Map of Italy showing where the Sanudo arms are recorded
The Sanudo arms were recorded in Venice, c. 1775.
Venice ran on trade, and its great families were merchants before they were anything else. The city kept a formal list of its noble houses, and a name on that list carried arms as a matter of record.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Italy in this period.
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
Sovereign of the period
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
1763–1778
Reigning in Italy when the Sanudo arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Italy
In the Italian states, coats of arms were often used by noble families to show their status and history. These symbols were passed down through the generations to all legitimate male descendants. Younger branches of a family usually kept the original design but sometimes added small changes to distinguish their specific line from the main branch.
Granting authority
Various local rulers and city governments controlled the use of coats of arms across the different Italian states.
How they got arms
Families often assumed their own arms or received them as official grants from local lords, popes, or city councils.
Where arms were recorded
Arms were recorded in local city archives or private family books rather than in one single national register.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Venice.
Origin & History of the Sanudo Family in Italy
The Sanudo family stands as one of the most prominent noble lineages in the history of Venice. Their presence in the city dates back to the very early centuries of the Venetian Republic, where they established themselves as influential members of the Great Council. Throughout the Middle Ages, the family played a vital role in the expansion of Venetian maritime power, particularly through their involvement in the governance of the Duchy of the Archipelago in the Aegean Sea. By the time the family was firmly documented in the late 18th century, they had already built a reputation as dedicated chroniclers and scholars. Their legacy is perhaps best preserved through the extensive diaries of Marino Sanudo the Younger, which provide a detailed look at the political and social life of Venice during the Renaissance. This commitment to documenting their city ensured that the Sanudo name remained deeply connected to the historical identity of Venice for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Sanctus
Latin term meaning holy, sacred, or saintly.
This name
SanudoDerived from a diminutive form of saint, likely referring to a pious individual.
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Sanudo, Marino, I diarii di Marino Sanuto, 1879
Lane, Frederic C., Venice, A Maritime Republic, 1973
Stahl, Alan M., Zecca: The Mint of Venice in the Middle Ages, 2000
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Archivio Sanudo-Trivulzan
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
