Chapter I

“To the Lagunes!”--The dreaded Huns--Aquileia la
Bella--Adriana the Heroine--La Maga Irene--Degna
D’Aquileia--Viragoes--Hawsers of Women’s
Hair--_Venezia Seconda_--Longobards--Altino and the
Storks--The first Doge of Eraclea--Early Dress and
Manners--Charlemagne--The first Dogaressa--Rivo-Alto
Parent of Venice--Agnello and Elena Badoero--First Makers
of Venice--Houses--Customs--Love of Flowers--First
Ducal Palace--Translation of St Mark’s Body--Basilica
of San Marco Built--Doges and Dogaresses enter
Religion--Position of Women--Lovers--The _Pegne_--Marriage
Ceremonies--_Arcelle_--Legend of “La Boccola”--Festa
delle Marie--A Slave Dogaressa--The Rape of the
Brides--A low-born Mistress--Proud Valdrada da
Toscana--A Rich Dowry--Slaves--Athletic Sports--Fire
at the Palace--Assassination of Doge Pietro Candiano
IV.--Valdrada’s Vengeance--The Love-story of Gerardo Guoro
and Elena Candiano 1–41

CHAPTER II.

Legends--St Pietro Orseolo--The Pala D’Oro--A Hard
Biscuit--“Good” Dogaressa Felicia--Dress of the
Nobles--Light Blue--_Ninzioletti_--“A Stupid Man”--Seven
Sisters--An Amorous Gondolier--A Diplomatic Marriage--The
Princess Maria--The Flag of Venice--A Laurel-crowned
Dogaressa--“Venice wants for Nothing!”--Dogaressa
Teodora--A Splendid Court--Greek Menus--An Exquisite
Toilet--The Crusades--The Last of the Giustiniani--A
Nun’s Devotion--“A Miracle of Probity!”--Relics of
the Saints--The “Bigots”--Tragic death of Doge Vitale
Michielo--The Pope and the Emperor in Venice--The
“_Bucintoro_”--“The Marriage of the Sea”--Sports
Clubs--The Dogal Regalia--Prices current--“The Grand Old
Man of Venice”--The Oriflamme of San Marco--Many Widows in
Venice--“_Venus Calva_” 42–83

CHAPTER III.

The Legend of the Coral Net--Origin of Venetian
Point-Lace--The _Fragilie_ or Guilds--Dogaressa Maria
Baseggio’s son torn to pieces--A terrible Earthquake--A
Year of Jubilee--The _Marca Amorosa_--War of the
Gallants--Marriage--The Pledge of Peace--Dogal
Prerogatives curtailed--Vision of Rose-trees and
Doves--The “Flagellants”--Marriage Customs--Madonna
Catarussa and the Seller of Brooms--Picnics--A Table
of Etiquette--_La Donna della Misericordia_--The
Dogaressas-Patroness of the Crafts--A Sumptuous
Coronation--The _Ca’ Di Dio_--Prosperous Times--The
Dogaressa’s Wardrobe--An Autocratic Doge--State
Robes--The Bridge of Fisticuffs--The Castellani and
Nicolotti--The Gaiety of Life--The Sweet Legend of “La
Beata”--Strange Devotions--Revolutionary Movements
and Conspiracies--Giustina Rossi and her stone pan of
Carnations 84–125

CHAPTER IV.

“A Galley full of Demons!”--The Legend of “The Fisherman
and the Ring”--Doge Zorzi Il Santo--Dogaressa Franchesina
“Queen of Venice”--The pathetic Story of Soranza
Soranzo-Querino--A _Corno_ for the Dogaressa--The Solemn
Entry of Dogaressa Elisabetta--Brides of Stuff and
Wood--Sumptuary Laws and Bridal Trousseaux--The _Calar
Stola_--The Genesis of Venetian Painters--A learned
Doge--Infatuation for Isabella de’ Fieschi--The Black
Death--Francesco Petrarch--Marino Faliero--Michele
Steno’s Insult--The Conspiracy--“The Doge never
lies!”--Broken-hearted Dogaressa Aloycia--Frate Paolino
on “Woman’s Influence”--Platonic Ideas--Courtesans--The
Story of Veneranda Porta--The _Bravi_--A Dowdy
Dogaressa--“Slippers, Cabbages and Night-caps!”--Alvise
Venier’s Escapade--A Venetian “Brutus”--A Poetic Prophecy 126–166

CHAPTER V.

The Zenith of the Dogaressa--A grand religious
Function--The Ritual--Dogaressa Marina Galina-Steno’s
“_Gran Mercè_”--Venice the Conqueror--_Compagnia della
Calza_--_Cacci del Toro_--Sumptuous Dresses--Wooden
Pattens--_Zelve_--Pageants--_Uno Balordo_--A Doge
with an Iron Will--A Disputed Election--A Brave
Dogaressa--The Tragedy of Giacomo Foscari--The
longest _Dogado_--Quaint Wedding-customs--A Leg of
Mutton--A Magnificent Trousseau--Torture and Exile--A
Bitter Enemy--“He has Paid the Debt!”--An injured
Dogaressa--Dogaressa Giovanna Dandolo-Malipiero,
Patroness of Printing and Lace-making--The First
Published Book--_Buranelle_--Patriarchal Doges and
Dogaressas--Cheapness--Young Cavaliers’ Long Hair--Good
Dogaressa Cristina Sanudo-Moro--An Opulent Doge--Dogaressa
Dea--“The Venus of the Century!”--Who was Donna Laura
Nogarola? 167–209