He was born six weeks after the death of his father, succeeded him as an infant, and thus needed a regency during his minority.
[1] When Niccolo died, Francesca Morosini, the archbishop and the Naxians elected his son Francesco in his place in the regency and successfully asked Venice to ratify it.
In accordance with the marriage contract of his paternal aunt Adriana Crispo, spouse of Domenico Sommaripa of Andros, she would succeed her brother if he died without heirs, making her the legal heir of her nephew.
[3] However the late duke's cousin Francesco of Santorin, and grand-uncle William II, both wanted to succeed themselves and contested the rights of Adriana by applying the Salic Law, and it was the latter of the three candidates who was given the support of Venice, who wished to avoid civil war because of the Ottoman threat.
[4] In the agreement, William II, who had a daughter but now son, would also make his male contestant Francesco of Santorin his heir in Naxos, while his daughter would inherit his fief Anaphe; Adriana Crispo would have the support and protection of his fleet in a time when the Greek island were plagued by Corsairs.