Riccardo Caracciolo
Encyclopedia
Riccardo Caracciolo was an Italian nobleman from the Kingdom of Naples
, who was a rival Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller
.
, in the first half of the 14th century. He was perhaps a descendant of Niccolò Caracciolo, a chamberlain and marshal of King Robert I of Naples.
Caracciolo entered the Order of the Knights Hospitaller at a young age. In 1378 he was appointed as prior of Capua
. In 1382, pope Urban VI deposed the order's Grand Master, Juan Fernández de Heredia
, who had sided for Antipope Clement VII
and, in the April 1383, replaced him with Caracciolo. The latter was supported by the priories of Rome
, Messina, Barletta
, Pisa
and Capua
, as well as the prior of Bohemia
. They were followed by the knights of England
and Ireland
in 1384, and later also Hungary
and part of Germany
. However, the main base of the order, in Rhodes
, remained faithful to Heredia.
Caracciolo spent his period as master mostly at the papal court, also after Urban died, being replaced by Boniface IX. In 1391 he was chosen as mediator between the warring Republic of Venice
and Gian Galeazzo Visconti
, Duke of Milan
; he later performed the same tasks with other Italian rival communes and lords.
He died in Rome in 1395, and was buried in Santa Maria del Priorato
.
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, who was a rival Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
.
Biography
Caracciolo was born most likely in NaplesNaples
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...
, in the first half of the 14th century. He was perhaps a descendant of Niccolò Caracciolo, a chamberlain and marshal of King Robert I of Naples.
Caracciolo entered the Order of the Knights Hospitaller at a young age. In 1378 he was appointed as prior of Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
. In 1382, pope Urban VI deposed the order's Grand Master, Juan Fernández de Heredia
Juan Fernández de Heredia
Juan Fernández de Heredia was the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 24 September 1377 to his death. His tenure was occupied by the "affair of Achaea." He was also a great patron of the translation and composition of historiographical works in the Aragonese language and a counsellor to...
, who had sided for Antipope Clement VII
Antipope Clement VII
Robert of Geneva was elected to the papacy as Pope Clement VII by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, and was the first Avignon antipope of the Western Schism.-Biography:...
and, in the April 1383, replaced him with Caracciolo. The latter was supported by the priories of 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...
, Messina, Barletta
Barletta
Barletta is a city and comune located in the north of Apulia in south eastern Italy. Its current population is 94,140.It is famous for the Colossus of Barletta, a bronze statue, representing a Roman Emperor...
, 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...
and Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, as well as the prior of Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. They were followed by the knights of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1384, and later also Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and part of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. However, the main base of the order, in Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, remained faithful to Heredia.
Caracciolo spent his period as master mostly at the papal court, also after Urban died, being replaced by Boniface IX. In 1391 he was chosen as mediator between the warring Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
and Gian Galeazzo Visconti
Gian Galeazzo Visconti
Gian Galeazzo Visconti , son of Galeazzo II Visconti and Bianca of Savoy, was the first Duke of Milan and ruled the late-medieval city just before the dawn of the Renaissance...
, Duke of Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
; he later performed the same tasks with other Italian rival communes and lords.
He died in Rome in 1395, and was buried in Santa Maria del Priorato
Santa Maria del Priorato
The Church of Our Lady of the Priory , can also be also known by its previous name of Our Lady on the Aventine . It is the priory church of the Priory of the Knights of Malta on the Aventine Hill in Rome. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin....
.