Bernabò Visconti Bernabò or Barnabò Visconti (1323 – 18 December 1385 1385)) was was an Italian soldier soldier and statesma statesman, n, who was Lord of Milan. Milan.
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through the mediation of King John King John II of France. France. However, having Barnabò neglected to return the papal city of Bologna and to presen presentt himse himself lf at Avignon, Avignon, o n 4 March 1363 he was excommunicated once more, [1] together with his children, one of whom, Ambrogio Ambrogio,, was captu captured red by the Papal Papal comma command nder er Gil de Al Albor borno nozz. With the peace signed on 13 March 1364, Visconti left the occupied cupied Papal lands, in exchange exchange for for the raising of the ban upon a payment of 500,000 florins 500,000 florins..
Life
He was born in Milan in Milan,, the son of Stefano of Stefano Visconti and Visconti and Valentina Doria Valentina Doria.. From 1346 1346 to 1349 he lived lived in exile, exile, until he was called back by his uncle Giovanni Visconti. Visconti. On 27 Septem Septembe berr 1350 1350 Berna Bernabò bò marri married ed Beatrice Regina della Scala, Scala, daughter of Mastino of Mastino II, II, Lord of Verona of Verona and and Taddea da Taddea da Carrara, Carrara, and forged both a political and cultural alliance alliance between between the two cities. cities. His intrigues intrigues and ambitions ambitions kept him at war almost continuously continuously with Pope with Pope Urban V, V, the Florentines, Venice and Savoy. In 1354, at the death of Giovanni, he inherited the power of Milan, together together with his brothers brothers Matteo and Galeazzo Galeazzo.. Bernabò received the eastern lands (Bergamo ( Bergamo,, Brescia Brescia,, Cremona and Crema and Crema), ), that bordered the Veronese Veronese territories. territories. Milan itself was to be ruled in turn by the three brothers. The vicious Matteo was murdered in 1355 at the order of his brothers, who divided his inheritance between them.
In spring spring 1368 Visconti Visconti allied with Cansignorio Cansignorio della Scala of Verona, Verona, and attacked attacked Mantua, Mantua, still still ruled ruled by Ugolino Gonzaga. Gonzaga. The situati situation on was settled settled later in the year through an agreement between him and emperor. Two Two years years later later he besi besieg eged ed Reggio Reggio,, whic which h he mana manage ged d to acquir acquiree from Gonzaga Gonzaga in 1371. The follo ollowing wing war against against the Este of Modenaand Modenaand Ferra Ferrara ra raised raised agai again n Papal Papal enmity enmity against the Milanese, now on the part of Gregory of Gregory XI. XI. In 1370, he ordered the construction of the Trezzo Bridge, Bridge, then the largest single-arch bridge in the world. In 1373, the pope sent two papal delegates to serve Bernabò and Galeazzo Galeazzo their their excomm excommunic unicatio ation n papers papers (consis (consistting of a parchment parchment bearing a leaden seal rolled in a silken cord). cord). Bernabò, Bernabò, infuriate infuriated, d, placed placed the two papal deledelegates under arrest and refused refused their release until they had eaten the parchment, seal, and silken cord which they had served him.[2] He managed to resist, despite also the outbreak of a plague in Milan, whose consequences he suppressed with frantic frantic energy. energy.[3] In 1378 he allied with the Republic of Venice in Venice in its War its War of Chioggia against Chioggia against Genoa. His troops were however defeated in September 1379 in the Val Bisagno. Berna Bernabò, bò, whose whose desp despoti otism sm and taxes taxes had enrag enraged ed the Milanese — he is featured among the exempla of tyrants as victims of Fortune in Chaucer's Chaucer's[4] Monk’s Tale as “god of delit and scourge of Lumbardye” — was deposed by his nephew Gian nephew Gian Galeazzo Visconti in Visconti in 1385. Imprisoned in the castle of Trezzo of Trezzo,, he was poisoned in December of that year.
Equestrian statue of Bernabò Visconti in the the Castello Sforzesco , Milan.. Milan
In 1356, after having offended the emperor, he pushed back back a first first attac attack k upon upon Milan Milan by the imperia imperiall vicar vicar Markward von Randeck, Randeck, imprisoning imprisoning him. him. In 1360 he was declared heretic by Innocent by Innocent VI at VI at Avignon and condemned by Emperor Charles Charles IV IV.. The ensuing ensuing conflict conflict ended ended with a dismayi dismaying ng defeat defeat at San Ruffillo Ruffillo agains againstt the imperial troops under Galeotto under Galeotto I Malatesta (29 Malatesta (29 July 1361). 1361). In 1362, after the death of his sister’s sister’s husband husband,, Ugolino Ug olino Gonzaga Gonzaga,, cause caused d him to attac attack k also also Mantua. Mantua. Warring on several different fronts, in December of that year he sued for peace with the new pope, Urban V, V,
The funerary monument of Bernabò Visconti, with an equestrian statue, together with that of his consort, had been been made made bef beforeh orehand and,, in 1363. The The scul sculptu pture ress by Bonino da Campione Campione were intended for the church of San Giovanni in Conca. Conca. They They now stand stand in the Castello the Castello Sforzesco in Sforzesco in Milan.
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CHILDREN
8. Caterina Visconti, Duchess of Milan (1361–17 October 1404), married on 2 October 1380 as his second wife, Gian Galeazzo Visconti 1st Duke of Milan, by whom she had two sons, Gian Maria Visconti, 2nd Duke of Milan; and Filippo Maria Visconti, 3rd Duke of Milan, who fathered Bianca Maria Visconti by his mistress Agnese del Maino. 9. Agnese Visconti (1362–1391), married in 1380 Francesco I Gonzaga, by whom she had one daughter. Agnes was executed for alleged adultery. 10. Antonia Visconti (died 26 March 1405), married Eberhard III, Count of Wurttemberg, by whom she had three sons. 11. Mastino Visconti (died 1404), married Antonia della Scala (died 1400), daughter of Cangrande II.
Bernabò and his wife, Beatrice
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Children
Bernabò was an ally of Stephen II, Duke of Bavaria: three of his daughters were married with Stephen’s descendants. He had 17 legitimate children with his wife: 1. Taddea Visconti, Duchess of Bavaria (1351–28 September 1381), married on 13 October 1364 Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria, by whom she had three children including Isabeau of Bavaria, Queen consort of King Charles VI of France
12. Maddalena Visconti (1366 – 17 July 1404), married Frederick, Duke of Bavaria, by whom she had five children including Henry XVI of Bavaria 13. Aymonette Visconti, married Louis I de Berton des Balbes 14. Anglesia Visconti (died 12 October 1439), in January 1400 married King Janus of Cyprus, but the marriage was childless and was dissolved 1407/1409; he married in 1411 as his second wife, Charlotte de Bourbon-La Marche by whom he had six children. 15. Giammastino Visconti (1370 – 19 June 1405), married Cleofa della Scala (died 1403), by whom he had three children. She was the daughter of Cangrande II.
2. Viridis Visconti (1352–1414), married Leopold III, Duke of Inner Austria, by whom she had six children.
16. Lucia Visconti (1372 – 14 April 1424), married Edmund Holland, 4th Earl of Kent, the marriage was childless.
3. Marco Visconti (November 1353–1382), married Elisabeth of Bavaria 4. Rodolfo Visconti, Lord of Parma (1358–1388)
17. Elisabetta Visconti (1374 – 2 February 1432), married on 26 January 1395 Ernest, Duke of Bavaria, by whom she had five children including Albert III, Duke of Bavaria.
5. Ludovico Visconti (1358–7 March 1404), married Violante Visconti, widow of Lionel of Antwerp. They had a son, Giovanni, who left descendants.
His illegitimate offspring by Donnina del Porri, legitimated in a ceremonyafter the death of his wife in 1384,[5] were as follows:
6. Carlo Visconti (September 1359–August 1403), married Beatrice of Armagnac, daughter of John II, Count of Armagnac and Jeanne de Périgord, by whom he had four children. 7. Valentina Visconti (1360–1393), married firstly in 1378, King Peter II of Cyprus, by whom she had one daughter who died in early infancy; she married secondly, Galeazzo, Count of Virtù
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Palamede (d. 1402).
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Lancelloto.
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Sovrana, married Giovanni da Prato.
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Ginevra, married Leonardo Malaspina (d. 1441).
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Enrica, married Franchino Rusca.
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In addition, Bernabò had other illegitimate offspring by other mistresses:[6] —With Beltramola Grassi: •
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Ambrogio (1343 – killed in battle Caprino Bergamasco, 17 August 1373), condottiero and Governor of Pavia. Isotta (d. 1388), married in 1378 to Count Lutz von Landau, condottiero under the name of Lucio Land (d. 1398). Ettore (d. 1413), who briefly took the Lordship of Milan (16 May – 12 June 1412), married Margherita Infrascati. Riccarda, married Bernard, Seigneur de La Salle (d. 1391).
—With Montanina de Lazzari: •
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Sagramoro (d. 1385), Lord of Brignano, married Achiletta Marliani. Donnina (1360–1406), married in 1377 to Sir John Hawkwood.
—With Giovanolla Montebretto: •
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Valentia, married Antonio Gentile Visconti, Lord of Belgioioso.
Bibliography •
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Bernarda (d. 1376), married Giovanni Suardi.
Pizzagalli, Daniela (1994). Bernabò Visconti . Milan: Rusconi.
Footnotes
[1] George L. Williams, Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes , (McFarland and Company Inc., 1998), 34. [2] For this, see Irving Wallace, David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace, The Book of Lists2 (1980), Ealing, London, Elm Tree, 1980 and Corgi, 1981. ISBN 0-552-11681-5 ; p 147, although here it says the incident occurred in 1370. [3] For his plague regulations for Milan, see Rosemary Horrox, The Black Death(1994) III.65, p 203. [4] Chaucer had been sent to Lombardy in 1378 on behalf of the young King Richard II to seek the support of Bernabò and Sir John Hawkwood on behalf of the English war effort against France. His epistola metrica III.29 was tacitly addressed to Bernabò (Ernest H. Wilkings, The 'Epistolae Metricae' of Petrarch, (Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura), p. 11.
[5] " Bernabò Visconti seems to have gone through some sort of marriage ceremony to legitimate his children by Donnina del Porri” (H.S. Ettlinger, “Visibilis et Invisibilis: The Mistress in Italian Renaissance Court Society”, Renaissance Quarterly, 1994. [6] Marek, Miroslav. “Complete Genealogy of the House of Visconti”. Genealogy.EU.
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Biography (Italian)
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TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
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Text Bernabò Visconti Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernab%C3%B2_Visconti?oldid=660476897 Contributors: Paul Barlow, Joy, HarryHenryGebel, Wetman, Dimadick, Polylerus, Civvi~enwiki, Raymond, Woohookitty, FeanorStar7, Tabletop, FlaBot, JdforresterBot, Jaraalbe, YurikBot, Attilios, SmackBot, Srnec, Mona, Gogafax, Euchiasmus, Cydebot, Alaibot, Thijs!bot, Mt99lp, Yuval Y, Luna Santin, Aldebaran69, Gcm, MrMcK, Simon Peter Hughes, Gun Powder Ma, Johnpacklambert, Kansas Bear, Caspian blue, Kyle the bot, Daufer, SE7, ImageRemovalBot, Worobiew, Niceguyedc, EstherLois, Mt.1984, RogDel, Addbot, Jeanne boleyn, Lightbot, Luckas-bot, Daaviiid, Againme, LlywelynII, Ulric1313, Buchraeumer, Thehelpfulbot, Christopher1968, Full-date unlinking bot, RjwilmsiBot, EmausBot, WikitanvirBot, Peaceray, ZéroBot, PBS-AWB, SporkBot, LoveActresses, YFdyh-bot, VIAFbot, LCS check, KasparBot and Anonymous: 22
Images File:Bernabò_e_Beatrice_Visconti.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Bernab%C3%B2_e_Beatrice_ Visconti.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Transferred from it.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Yuval Y using CommonsHelper . (Original text : http://www.kleio.org/de/geschichte/stammtafeln/sforza/Andrea1a.html ) Original artist: Original uploader was Coralba11 at it.wikipedia
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File:Coat_of_arms_of_the_House_of_Visconti_(1277).svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Coat_of_ arms_of_the_House_of_Visconti_%281277%29.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Image:3948 - Milano - Palazzo della Ragione - Stemmi G.G. Orsini, F. Archinto e Visconti - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto 9-July.2007.jpg Original artist: F l a n k e r
File:Milano_-_Castello_sforzesco_-_Bonino_da_Campione_(sec._XIV)_-_Tomba_Bernabò_Visconti_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall' Orto_-_6-1-2007_-_08.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Milano_-_Castello_sforzesco_-_Bonino_ da_Campione_%28sec._XIV%29_-_Tomba_Bernab%C3%B2_Visconti_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall%27Orto_-_6-1-2007_-_08.jpg License: Attribution Contributors: Own work Original artist: G.dallorto File:Visconti,_Barnabò.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Visconti%2C_Barnab%C3%B2.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
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