_;[11] and in 1371 an inscription in Cicogna shows him establis.h.i.+ng a family burial-place in Sta. Maria de' Servi:[12]

[MCCCLXXI. Die primo mensis ... S. Dni IACHOBI. PAVLI. DE CFINIO. SANCTI. IEREMIE. ET. SVOR. HEREDVM.]

(1353. 2nd June. Viriola, widow of ANDREA or Andrinolo Polo of Sta.

Maria Nuova ?)[13]

1379. In addition to those already mentioned we have NICOLO a.s.sessed at 4000 _lire_.[11]

1381. And apparently this is the NICOLO, son of Almoro (_Hermolaus_), who was raised to the Great Council, for public service rendered, among 30 elected to that honour after the war of Chioggia.[14] Under 1410 we find ANNA, relict of Nicolo Polo.[15]

1379. In this year also, ALMORO, whether father or brother of the last, contributes 4000 _lire_ to the Estimo.[11]

1390. CLEMENTE Polo (died before 1397)[15] and his wife MADDALUZIA.[15]