Gherardo III da Camino
Encyclopedia
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.
in Credazzo (or Padua), the second child of Biaquino II da Camino
and India da Camposampiero. When is father died in 1274, he became the sole heir of the family's lands. He had already been member of the City Council of Treviso
and, in 1266, had received the seignory of Feltre
and Belluno
from the local bishop, which Gherardo was to held until his death.
A guelph
exponent, in 1278 he signed an alliance with Padua, Cremona
, Brescia
, Parma
, Modena
and Ferrara
against the Ghibelline Verona
. In the 1280s, he decided to try to conquer Treviso
, which was then in peace after the decline of the da Romano family. On November 15, after a city fight arranged by Gherardo, the Ghibellines (including the Castelli family) were expelled from Treviso; he was then elected capitano generale, with total power over the city's statutes. Gherardo's first move was to attack the Castelli's castles of Asolo
, Cornuda and Monleopardo, and to destroy their city residence by treason.
Once in command of Treviso, Gherardo rewarded his supporters, in particular by giving back Camino
and Oderzo
to his relatives Tolberto III
and Biaquino VI. When the cession was declared illegal by the commune, the latter called in the Republic of Venice
by ceasing them Motta di Livenza (1291): this was the first mainland possession of the Serenissima.
Gherardo was a tyrannic but efficient administrator in Treviso, and increased its economic importance. He was also a patron of feasts and arts, housing in his courts numerous cultural figures, such as Dante Alighieri
and Ferrarino da Ferrara. His rule in Treviso was substantially peaceful, but he had to face an increasing number of plots, the last, in 1305, set up by his son Rizzardo
, who had then a total control of Treviso due to Gherardo's declining health.
Gherardo da Camino died in 1306 and was buried at Treviso in the Franciscan church of St. Francis, which he had contributed to build.
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.
Biography
He was born in the family castleCastelbrando
Castel Brando is a medieval castle situated on a dolomite limestone rock at an elevation of above sea level, looking down on the villages of Cison di Valmarino and Valmareno, Northern Italy.-History:...
in Credazzo (or Padua), the second child of Biaquino II da Camino
Biaquino II da Camino
Biaquino II da Camino was an Italian nobleman and military leader, a member of the da Camino family and lord of Treviso.He is mentioned for the first time in 1233, when the family's lands near Treviso were confiscated after his cousin Guecellone V had been identified as the instigator of the...
and India da Camposampiero. When is father died in 1274, he became the sole heir of the family's lands. He had already been member of the City Council 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...
and, in 1266, had received the seignory of Feltre
Feltre
Feltre is a town and comune of the province of Belluno in Veneto, northern Italy. A hill town in the southern reaches of the province, it is located on the Stizzon River, about 4 km from its junction with the Piave, and 20 km southwest from Belluno...
and Belluno
Belluno
Belluno , is a town and province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Located about 100 kilometres north of Venice, Belluno is the capital of the province of Belluno and the most important city in the Eastern Dolomiti's region. With its roughly 37,000 inhabitants, it the largest populated area...
from the local bishop, which Gherardo was to held until his death.
A guelph
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...
exponent, in 1278 he signed an alliance with Padua, Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, 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....
, Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
and Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
against the Ghibelline 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...
. In the 1280s, he decided to try to conquer 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...
, which was then in peace after the decline of the da Romano family. On November 15, after a city fight arranged by Gherardo, the Ghibellines (including the Castelli family) were expelled from Treviso; he was then elected capitano generale, with total power over the city's statutes. Gherardo's first move was to attack the Castelli's castles of Asolo
Asolo
Asolo is a town and comune in the Veneto Region of Northern Italy. It is known as "The Pearl of the province of Treviso", and also as "The City of a Hundred Horizons" for its mountain settings.-History:...
, Cornuda and Monleopardo, and to destroy their city residence by treason.
Once in command of Treviso, Gherardo rewarded his supporters, in particular by giving back Camino
Camino (Oderzo)
Camino is a village in the municipality of Oderzo, in the province of Treviso, region Veneto, in Italy.Camino lies in the heart of the Venetian plain, about 66 km to the northeast of Venice.-History:Venetic period...
and Oderzo
Oderzo
Oderzo is a town and comune in the province of Treviso, Veneto, northern Italy.It lies in the heart of the Venetian plain, about 66 km to the northeast of Venice...
to his relatives Tolberto III
Tolberto III da Camino
Tolberto III da Camino was an Italian nobleman and military leader, a member of the Da Camino family.-Biography:The son of Guecellone VI da Camino, he was allied with his cousin Gherardo III da Camino when the latter became lord of Treviso in 1283...
and Biaquino VI. When the cession was declared illegal by the commune, the latter called in the 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...
by ceasing them Motta di Livenza (1291): this was the first mainland possession of the Serenissima.
Gherardo was a tyrannic but efficient administrator in Treviso, and increased its economic importance. He was also a patron of feasts and arts, housing in his courts numerous cultural figures, such as 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 ...
and Ferrarino da Ferrara. His rule in Treviso was substantially peaceful, but he had to face an increasing number of plots, the last, in 1305, set up by his son Rizzardo
Rizzardo IV da Camino
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...
, who had then a total control of Treviso due to Gherardo's declining health.
Gherardo da Camino died in 1306 and was buried at Treviso in the Franciscan church of St. Francis, which he had contributed to build.