Ubaldo I Visconti
Encyclopedia
Ubaldo I Visconti was the de jure
overlord of the Giudicato of Cagliari
from 1217. He was a member of the Visconti
family of Pisa
, controlling Cagliari on behalf of his brother, who was judge jure uxoris
from 1218.
His grandfather, Alberto, was a patrician
of Pisa, while his father, Eldizio, was patrician and consul
. He and his brother Lamberto in turn served as patrician and podestà
. Ubaldo's grandmother was Aligarda and his mother was a daughter of Torchitorio III of Cagliari
, through whom he would have inherited some claim on the giudicato.
Around 1200, Ubaldo was assisting William I of Cagliari
on behalf of Pisa in a war with Comita III of Logudoro when the two warring giudici came to terms.
In 1212, there was complete anarchy in Pisa. A pro-Visconti faction was at war with an anti-Visconti one. In mid-January 1213, William of Cagliari led the forces of Massa
, Pistoia
, the anti-Visconti faction in Pisa, and the militia of Guido Guerra III to victory near Massa over the forces of Lucca
supported by the Visconti under Ubaldo, and by the deposed Pisan podestà Goffredo Musto. Pisa was forced to accept four rectores, only one of which was a Visconti.
In 1214, Lamberto and Ubaldo took the opportunity that year to launch an offensive at Cagliari
and Arborea, but were beaten off by Comita and Genoa
. The war continued at sea, but was arrested by the entreaties of Pope Honorius III
, who forced Comita to come to terms with Pisa (1 December 1217).
In 1215, profiting from the weakness of the giudicessa Benedetta of Cagliari
, Lamberto assembled a large fleet and landed an army at Cagliari
. He captured the adjacent hill, S. Gilla, which dominated the city, and fortified it. To Ubaldo he gave the job of finishing the conquest and securing Pisan control of Cagliari. He forced Benedetta to flee her capital. In 1217, Ubaldo forced her to accept terms surrendering Cagliari. She received her giudicato back as fief from the consul of Pisa. However, violence between Sardinians and Pisans escalated in Cagliari and Benedetta and her husband, Torchitorio IV
, made an alliance with Comita and Genoa in hopes of expelling the Pisans.
Meanwhile, Lambert's wife, Elena of Gallura
, died sometime before 1220 and, in 1218, a year after the death of Benedetta's husband, Ubaldo arranged the marriage of Benedetta with Lamberto. The two were married, despite papal objections, on 9 April 1220.
In 1230, Ubaldo, who had controlled Cagliari since 1215, died. His nephew, Lamberto's son, Ubaldo II, inherited his position. His son John
would be Ubaldo II's successor in the Giudicato of Gallura
.
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
overlord of the Giudicato of Cagliari
Giudicato of Cagliari
The Giudicato of Cagliari was one of the four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. It covered the entire south and central east portion of the island and was composed of thirteen subdivisions called curatoriae. To its north and west lay Arborea and north and on the east lay Gallura and Logudoro...
from 1217. He was a member of the 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...
family of Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, controlling Cagliari on behalf of his brother, who was judge jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
from 1218.
His grandfather, Alberto, was a patrician
Patricianship
Patricianship, the quality of belonging to a patriciate, began in the ancient world, where cities such as Ancient Rome had a class of patrician families whose members were the only people allowed to exercise many political functions...
of Pisa, while his father, Eldizio, was patrician and consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
. He and his brother Lamberto in turn served as patrician and podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
. Ubaldo's grandmother was Aligarda and his mother was a daughter of Torchitorio III of Cagliari
Torchitorio III of Cagliari
Torchitorio III , born Peter, was the Judge of Cagliari from October 1163 to his deposition and arrest in 1188, after which he was never heard of again....
, through whom he would have inherited some claim on the giudicato.
Around 1200, Ubaldo was assisting William I of Cagliari
William I of Cagliari
William I was the giudice of Cagliari from 1188 to his death.William was one of the greatest of medieval Sardinian giudici...
on behalf of Pisa in a war with Comita III of Logudoro when the two warring giudici came to terms.
In 1212, there was complete anarchy in Pisa. A pro-Visconti faction was at war with an anti-Visconti one. In mid-January 1213, William of Cagliari led the forces of Massa
Massa
Massa is a town and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, the administrative centre of the province of Massa-Carrara. It is located in the Frigido River Valley, near the Alpi Apuane, some 5 kilometers from the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, Pistoia
Pistoia
Pistoia is a city and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 km west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno.-History:...
, the anti-Visconti faction in Pisa, and the militia of Guido Guerra III to victory near Massa over the forces of Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
supported by the Visconti under Ubaldo, and by the deposed Pisan podestà Goffredo Musto. Pisa was forced to accept four rectores, only one of which was a Visconti.
In 1214, Lamberto and Ubaldo took the opportunity that year to launch an offensive at Cagliari
Giudicato of Cagliari
The Giudicato of Cagliari was one of the four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. It covered the entire south and central east portion of the island and was composed of thirteen subdivisions called curatoriae. To its north and west lay Arborea and north and on the east lay Gallura and Logudoro...
and Arborea, but were beaten off by Comita and 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....
. The war continued at sea, but was arrested by the entreaties of Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III , previously known as Cencio Savelli, was Pope from 1216 to 1227.-Early work:He was born in Rome as son of Aimerico...
, who forced Comita to come to terms with Pisa (1 December 1217).
In 1215, profiting from the weakness of the giudicessa Benedetta of Cagliari
Benedetta of Cagliari
Benedetta was the daughter and heiress of William I of Cagliari and Adelasia, daughter of Moroello Malaspina. She succeeded her father in January or February 1214....
, Lamberto assembled a large fleet and landed an army at Cagliari
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
. He captured the adjacent hill, S. Gilla, which dominated the city, and fortified it. To Ubaldo he gave the job of finishing the conquest and securing Pisan control of Cagliari. He forced Benedetta to flee her capital. In 1217, Ubaldo forced her to accept terms surrendering Cagliari. She received her giudicato back as fief from the consul of Pisa. However, violence between Sardinians and Pisans escalated in Cagliari and Benedetta and her husband, Torchitorio IV
Torchitorio IV of Cagliari
Barisone II Torchitorio IV de Serra was the Giudice of Arborea and Cagliari.He was a son of Peter I and Bina. His father was Judge of half of Arborea from 1195 to his death in 1214 along with Hugh I...
, made an alliance with Comita and Genoa in hopes of expelling the Pisans.
Meanwhile, Lambert's wife, Elena of Gallura
Elena of Gallura
Elena was the daughter and successor of Barisone II of Gallura and was named after her mother of the Lacon family. She ruled Gallura from the death of her father until her own death, though she was eclipsed by her husband after 1207....
, died sometime before 1220 and, in 1218, a year after the death of Benedetta's husband, Ubaldo arranged the marriage of Benedetta with Lamberto. The two were married, despite papal objections, on 9 April 1220.
In 1230, Ubaldo, who had controlled Cagliari since 1215, died. His nephew, Lamberto's son, Ubaldo II, inherited his position. His son John
John of Gallura
John Visconti was the Judge of Gallura from 1238 to his death. He was a member of the Visconti dynasty of Pisa....
would be Ubaldo II's successor in the Giudicato of Gallura
Giudicato of Gallura
The Giudicato of Gallura was one of four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. These were de facto independent states ruled by judges bearing the title iudex . Gallura, a name which comes from gallus, meaning rooster , was subdivided into ten curatoriae governed by curatores under the judge...
.
Sources
- Ferrabino, Aldo (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: I Aaron – Albertucci. RomeRomeRome 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...
, 1960.