Uguccione della Faggiuola
Encyclopedia
Uguccione della Faggiuola (c. 1250 – 1 November 1319) was an Italian
condottiero
, and chief magistrate of Pisa
, Lucca
and Forlì
(from 1297).
Uguccione was born at Casteldelci
. He came to prominence in the late 13th century as captain for the Aretine
army, when he successfully captured Cesena
. After a failed attempt to conquer Forlì
for himself (1297)
Of Ghibelline association, in 1311–1312 he was imperial vicar in Genoa
for Henry VII
, who came to Pisa in 1312. After the latter's death in 1313, Uguccione was made chief magistrate (podestà
), captain of the people, and virtual lord of that city.
He conquered Lucca in 1314 with the help of his protege Castruccio Castracani
. On 29 August 1315 he delivered the Guelfs of Florence
and their associates from Naples
their worst defeat since 1260 in the battle of Montecatini
in the Val di Nievole.
In 1316 the Pisani and the Lucchesi under his former protege Castruccio Castracani drove him out and he took refuge under Cangrande della Scala, who made Uguccione podestà of Vicenza
.
He died during the siege of Padua
on 1 November 1318.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
condottiero
Condottieri
thumb|Depiction of [[Farinata degli Uberti]] by [[Andrea del Castagno]], showing a 15th century condottiero's typical attire.Condottieri were the mercenary soldier leaders of the professional, military free companies contracted by the Italian city-states and the Papacy, from the late Middle Ages...
, and chief magistrate of 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...
, Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
and Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
(from 1297).
Biography
Casteldelci
Casteldelci is a comune in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 140 km southeast of Bologna and about 55 km south of Rimini.- History :...
. He came to prominence in the late 13th century as captain for the Aretine
Arezzo
Arezzo is a city and comune in Central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 km southeast of Florence, at an elevation of 296 m above sea level. In 2011 the population was about 100,000....
army, when he successfully captured Cesena
Cesena
Cesena is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, co-chief of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. It is at the foot of the Apennines, and about 15 km from the Adriatic Sea.-History:Cesena was originally an Umbrian...
. After a failed attempt to conquer Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
for himself (1297)
Of Ghibelline association, in 1311–1312 he was imperial vicar in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
for Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
, who came to Pisa in 1312. After the latter's death in 1313, Uguccione was made chief magistrate (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...
), captain of the people, and virtual lord of that city.
He conquered Lucca in 1314 with the help of his protege Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli was an Italian condottiero and duke of Lucca.-Biography:Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he was exiled with his parents and others of their faction by the Guelphs "Black" party,...
. On 29 August 1315 he delivered the Guelfs of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and their associates from Naples
Naples
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...
their worst defeat since 1260 in the battle of Montecatini
Battle of Montecatini
The Battle of Montecatini was fought in the Val di Nievole on August 29, 1315 between the city of Pisa, and the forces of both Naples and Florence. The army of Pisa, commanded by Uguccione della Faggiuola, won a decisive victory despite being outnumbered. The Neapolitan forces, made up of nearly...
in the Val di Nievole.
In 1316 the Pisani and the Lucchesi under his former protege Castruccio Castracani drove him out and he took refuge under Cangrande della Scala, who made Uguccione podestà of 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...
.
He died during the siege of Padua
Padua
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...
on 1 November 1318.