Francesco Foscari held the dogeship for 34 years — the longest reign of any Venetian doge — yet spent much of it prosecuting the ruinous Wars of Lombardy against Milan's Visconti dynasty. The drain on the treasury was significant enough that monetary output from his reign shows considerable variation in silver fineness as the Republic adjusted to war expenditure. Foscari was ultimately deposed by the Council of Ten in 1457, the only doge ever forcibly removed from office, dying just days after his forced abdication.
Francesco Foscari held the dogeship for 34 years — the longest reign of any Venetian doge — yet spent much of it prosecuting the ruinous Wars of Lombardy against Milan's Visconti dynasty. The drain on the treasury was significant enough that monetary output from his reign shows considerable variation in silver fineness as the Republic adjusted to war expenditure. Foscari was ultimately deposed by the Council of Ten in 1457, the only doge ever forcibly removed from office, dying just days after his forced abdication.