“ Tommaso greatly encouraged commerce, reconstructed the ducal palace and commenced the library. Pietro Mocinego, doge from 1474 to 1476, was one of the greatest Venetian admirals, and revived the fortunes of his country’s navy, which had fallen very low after the defeat at Negropont in 1470. In 1472 he captured and destroyed Smyrna; the following year he placed Catherine Cornaro, queen of Cyprus, under Venetian protection, and by that means the republic obtained possession of the island in 1475. ”

“ He then defeated the Turks who were besieging Scutari, but he there contracted an illness of which he died. Giovanni Mocinego, Pietro’s brother, who was doge from 1478 to 1485, fought against Mohammed II. and Ercole I., duke of Ferrara, from whom he recaptured Rovigo and the Polesine. ”