The sun., 1908-02-23

The conspiracy Of Manno FaHer has
taken a place permanently among the stir
ring episodes i'm the annals of Venice. This
is due partly To the dramatic character Of
the story as currently told The fiery old
warrior Doge insulted in the honor of his
wife by ribald young noble and cxaspe-
rated against the whole body OF the Nene
tiRn aristocracy by the Inadequate punish
ment meted out 10 the offender conceived
the idea of murderOus revenge. and put
himself at fhe hoad of a conspiracy
fomented chiefly among the middle and
lower classes--to slaughter tho entire gov
erning caste The plot was discovered
only Just in time, Bnd the Doge aud his
accompices paid the penalty with their
lives. The spectacle Of the blacI: veil over
the place where the Doge's portrait should
be in the Hall of the Great Council has fiXed
the attention and aroused the curiosity of
thousands of tourists. IL is well known
that Byron made the story the subject Of
his finest play, but our author points ont
that he misTcad the intention Of the DOge,
painting him as a friend of liberty anxious
10 free the people from the intolerable
tyranny Of the ohgarchy and importing
into his drama modern ideas quite fore gn
20 the period. Consequently the story of
Marino Faier's conspiracy occupies an
unduy large place in popular imagination.
Murino Falier was born between 1880
and 1885: he was the son Of Jacopo Falier
and Beriola Loredau: his blood therefore
was the oldest in Venice and his connec-
tions were Of the highest. Of his youth
scarcely anything is known. In all proba-
bility he attended the school of some
grammarian and then passed into COM
mercial life, frequcntlng the Rialto and
making voyages IN trading galleys. In
due time he would take his seat in the
Great Council and begin a political career.
In 1913, when he was about 30 yeas Of
age. he was one of the Chiefs Of the Ten.
and in 1920 was dealing with English affairs
in the Great Council In January, 1920
he was entrusted with the delicate and
dangerous mission of hunting down the
conspirators Baiamonte Tiepolo and Piero
Quirini. Thenceforth NlarinO Falier was
employed continually on missions abroad
or in public Offices AT home. His knowl-
edge Of affairs vas enlarged by his service
as Governor 81 Negropont. of esina and
Brazza. and of ChioCgia. In 1925 he mar
ried niece OF the Great Doge Piero
GESsz5nigo, who carried the Closing of the
Great Council and established the arisfo-
cratic caste This marriage doubtless
tended to strengthen Fhlier's social position
and political influence, He was now at least
80 years old. When Previso came into the
hands Of Venice in 1889 Falier was ap-
pointed it's first Governor. and it was ther"
in 1346 that legepd relates how in the catho-
dral Falier. yielding TO a tit Of blind fury
struck the bishop who was bearing the
Host because he had kept the procession
waiting. Nv this time ! alters reputation
had spread beyond the borders Of Venice.
and he was twice called upon to act as
Podeata in Pacjua, where he acquired the
friendship Of tho Carraras and probably
made the aequaip'ancc uf Fctrarch.
In July. l?i,, with the conscnt Of the
republic. Fahnr received from the Count
Bishop ~ CrrcIa the invcsti,ure Of the
fef of Val di Harona. Nor vas his reputa-
tion AZ a diploma iat and a soldier less
Etrikipr Ho scr, cd on embassies to Avig-
non Uhe thew -aa' - a." pap9r1l. 20 the
Duke ~ ius,ll. 80 tho Eeruhlic of Genoa.
20 the Emperor Charles " dajU, by whom,
he wge tngbied and named Privy Coun-
cillor Fahsr. mn'coycr, achieved dis
tinc'inu h9'l IN the army ard in tho Feet,
He was oav;ai0 of the -al cvs Of Constanti-
noplo aud Tho Tla.k ~eg, with commission
10 protect N1.etiau trade. We took q bril-
liant part ir tho siege of Tara. which ban
rebellod, l" wns SER ing Uujcr Civran and
acquired for njm- -'T tho cuithct "Audax :"
when iI july, o. %. iLat General won a
gloriors victory o,cr tho King or Hun
gary. I'm ~, hc vas designated 10 the
supreme command of the forcas sent to
reduce lapo ''Iatra, and -four years later
he conducted - -. ."rcgsf0l campaign against
the Genosso, and on behalf of the Venetian
Republic b" was "Gt IA possession of the
island o( IeuedoF hv the Emperor John
PaleologIs I'm spite or al this activity
abroad FaIrr Was mo- less fully occupied
AT home. 10 SAT- on commissions for en-
Iarging the Nerreria aud for putting down
usury; he was u trading partnership with
his brother and n oousin, Among his
family and his friends he was held in the
highest estoen: and IN the opinion Of dis
tinguishcd contemporaries he stood very
high. Potr8rCh, VILLAIN and other writer's
Of his time expressed surprise and regret
Rt his fall IN a word we have in Marino
Falier n tine typical GGure of Venetian
noble in the Middle Ages active. capable
respected. enjoying . great position and
displaying striking ability; yet this ia the
man who w,thin eight months Of his cleo
tion to the supreme dignity in the State
threw all to tho Minds and embarked on an
enterprise az rash IA It was criminal.