Marco Venieri

The Marchese Marco Venieri was given command of the Greek island of Kythera in 1204, during the Fourth Crusade. He claimed a family descent from Aphrodite under her other name, Venus.

The Venieri gallantly but vainly defended the island of Paros against the massive onslaght of the Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1537. The ruins of their castle are still to be seen on Paros' hill of Kephalos.

In 1571, the year of the great naval battle in Nafpaktos (the Battle of Lepanto, October 7, 1571), the Venieri donated a number of galleons to the western allies.

Although the main branch of the family lived in Crete, it held control of Kythera until the Campoformio Convention of 1797.

The family spread over the Aegean region, holding power in many other islands including Mykonos.

Some of his descendants are: the Greek artist Lydia Venieri, the Greek-Canadian architect Constantine Venieris, and the Greek actress of late '80s Irene Venieri