Alvise Foscari
Alvise Foscari (Venice, 3 August 1724 – Cephalonia, 27/28 December 1783) was a Venetian nobleman, naval officer, and administrator. Life Alvise Foscari was born on 3 August 1724 as the third son of Alvise Foscari and Marta Dal Poggio. From his father, he belonged to the San Simeon Piccolo branch of the Foscari, one of the most distinguished families of the Venetian patriciate, while his mother was not of noble birth, but came from a burgher family. The family wealth having much declined, Alvise chose to follow a career in the Venetian navy, entering service on 4 May 1743 as a gentleman cadet (). The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) was raging at the time, and while the Republic of Venice was neutral in the conflict, the Republic maintained a galley fleet that patrolled the Adriatic Sea. This was Foscari's first posting, and it was in this service that, on 13 December 1747, he received promotion to captain of a ship (). After the end of the war and the ensuing demobilization, he served in various shore duties, including in the Arsenal of Venice (24 June 1753 – 23 February 1756), but also in non-naval posts such as a