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The Zeno Brothers
Carlo the hero, and two who might have gone to America
The illustrious Zeno (or Zen) family made its fortune by transporting Crusaders to the Holy Land, but then achieved fame as well when Marin Zeno took part in the capture of Constantinople and served as the first governor of the Venetian section of the city. His son Ranier was elected doge, and the doge's grandson Pietro 'the Dragon' served as an admiral against the Turks. And Pietro had three sons.
The most factually famous one was Carlo 'the Lion' (1333 – 1418). Carlo had been promised to the priesthood, but instead lived a dissolute life in Padua before joining up with a band of mercenaries in the Aegean.
He eventually rose through the ranks to become a wealthy merchant in Constantinople and the captain of the Venetian colony of Negroponte (Evia), complete with a fleet of galleys he used to harry the Turks.
When, after a long delay, he finally received his orders from Senate to return to Venice, it was on January 1, 1380–just in the nick of time to save the city in the Battle of Chioggia.
Images by PD Art, Vaghestelledellorsa, P Steffan -CC License