28 Facts About Antonio Foscarini

Antonio Foscarini was the third son of Nicolo di Alvise of the family branch of San Polo and Maria Barbarigo di Antonio.

Antonio Foscarini had two brothers, Alvise and Girolamo, and three sisters, Caterina, Agnesina, and Luca Contarini.

Antonio Foscarini studied in Padua, where he made several lifelong friendships.

Antonio Foscarini became a supporter of the 'innovator' Paolo Sarpi.

Antonio Foscarini began his political career as an envoy to the court of Henry IV of France in 1601 and was present at the king's marriage to Maria de Medici.

Antonio Foscarini gave the outgoing Venetian ambassador Marc' Antonio Correr a box with pearls, a diamond ring with the royal portraits, and jewels to his son Vincenzo.

Antonio Foscarini visited Walter Cope at Holland House and hunted with him at Hyde Park.

An Italian poet, Antimo Galli, wrote of an embarrassing incident while Antonio Foscarini was at a play.

Antonio Foscarini joined in, but his costume and shouts drew attention to himself.

Antonio Foscarini went to see Anne of Denmark at Wells and discussed her love of Scotland.

Antonio Foscarini visited Haddington, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Falkland, and Linlithgow.

Antonio Foscarini told him she preferred that Prince Charles would marry a French princess rather than a Spanish infanta.

Antonio Foscarini introduced his successor as ambassador, Gregorio Barberigo, to her at Greenwich.

Antonio Foscarini seems to have sided with Foscarini and reported that Anne of Denmark and Lady Hay had helped their friend Muscarno to cast shade on the ambassador.

Antonio Foscarini was the granddaughter of Elizabeth of Hardwick, a goddaughter of Queen Elizabeth I, and wife of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, a leading person at the court of King James I of England.

Antonio Foscarini was a friend of the art-loving couple from London and visited the pair at the Palazzo Mocenigo on the Grand Canal where they were staying.

Antonio Foscarini was accused of disclosing state secrets to the secretary of Emperor Ferdinand II and to the nuncio of the Pope at the Arundel residence.

Antonio Foscarini threatened the ambassador, whom she suspected of being involved in the action of the Council of Ten to call for her removal.

The account of the advocate Andrea Querini: The case against Antonio Foscarini was preceded by about twelve processes of small consequence that began with letters from England in 1605 written to the Supreme Tribunal by his secretary Giulio Muscorno.

Antonio Foscarini was said to have incurred the hatred of the King and Court by imprudent discourse to the detriment of public affairs.

Antonio Foscarini wrote to defend himself and Muscorno replied that he went in danger of his life from the ambassador.

Subsequently, Antonio Foscarini was accused of corresponding with foreigners, and the greater part of the process turned upon this, but in the absence of real proof, only a caution was issued.

In 1622, informers declared to the tribunal to have repeatedly seen Antonio Foscarini talking with the Spanish ambassador under a certain 'sottoportico in Canareggio'.

When questioned Antonio Foscarini did not deny the place or the hour but the person and the fact.

Antonio Foscarini was strangled in jail and his body was, in the manner usual for those convicted of high treason, hung head down between the pillars in the Piazzetta.

Antonio Foscarini was eventually acquitted of selling information to the Spaniards but only after three years in detention.

Antonio Foscarini had sought the harshest condemnation, and in 1623, voted for rehabilitation.

In 1622 Antonio Foscarini was so discredited that Paolo Sarpi had publicly declined the 100 ducats from the legacy of Antonio Foscarini, provided in his Will, on the eve of the execution for Sarpi's prayers.