Giovanni Visconti (archbishop of Milan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giovanni Visconti
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| Lord of Milan and Pavia Archbishop of Milan |
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| Coat of arms | .svg) |
| Born | 1290 |
| Died | 1354 |
| Buried | 1354 Milan Cathedral |
| Noble family | House of Visconti |
| Father | Matteo I Visconti |
| Mother | Bonacossa Borri |
| Occupation | Cardinal |
Giovanni Visconti (born 1290, died 1354) was an important Italian leader. He was a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. Giovanni also shared power in the city of Milan. He became the ruler of many other Italian cities. He was a strong military leader. He often fought against cities like Florence. He used his army to take control of new places.
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Giovanni's Early Life and Church Role
Giovanni Visconti was the son of Matteo I Visconti and Bonacossa Borri.
In 1317, Giovanni Visconti was chosen to be the archbishop of Milan. However, Pope John XXII did not agree with this choice. Instead, the Pope appointed someone else. In 1323, the Pope even removed Giovanni from the church. This was because Giovanni was accused of not following church rules.
Giovanni then found a friend in an antipope named Nicholas V. An antipope is someone who claims to be Pope but is not officially recognized. Nicholas V gave Giovanni the title of cardinal. In 1331, Giovanni became the bishop and ruler of Novara. In 1339, he finally entered Milan as its archbishop. Pope Clement VI officially confirmed him as archbishop in 1342. He served as Archbishop of Milan until 1354.
Becoming a Ruler in Milan
Giovanni Visconti shared power in Milan with his brother, Luchino. They bought this right from the Pope. It cost them 500,000 florins, which was a huge amount of money.
After Luchino's death in 1349, Giovanni took full control of Milan. He also brought in his nephews to help him rule. These nephews were the sons of his other brother, Stefano. Their names were Matteo II, Bernabò, and Galeazzo II.
Expanding Power and Influence
In 1350, Giovanni Visconti started to make his power stronger. He gained control over the city of Bologna. He put his nephew, Bernabò, in charge of Bologna in 1351.
Other cities, like Florence, became worried about Giovanni's growing power. In 1350, Florence tried to create an alliance against Milan. Giovanni knew about these plans. So, he made friends with leaders in Tuscany and Romagna. These leaders were part of a group called the Ghibellines. The Ghibellines were often rivals of the Guelphs, who were usually allied with Florence and the Pope. Giovanni also became friends with Cangrande II della Scala, the ruler of Verona.
Wars and Victories
In 1351, Giovanni Visconti sent his armies to attack the city of Imola. His nephew Bernabò led these troops. Giovanni made the people of Florence believe he had no plans to attack them. But then, he arrested many important citizens from Bologna. He made them confess to planning against him with Florence.
Giovanni used these confessions as a reason to start a war against Florence. He also fought against the Guelphs in Tuscany. Giovanni put another Visconti, Giovanni da Oleggio, in charge of his army. This army marched into Tuscany. They attacked and captured many towns and castles. Giovanni's Ghibelline friends also caused trouble in other parts of the region.
In 1352, Giovanni Visconti became the ruler of Genoa. The next year, in 1353, he added Novara to his lands. The famous poet Petrarch even visited Giovanni as his guest in 1353.
Giovanni Visconti died on October 5, 1354.
Gallery
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The House of Visconti coat of arms on the Archbishops' palace in Piazza Duomo bearing the initials (IO.<HANNES>) of the name of Archbishop Giovanni Visconti.
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Giovanni Visconti's tomb. The shared grave of Archbishops Ottone Visconti († 1295) and Giovanni Visconti is preserved inside the Milan Cathedral, Italy. It was sculpted by an anonymous Campionese master, and it originally stood in Santa Tecla church. A Latin poem is sculpted on it, signed by a Sabino de' Zamorei from Parma and dated 1354.
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