Biography

He was elected 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...

of Mantua in 1328, as well as of Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....

. In 1335 he became lord of the latter city.

In 1360 he became the second capitano del popolo

Capitano del popolo

The capitano del popolo was an administrative title used in Italy during the Middle Ages.It was created in the early 13th century when the populares, the increasing wealthy classes of merchants, professionals, craftsmen and, in maritime cities, ship-owners, who were of non-noble origin, were able...

 in 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...

, having been appointed to that position at an old age (70), together with his son Ugolino, who most likely held the effective power until his assassination (14 October 1362) by the brothers Francesco and Ludovico. He was in charge in 1368 when Mantua was occupied by Barnabò Visconti, although the city was freed through the intervention of emperor Charles IV

Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor

Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....

. With the peace of 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,...

, Mantua obtained the lands of Cavriana

Cavriana

Cavriana is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km east of Milan and about 25 km northwest of Mantua.-World heritage site:...

, Castiglione delle Stiviere

Castiglione delle Stiviere

Castiglione delle Stiviere is a town and comune in the province of Mantua, in Lombardy, Italy, 30 km northwest of Mantua by road.-History:During the War of the Spanish Succession, the French under the duc de Vendôme occupied it....

, Solferino

Solferino

Solferino is a small town and comune in the province of Mantua, Lombardy, northern Italy, approximately 10 kilometres south of Lake Garda....

, Volta

Volta Mantovana

Volta Mantovana is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 120 km east of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Mantua....

, Medole

Medole

Medole is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km east of Milan and about 30 km northwest of Mantua...

 and Ceresara

Ceresara

Ceresara is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km east of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Mantua...

.

He died in 1369 and was succeeded by Ludovico in the city's government.