Domenico Selvo

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Domenico Selvo or Silvo (died 1087) was Doge of Venice from 1071 to 1084.

Selvo, belonging to noble family of allegedly ancient Roman origin, had been a ducal counsellor and ambassador for Emperor Henry III, and had married Teodora, daughter of Byzantine Emperor Constantine X and sister of Michael VII. During the funeral of Domenico Contarini, he was acclaimed doge by the Venetian populace (Spring of 1071). His election is the first of which a written report exists.

Selvo was a member of the philo-imperial party, indirectly supporting Henry IV in his Investiture Controversy against the Papacy. Further attrition with Pope Gregory VII was created when he sent a fleet to aid Alexios I Komnenos in the siege of Durazzo, against the Normans of Apulia, then the most powerful Papal vassals.

The Norman fleet besieging the imperial city was routed, and Selvo received the hereditary title of prothosebastos in exchange. He also managed to obtain by the emperor the Golden Bull, probably the most important document for the future economical and political expansion of Venice in the eastern Mediterranean. By it, Venice received total exemption of taxes in all Byzantines markets, as well as an entire quarter in Constantinople. This important result was not overshadowed by the subsequent capture of a whole Venetian fleet by the Normans at Corfù (October 1084), led by Selvo's son, Domenico, who was captured and died in prison.

However, when news of the disaster spred in Venice, a popular revolt broke out, spurred by the ducal counsellor Vitale Faliero. Domenico Selvo was overthrown, and forced to flee into a monastery.

He died three years later, and was buried in the loggiato of St. Mark's Basilica.