Rizzardo IV da Camino
Encyclopedia
Rizzardo IV da Camino was an Italian nobleman and military leader, a member of the da Camino
family and lord of Treviso
.
He was the son of Gherardo III da Camino
, first lord of Treviso from the family, and Alice da Vivaro. In 1295 he was created knight in Rovigo
by marquis Azzo VIII d'Este and was married to Catherine of Ortenburg
, a family with whom his father wanted to create commercial ties. In the 1280s he was frequently sent by his father in diplomatic missions to Friuli
and, in 1301, Rizzardo shared with his father the lordship of Treviso, succeeding him after his death in 1306.
In 1307 Rizzardo re-married to Giovanna Visconti
. Two years later, he forced the Patriarch of Aquileia
to flee to Venice
and then obtained from him the title of capitano generale of Friuli. However a revolt in Udine
had Rizzardo to flee in turn. Seeing his eastwards expansion had failed, he sided with the Ghibelline
party, gaining from emperor Henry VII
the title of Imperial Vicar. However, this deprived him of the support of the Venetian doge
and of the traditionally Guelph Trevisan nobility.
Rizzardo was also missing the administrative capabilities and the charisma of his father. On April 5, 1312, while playing chess, Rizzardo was fatally wounded in the loggia of his palace. Dante Alighieri
accused the city's nobles of the feat. Other sources call in the Padua
n nobility, the Veronese
leader Cangrande I della Scala
or even his brother and successor, Guecellone VII da Camino
.
Da Camino
The da Camino were an Italian noble family whose fame is connected to the medieval history of the March of Treviso, a city of which they were lords for a while.-History:...
family and lord of Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
.
He was the son of Gherardo III da Camino
Gherardo III da Camino
Gherardo III da Camino was an Italian feudal lord and military leader. He is generally considered the most outstanding member in the da Camino family.-Biography:...
, first lord of Treviso from the family, and Alice da Vivaro. In 1295 he was created knight in Rovigo
Rovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
by marquis Azzo VIII d'Este and was married to Catherine of Ortenburg
Ortenburg
Ortenburg is a municipality and old market town in the district of Passau in Bavaria in Germany.-History:Set in the Wolfach River valley, Ortenburg can look back over a 900 year history. In about 1120 it was established by the Princes of Ortenburg. At the same time the upwardly mobile von Kamm...
, a family with whom his father wanted to create commercial ties. In the 1280s he was frequently sent by his father in diplomatic missions to Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
and, in 1301, Rizzardo shared with his father the lordship of Treviso, succeeding him after his death in 1306.
In 1307 Rizzardo re-married to Giovanna Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
. Two years later, he forced the Patriarch of Aquileia
Patriarch of Aquileia
The Patriarch of Aquileia was an office in the Roman Catholic Church. During the Middle Ages the Patriarchate of Aquileia was a temporal state in Northern Italy. The Patriarchate of Aquileia as a church office was suppressed in 1752....
to flee to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and then obtained from him the title of capitano generale of Friuli. However a revolt in Udine
Udine
Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
had Rizzardo to flee in turn. Seeing his eastwards expansion had failed, he sided with the Ghibelline
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
party, gaining from emperor Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
the title of Imperial Vicar. However, this deprived him of the support of the Venetian doge
Doge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
and of the traditionally Guelph Trevisan nobility.
Rizzardo was also missing the administrative capabilities and the charisma of his father. On April 5, 1312, while playing chess, Rizzardo was fatally wounded in the loggia of his palace. Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
accused the city's nobles of the feat. Other sources call in the Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
n nobility, the Veronese
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
leader Cangrande I della Scala
Cangrande I della Scala
Cangrande della Scala was an Italian nobleman, the most celebrated of the della Scala family which ruled Verona from 1277 until 1387. Now perhaps best known as the leading patron of the poet Dante Alighieri, Cangrande was in his own day chiefly acclaimed as a successful warrior and autocrat...
or even his brother and successor, Guecellone VII da Camino
Guecellone VII da Camino
-Biography:The second son of Gherardo III da Camino, he was initially destined to the ecclesiastical career. After the assassination of his elder brother and lord of Treviso, Rizzardo IV da Camino, to which he perhaps took part, he became General Captain of Treviso...
.