[1] He was a prominent opponent of the oligarchical party in the revolution which took place on the approach of Napoleon and ended the Republic of Venice; and he was one of the envoys sent to seek the protection of the French.

When the request was refused, and Venice was placed under Austria in the Treaty of Campo Formio, he removed to Milan, where he was made member of the great council.

In 1799, on the invasion of the Russians and the overthrow of the Cisalpine republic, Dandolo retired to Paris, where, in the same year, he published his treatise Les Hommes nouveaux, d'opérer une régénération nouvelle.

[1] In 1805 Napoleon made him governor of Dalmatia, with the title of provéditeur général, in which position Dandolo distinguished himself by his efforts to remove the wretchedness and idleness of the people, and to improve the country by draining the pestilential marshes and introducing better methods of agriculture.

When, in 1809, Dalmatia was re-annexed to the Illyrian provinces, Dandolo returned to Venice, having received as his reward from the French emperor the title of count and several other distinctions.