Ubertinello
Encyclopedia
Ubertino I da Carrara (also Uberto, Umberto or Umbertino; died 29 March 1345), called Novello and better known as Ubertinello, was the Lord of Padua from 1338 until his death.
, where he was born early in the 14th century. His mother was Fina Fieschi. To distinguish him from his uncle Ubertino il Vecchio, he is usually known as either Ubertino Novello or Ubertinello.
In August 1319, Ubertinello, Albertino Mussato
, and Giovanni di Vigonza were sent by Jacopino to seek help from Bologna
when Cangrande I della Scala
, with Rinaldo d'Este
and Obizzo III of Ferrara, besieged Padua. They failed in their mission and, on 4 November, Jacopino offered the city to the protection of Henry of Görz, the vicar
of Treviso
for Frederick III of Germany
.
, Pollione Beccadelli. On 22 September, the deceased's brother, Paolo, with Gualpertino Mussato, the abbot of S. Giustina, and the podestà, attacked the Carraresi properties in the city. Ubertinello returned from Chioggia
, where he was staying in exile, assassinated the podestà, and besieged his enemies in their homes. He invaded the chancery
and burned all documents incriminating him and condemning him. Some of the city's archives were also lost. In the assassinated Beccadelli's place, Ubertinello installed Corradino Bocchi di Brescia. Conrad von Owenstein, the captain and vicar of Frederick III in Padua by appointment of Henry of Carinthia since 1321, banished the Dente and their supporters. Following this series of events, the Carraresi were again the chief family in Padua.
in handing Padua over to Cangrande with a secret treaty. This was done to prevent their own relative Nicolò da Carrara from gaining too much power. Ubertinello was knighted at the subsequent celebrations in Verona
.
On 14 July 1337, the secret treaty of nine years previous was overridden by a new secret pact, signed this time with the Republics of Venice
and Florence
. This new treaty made Marsilio lord of Padua and Ubertinello his heir. On 3 August, Alberto II della Scala
, Cangrande's successor at Verona, was imprisoned by Venice, removing the chief obstacle to Marsilio's lordship. On 10 March 1338, Ubertinello became a Venetian citizen and on 22 March Marsilio died. On 5 May, in the Doge's Palace in Venice, with a Florentine embassy present, Ubertinello renewed the treaty of nine months earlier with only slight modifications. He was under obligation to come to the military aid of Venice and Florence against any of their enemies.
for a year and a month until it fell on 19 August after his succession. The citadel held out until 28 November under Fiorello da Lucca. On 2 December, he obtained Treviso from Mastino II della Scala
, Alberto's brother and co-ruler. By a treaty of 4 January 1339, however, he was forced to yield Treviso to Venice and accept Bassano
and Castelbaldo
instead. Verona, Lucca, Vicenza
, and Parma
were confirmed to the Scaligers.
On 9 April 1340, Ubertinello affirmed an alliance with Obizzo of Ferrara, Taddeo Pepoli, and Florence at Lendinara
. This alliance was immediately opposed by an alliance of Luchino Visconti and Ludovico Gonzaga
with Mastino. The war was sparked by envy for the rich cities of the Scaliger. Ubertinello sent Enghelmario di Villandres to take Vicenza, but Visconti scattered his army. The next year, Ubertinello broke the Scaliger alliances and bound himself with Visconti, Gonzaga, and Azzo da Corregio with the aim of taking Parma. In September, the allies raided Veronese territory as far as the gates of Vicenza, but the men of Mantua
, loaded with booty, retired, leaving the remaining troops insufficient to take the city. Azzo began the siege of Parma on 21 May anyway.
Florence, meanwhile, had her eye on Lucca, longtime rival for the Tuscan primacy. She offered a huge sum of money to Mastino in return for the city, but the Republic of Pisa
began besieging in the meantime. Florence turned to Ubertinello and, on the basis of the old treaty, demanded his military aid against Pisa. He refused, however. Florence paid 180,000 gold florins
for the city, but Ubertinello sent troops instead to aid Pisa, allied with the Republic of Genoa
, Gonzaga, Visconti, Corregio, and the other Ghibellines of Tuscany
and Romagna
. On 11 July 1342, Lucca fell to Pisa.
. The castle was granted to Ubertinello, but the curia went to William, son of the late Tiso IX. In July that year, Vitaliano, son of William Dente, arrived in Venice only to have his dispossession and exile were reaffirmed.
In 1342, Candia
revolted, but Venice refused to lend him aid.
A final effort at peace with Mastino was begun in 1343. On 25 May at Montagnana
, Ubertinello agreed to wed his bastard daughter Gentile to Mastino's illegitimate son. The alliance was sealed. That very month, Lemizio, an illegitimate brother of William Dente, also arrived in Venice. He accused Ubertinello before the doge and launched a proceeding against him. Letters were sent summoning Ubertinello to appear before the tribunal within eight days. He was convicted and exiled (from Venice). His alliance with Mastino had made him a Venetian liability.
He finished a new wall begun by Marsilio and built a new palace (1343). In March 1344, a clock was added to the tower of the palace by Giacomo Dondi. He repaved old roads and laid new ones. He reinforced the riverbanks to prevent flooding and erosion and dug a canal to Este
, where he rebuilt the citadel, and Montagnano. He patronised the wool industry to develop commerce and confirmed the ancient privileges of the University of Padua
to develop education. He appointed Rainiero Arsendi da Forlì to the chair of civil law
in 1344.
On 27 March 1345, on the advice of his vicar Pietro da Campagnola, he nominated Marsilietto Papafava, a relative, his heir, bypassing Jacopo
, the son of Nicolò. On 29 March, he died and was buried in the Augustinian Church of the Eremitani in Padua.
His second marriage was contracted on 24 April 1340 with Anna Malatesta, daughter of Malatestino Novello.
Youth
Ubertinello was the son of Jacopino da Carrara of the Carraresi clan of PaduaPadua
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...
, where he was born early in the 14th century. His mother was Fina Fieschi. To distinguish him from his uncle Ubertino il Vecchio, he is usually known as either Ubertino Novello or Ubertinello.
In August 1319, Ubertinello, Albertino Mussato
Albertino Mussato
Albertino Mussato was an Early Renaissance Italian statesman, poet, historian and dramatist credited with providing an impetus to the revival of literary Latin....
, and Giovanni di Vigonza were sent by Jacopino to seek help from Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
when 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...
, with Rinaldo d'Este
Rinaldo d'Este
Rinaldo d'Este was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1695 until his death. He was succeeded by his son.-Biography:...
and Obizzo III of Ferrara, besieged Padua. They failed in their mission and, on 4 November, Jacopino offered the city to the protection of Henry of Görz, the vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
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...
for Frederick III of Germany
Frederick I of Austria (Habsburg)
Frederick the Handsome or the Fair , from the House of Habsburg, was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1308 as Frederick I as well as King of Germany from 1314 as Frederick III until his death.-Biography:He was the second son of King Albert I of Germany with his wife Elisabeth of...
.
Quarrel with the Dente
On 17 July 1325, Ubertinello became involved in an extremely violent quarrel with horrible repurcussions for Padua. Ubertinello murdered Guglielmo Dente and incurred banishment from the reigning podestàPodestà
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...
, Pollione Beccadelli. On 22 September, the deceased's brother, Paolo, with Gualpertino Mussato, the abbot of S. Giustina, and the podestà, attacked the Carraresi properties in the city. Ubertinello returned from Chioggia
Chioggia
Chioggia is a coastal town and comune of the province of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy.-Geography:...
, where he was staying in exile, assassinated the podestà, and besieged his enemies in their homes. He invaded the chancery
Chancery (medieval office)
Chancery is a general term for a medieval writing office, responsible for the production of official documents. The title of chancellor, for the head of the office, came to be held by important ministers in a number of states, and remains the title of the heads of government in modern Germany,...
and burned all documents incriminating him and condemning him. Some of the city's archives were also lost. In the assassinated Beccadelli's place, Ubertinello installed Corradino Bocchi di Brescia. Conrad von Owenstein, the captain and vicar of Frederick III in Padua by appointment of Henry of Carinthia since 1321, banished the Dente and their supporters. Following this series of events, the Carraresi were again the chief family in Padua.
Takeover in Padua
In September 1328, Ubertinello was involved with his uncle MarsilioMarsilio da Carrara
Marsilio da Carrara was Lord of Padua after his uncle Jacopo I. He was a member of the Carraresi family.He successfully faced a plot against him in the city. However, after treason of his nephew Nicolò da Carrara who had sided with the Scaliger of Verona, Marsilio was forced to relinquish Padua to...
in handing Padua over to Cangrande with a secret treaty. This was done to prevent their own relative Nicolò da Carrara from gaining too much power. Ubertinello was knighted at the subsequent celebrations in Verona
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...
.
On 14 July 1337, the secret treaty of nine years previous was overridden by a new secret pact, signed this time with the Republics 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 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...
. This new treaty made Marsilio lord of Padua and Ubertinello his heir. On 3 August, Alberto II della Scala
Alberto II della Scala
Alberto II della Scala was lord of Verona from 1329 until his death. He was a member of the famous Scaliger family of northern Italy....
, Cangrande's successor at Verona, was imprisoned by Venice, removing the chief obstacle to Marsilio's lordship. On 10 March 1338, Ubertinello became a Venetian citizen and on 22 March Marsilio died. On 5 May, in the Doge's Palace in Venice, with a Florentine embassy present, Ubertinello renewed the treaty of nine months earlier with only slight modifications. He was under obligation to come to the military aid of Venice and Florence against any of their enemies.
Wars of aggrandisement
Ubertinello besieged MonseliceMonselice
Monselice is a town and municipality located in northeastern Italy, in the Veneto region, in the province of Padua.It is about 20 km southeast of the city of Padua, at the southern edge of the Euganean Hills .-History:...
for a year and a month until it fell on 19 August after his succession. The citadel held out until 28 November under Fiorello da Lucca. On 2 December, he obtained Treviso from Mastino II della Scala
Mastino II della Scala
Mastino II della Scala was lord of Verona. He was a member of the famous Scaliger family of northern Italy.He was the son of Alboino I della Scala and Beatrice da Correggio. At the death of Cangrande I, he and his brother Alberto II were associated in the rule of Verona. Soon, however, Mastino's...
, Alberto's brother and co-ruler. By a treaty of 4 January 1339, however, he was forced to yield Treviso to Venice and accept Bassano
Bassano
-Places:*Communes in Italy:**Bassano Bresciano, in the Province of Brescia**Bassano del Grappa, in the Province of Vicenza**Bassano in Teverina, in the Province of Viterbo**Bassano Romano, in the Province of Viterbo**San Bassano, in the Province of Cremona...
and Castelbaldo
Castelbaldo
Castelbaldo is a comune in the Province of Padua in the Italian region Veneto, located about 80 km southwest of Venice and about 45 km southwest of Padua. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,694 and an area of 15.2 km².Castelbaldo borders the following municipalities:...
instead. Verona, Lucca, Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, and Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
were confirmed to the Scaligers.
On 9 April 1340, Ubertinello affirmed an alliance with Obizzo of Ferrara, Taddeo Pepoli, and Florence at Lendinara
Lendinara
Lendinara is a town and comune in the province of Rovigo, Veneto, northern Italy. It is part of the historical and geographical region of Polesine.It is the birthplace of Domenico Montagnana , one of the world's finest violin and cello makers....
. This alliance was immediately opposed by an alliance of Luchino Visconti and Ludovico Gonzaga
Ludovico Gonzaga
Ludovico Gonzaga was the name of several prominent members of the House of Gonzaga:* Ludovico I Gonzaga , better known as Luigi, the first Capitano del Popolo of Mantua and Imperial Vicar...
with Mastino. The war was sparked by envy for the rich cities of the Scaliger. Ubertinello sent Enghelmario di Villandres to take Vicenza, but Visconti scattered his army. The next year, Ubertinello broke the Scaliger alliances and bound himself with Visconti, Gonzaga, and Azzo da Corregio with the aim of taking Parma. In September, the allies raided Veronese territory as far as the gates of Vicenza, but the men of Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
, loaded with booty, retired, leaving the remaining troops insufficient to take the city. Azzo began the siege of Parma on 21 May anyway.
Florence, meanwhile, had her eye on Lucca, longtime rival for the Tuscan primacy. She offered a huge sum of money to Mastino in return for the city, but the Republic of Pisa
Republic of Pisa
The Republic of Pisa was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late tenth and eleventh centuries. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and...
began besieging in the meantime. Florence turned to Ubertinello and, on the basis of the old treaty, demanded his military aid against Pisa. He refused, however. Florence paid 180,000 gold florins
Italian coin florin
The Italian florin was a coin struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard. It had 54 grains of nominally pure gold worth approximately 200 modern US Dollars...
for the city, but Ubertinello sent troops instead to aid Pisa, allied with 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....
, Gonzaga, Visconti, Corregio, and the other Ghibellines of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
and Romagna
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
. On 11 July 1342, Lucca fell to Pisa.
Deterioration of relationship with Venice
On 24 March 1340, Venice settled a long-running succession dispute concerning CamposampieroCamposampiero
Camposampiero is a town and comune in the province of Padua, Veneto, northern Italy.-Twin towns - sister cities:Camposampiero is twinned with Jasło, Poland, since November 2002...
. The castle was granted to Ubertinello, but the curia went to William, son of the late Tiso IX. In July that year, Vitaliano, son of William Dente, arrived in Venice only to have his dispossession and exile were reaffirmed.
In 1342, Candia
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
revolted, but Venice refused to lend him aid.
A final effort at peace with Mastino was begun in 1343. On 25 May at Montagnana
Montagnana
Montagnana is a town and comune in the province of Padova, in Veneto . It is bounded by other communes of Saletto, Megliadino San Fidenzio, Casale di Scodosia, Urbana, Bevilacqua, Pojana Maggiore and Noventa Vicentina...
, Ubertinello agreed to wed his bastard daughter Gentile to Mastino's illegitimate son. The alliance was sealed. That very month, Lemizio, an illegitimate brother of William Dente, also arrived in Venice. He accused Ubertinello before the doge and launched a proceeding against him. Letters were sent summoning Ubertinello to appear before the tribunal within eight days. He was convicted and exiled (from Venice). His alliance with Mastino had made him a Venetian liability.
Domestic initiatives
During his five years of power, Ubertinello had worked extensively to improve Padua internally. He began with reform legislation in February 1339.He finished a new wall begun by Marsilio and built a new palace (1343). In March 1344, a clock was added to the tower of the palace by Giacomo Dondi. He repaved old roads and laid new ones. He reinforced the riverbanks to prevent flooding and erosion and dug a canal to Este
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
, where he rebuilt the citadel, and Montagnano. He patronised the wool industry to develop commerce and confirmed the ancient privileges of the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
to develop education. He appointed Rainiero Arsendi da Forlì to the chair of civil law
Civil law (area)
Civil law in continental law is a branch of law which is the general part of private law.The basis for civil law lies in a civil code. Before enacting of codes, civil law could not be distinguished from private law...
in 1344.
On 27 March 1345, on the advice of his vicar Pietro da Campagnola, he nominated Marsilietto Papafava, a relative, his heir, bypassing Jacopo
Jacopo II da Carrara
Jacopo II da Carrara , of the Carraresi family, was the capitano del popolo of Padua from 1345 until his death. Though he assumed power through forged documents and political murder, he was a patron of art and literature. He succeeded in bringing Francesco Petrarca to Padua for a time, and his own...
, the son of Nicolò. On 29 March, he died and was buried in the Augustinian Church of the Eremitani in Padua.
Marriages
Ubertinello was married twice. His first wife was Giacomina, daughter of Simone da Correggio, uncle of Alberto and Mastino della Scala. This marriage was later annulled on the grounds of being attained by force at the suggestion of Marsilio.His second marriage was contracted on 24 April 1340 with Anna Malatesta, daughter of Malatestino Novello.