The Barbarigo were a patrician, noble Venetian family, whose members had an important role in the history of the Republic of Venice.

The family originated from the Istrian area (according to the tradition, their ancestral place was Muggia, near Trieste).

Also according to the family legend, in 880 AD one Arrigo won a battle against Saracen pirates and returned victoriously home with the beards (barba in Italian) of the defeated enemies, thus originating the family name Barbarigo and the coat of arms, representing six beards.

His reign was so short due to a fatal wrangle he had during a senate meeting with his brother and successor, Agostino.

Agostino Barbarigo reigned from 1486 until 1501, the period in which Catherine Cornaro, queen of Cyprus, donated her kingdom to Venice.