 His acquisition, though his wife's dowry, of personal estates on the mainland under the vassalage of the emperor made him look like a mainland feudal lord, which was alien to the Venetians.His living isolated from the people with a bodyguard of mercenaries hired from his mainland possessions and his manoeuvring to acquire family control of the top of the church made him all-powerful.When he asked the Venetians to help him to defend his personal interests in the Ferrara area, the rebellion broke out.