Giovanni Visconti (Archbishop)

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Giovanni Visconti on an engraving from 1645
Grave of Giovanni Visconti.

Giovanni Visconti (* 1290 in Milan ; † October 5, 1354 ibid) from the Visconti family was a cardinal of the Roman Church , Archbishop of Milan and Doge of the Republic of Genoa .

Life

Giovanni was the third of ten children of Matteo I. Visconti , Lord of Milan , and Bonacosa Borri. Service in the Catholic Church was intended for him from birth. 1303 he received from Pope Benedict IX. a canonical at Lincoln Cathedral in England . He took part in the Council of Vienne in 1312 together with Isnardo Tacconi , the Latin Patriarch of Antioch and administrator of Pavia. Giovanni Visconti appears for the first time as Canon of the Cathedral Chapter of Milan on February 19, 1317. He was Commendatabbab of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan. He had two illegitimate children, Leonardo and Margherita Visconti.

In 1317 the cathedral chapter of Milan elected him archbishop, but Pope John XXII. failed to confirm the election. Instead, the Pope named Aircardus Antimiani archbishop. However, Giovanni Visconti de facto administered the Archdiocese of Milan, as the archbishop appointed by the Pope was prevented for most of the time and died in August 1339. In 1324 Giovanni Visconti was elected provost of the wealthy Pontirolo Church . Shortly afterwards, John XXII excommunicated. him on being accused of heresy and removed from his new position at Pontirolo. Giovanni allied himself with the antipope Nicholas V.

In January 1329 he was raised to cardinal deacon by Nicholas V and received the title deaconry Sant'Eusebio . In September of the same year he became reconciled with Pope John XXII. and renounced all titles received from the antipope, but was led as cardinal deacon of Sant'Eusebio until his death . In 1331 he became bishop and in 1332 Signor of Novara , then in 1342 Archbishop of Milan. From 1339 he was together with his brother Luchino Visconti also secular rule over the city, after the death of Luchino in 1349 he ruled alone over Milan. In 1353 he was also elected Doge of Genoa .

He died in Milan in 1354. The rule in the state was divided between the three sons of Stefano Visconti , Matteo II , Galeazzo II and Bernabò when Giovanni's death .

Act

Giovanni was one of the notable characters of his time. He supported Francesco Petrarch , extended the rule of the Visconti over Bologna (1350), opposed Pope Clement VI. (ruled 1342-1352) and annexed Genoa (1353); at his death he had extended his family's rule over all of northern Italy except Piedmont , Verona, Mantua , Ferrara and Venice . The Visconti at the time of Archbishop Giovanni were no longer rivals of the della Torre, nor were they dependent on imperial whims, but sovereign rulers with recognized power over Milan and its surroundings.

literature

Web links

Commons : Giovanni Visconti (Archbishop)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Visconti, Luchino. In: Enciclopedie on line. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
predecessor Office successor
Giovanni Valente Doge of Genoa
1353-1354 		Matteo , Bernabò and Galeazzo II. Visconti
Azzo Visconti Mayor of Milan
1339-1354
(1339-1349 together with his brother Luchino Visconti ) 		Bernabò Visconti
Aicardo da Intimiano Archbishop of Milan
1342–1354 		Roberto Visconti
Uguccione dei Borromei Bishop of Novara
1331–1342 		Guglielmo Amidano
personal data
SURNAME Visconti, Giovanni
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian cardinal and doge of Genoa
DATE OF BIRTH 1290
PLACE OF BIRTH Milan
DATE OF DEATH October 5, 1354
Place of death Milan