Foscari, Francesco

( fos - kar'e,) a doge of Venice, who, in 1416, was named procurator of St. Mark's, and in 1423 was elected doge. His son Giacopo, being accused of ordering the a a ination of a senator Donati, the enemies of the family created such commotion in the state, that, unable to clear himself to their satisfaction of the charge, he was banished from the city, the father having to ratify the sentence. Love of his country, and devotion to his wife, compelled the banished Foscari at all hazards to revisit his beloved Venice, where, being discovered by his enemies, he was denounced, again made prisoner, put to the question of the rack, and a second time banished, dying soon after of his wounds, or the torments of his secret punishment, and of grief at separation from his idolized family. The fate of the son had such an effect on the doge that the bereaved father went mad, in which state the enemies of his family compelled him to abdicate. He died three days after in a spasm, upon hearing the bells of St. Mark's announce to Venice the election of a new ruler. Byron has written on the subject a tragedy entitled The Two Foscari. Fo ombro'ne, (anc. Forum Sempronii ,) a town of central Italy, prov. Urbino, on the Metauro, in a fertile district, 7 m. E.S.E. of Urbino. Manuf . Silk, said to be the finest in Italy. Near this town was fought, 194 в.с., the great battle between the Cart hag in i ans under Asdrubal, the brother of Hannibal, and the Romans, in which the former were totally defeated, and their general killed. This victory decided the long contested struggle between the two powers. Pop . 7,227.