Giacomo Contarini (1456–1498)

Giacomo Contarini (1456–1498) was a Venetian patrician and diplomat.

Contarini was born in Venice in 1456. He was a scion of the Contarini and Gritti [it] families, the son of Ambrogio di Nicolò Contarini and Andriana di Andrea Gritti. He studied philosophy and law. Girolamo Priuli praises him as a "most learned man". Marco Barbaro calls him a "writer", but none of his writings are known.^[1]

Contarini was elected ambassador to Spain on 24 February 1496. On 8 June, he received a formal commission that included extending the republic's congratulations to King Manuel I of Portugal on his marriage to Isabella of Aragon. He arrived in Spain on 31 October.^[1] According to Marino Sanuto the Younger, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella met him a Torres Vedras, knighted him and presented him with a black and white "civet" (zibeta or gazela).^[1][2][3] This embassy is also recorded by Damião de Góis.^[3] Contarini's main goal was to prevent Spain from reaching a peace agreement with France in the First Italian War. In this he was unsuccessful. Having fallen ill, he was authorized to leave Spain on 11 October 1497.^[1] In November, Spain and France reached an agreement dividing Italy between themselves.^[4]

Contarini returned to Venice on 9 June 1498 and died there a few months later, after making his report to the Venetian Senate. He was buried in Santo Stefano. His will, dated 1 June 1496, left everything to his brothers and sisters.^[1]