Lodovico di Campofregoso
Encyclopedia
Lodovico di Campofregoso (1415 – 1489) was an Italian nobleman who was three times doge of Genoa
.
. He studied under humanist Bartolomeo Ivani, who later was also educator of his sons. His first military command took place in 1437 when his uncle, doge Tommaso di Campofregoso, sent him to fight the Del Carretto marquisses in the Riviera di Ponente and the lower Piedmont
. Later appointed as captain of the Republic of Genoa
, he was charged the suppression of the Hussite
s and Waldensians.
In 1447, when Giano was elected doge, he held diplomatic positions in the court of Alfonso V of Aragon
at Naples
and in Rome
. Here, pope Nicholas V (also of Ligurian origins) appointed him as Lord of Corsica
after the island has been completely subjugated to Genoa with the papal approval. Nicholas also gave him the lordship of Cyprus
, where Lodovico sojourned for a period. In 1488 he returned to Genoa to assist his ill brother. At the latter's death, on 16 December, Lodovico was elected as doge.
During his first rule, he ended the conflict with the Marquisate of Finale
. In September 1450, he abdicated in favor of his cousin Paolo di Campofregoso
, and moved to the fortress of Sarzanello near Sarzana
. In July 1461, he succeeded as doge to his cousin Spinetta di Campofregoso, and received the fortress of Castelletto
. However, contrasts with his cousin Paolo (now archbishop of Genoa) caused him to renounce to the crown of doge on 14 May 1462, being succeeded by Paolo the same day. On 8 June of that year he was again doge in place of Paolo, but the endless strife led to his second abdication, after which Paolo had him arrested at Castelletto, which he was also forced to surrender to the cousin.
In 1468 he ceded Sarzana to the Republic of Florence
, causing, in the following years, numerous struggles between the Florentine and the Genoese for its possession. Having become an admiral of Ferdinand II of Aragon
, in 1478 he returned to Genoa at the head of a fleet of seven galleys to help freeing the city from Gian Galeazzo Sforza
's domination. He spent the last years of his life as a refugee in Nice
, where he died in 1489.
Doge of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa, in what is now northern Italy, was technically a communal republic in the early Middle Ages, although it was actually an oligarchy ruled by a small group of merchant families, from whom were selected the Doges of Genoa.- History :...
.
Biography
The son of Bartolomeo di Campofregoso and Caterina Ordelaffi, he was the brother of Giano I di CampofregosoGiano I di Campofregoso
Giano I di Campofregoso was doge of Genoa from January 1447 until his death....
. He studied under humanist Bartolomeo Ivani, who later was also educator of his sons. His first military command took place in 1437 when his uncle, doge Tommaso di Campofregoso, sent him to fight the Del Carretto marquisses in the Riviera di Ponente and the lower Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. Later appointed as captain of the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
, he was charged the suppression of the Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
s and Waldensians.
In 1447, when Giano was elected doge, he held diplomatic positions in the court of Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous KG was the King of Aragon , Valencia , Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica , and Sicily and Count of Barcelona from 1416 and King of Naples from 1442 until his death...
at Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Here, pope Nicholas V (also of Ligurian origins) appointed him as Lord of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
after the island has been completely subjugated to Genoa with the papal approval. Nicholas also gave him the lordship of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, where Lodovico sojourned for a period. In 1488 he returned to Genoa to assist his ill brother. At the latter's death, on 16 December, Lodovico was elected as doge.
During his first rule, he ended the conflict with the Marquisate of Finale
Marquisate of Finale
The Marquisate of Finale was an Italian state in what is now Liguria, part of the former medieval Aleramici March. It was ruled for some six centuries by the Aleramici branch known as marquesses del Vasto and later Del Carretto, when Savona became a free commune.-History:The marquisate of Finale...
. In September 1450, he abdicated in favor of his cousin Paolo di Campofregoso
Paolo di Campofregoso
Paolo di Campofregoso was an Italian Catholic archbishop who was four times doge of Genoa.-Biography:The son of doge Battista I Campofregoso, he was convinced by Pope Nicholas V to study ecclesiastical matters at Pavia...
, and moved to the fortress of Sarzanello near Sarzana
Sarzana
Sarzana is a town and comune in the Province of La Spezia, of Liguria, Italy, 15 km east of Spezia, on the railway to Pisa, at the point where the railway to Parma diverges to the north...
. In July 1461, he succeeded as doge to his cousin Spinetta di Campofregoso, and received the fortress of Castelletto
Castelletto
Castelletto is the name of a number of places in Italy:* Castelletto Cervo, province of Biella* Castelletto d'Erro, province of Alessandria* Castelletto di Branduzzo, province of Pavia* Castelletto d'Orba, province of Alessandria...
. However, contrasts with his cousin Paolo (now archbishop of Genoa) caused him to renounce to the crown of doge on 14 May 1462, being succeeded by Paolo the same day. On 8 June of that year he was again doge in place of Paolo, but the endless strife led to his second abdication, after which Paolo had him arrested at Castelletto, which he was also forced to surrender to the cousin.
In 1468 he ceded Sarzana to the Republic of Florence
Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence , or the Florentine Republic, was a city-state that was centered on the city of Florence, located in modern Tuscany, Italy. The republic was founded in 1115, when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon Margravine Matilda's death. The...
, causing, in the following years, numerous struggles between the Florentine and the Genoese for its possession. Having become an admiral of Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
, in 1478 he returned to Genoa at the head of a fleet of seven galleys to help freeing the city from Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Gian Galeazzo Sforza was the sixth Duke of Milan.Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only 7 years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and Gian Galeazzo became the Duke of Milan...
's domination. He spent the last years of his life as a refugee in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, where he died in 1489.
External links
- The Republic of Genoa, rulers retrieved 3 May 2008
- Campofregoso Dogi (Italian) retrieved 3 May 2008