Michele Steno

Michele Steno (c. 1331–1413) was the doge under whom Venice began to expand onto the Italian mainland. In 1354 he was jailed for insulting Doge Marino Faliero; legend later made the jibe the spark of Faliero's conspiracy. Blamed in part for the defeat at Pula in the War of Chioggia (1379), he recovered and in 1386 became Procurator of Saint Mark.

In 1398–1400 he negotiated peace with Gian Galeazzo Visconti, and on 1 December 1400 he was elected doge. After Visconti's death in 1402, Vicenza, Verona and other Veneto towns submitted to Venice, and the war of 1404–1405 ended Carrara rule in Padua.

Dalmatia returned in 1409, bought from Naples. The last of the Steno line, he died on 26 December 1413 and was buried at Santa Marina.