Lords of Padua

The Lords of Padua ruled the city from 1308 until 1405. The commune of Padua became a hereditary one-man lordship (signoria) with the election of Jacopo I da Carrara as capitano del popolo in 1308. His descendants, the Carraresi, ruled the city and its vicinity, with short interruptions, until they were defeated by the Republic of Venice in the War of Padua, which resulted in the annexation of the city by Venice.

Signore Rule Notes(s)
Jacopo I 'the Great' da Carrara 25 July 1318 22/23 November 1324 De jure abdicated in November 1319 in favour of imperial vicars, de facto remained in control of the city until his death.
Marsilio da Carrara 22/23 November 1324 21 March 1338 Nephew of Jacopo I. Between 1328 and 1337 formally as vicar of Cangrande I della Scala, Lord of Verona.
Ubertino I da Carrara 21 March 1338 27 March 1345 Cousin of Marsilio.
Marsilietto Papafava da Carrara [it] 27 March 1345 6 May 1345 Distant relative of Ubertino, from the Papafava branch of the Carrara family. Assassinated by Jacopo II.
Jacopo II da Carrara 6 May 1345 19 December 1350 Nephew of Ubertino I. Assassinated by Guglielmo da Carrara, illegitimate son of Jacopo I.
Jacopino da Carrara [it] 19 December 1350 1355 Brother of Jacopo II. Co-ruler with his nephew, Francesco I da Carrara
Francesco I 'il Vecchio' da Carrara 19 December 1350 29 June 1388 Son of Jacopo II. Co-ruler with his uncle, Jacopino da Carrara, until 1355. Forced to abdicate by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, ruler of Milan.
Francesco II 'il Novello' da Carrara 29 June 1388 11 February 1389 Son of Francesco I. Lost rule of Padua to the Visconti troops, but recovered the city in 1390 and ruled it until defeated by the Republic of Venice in 1405.
Gian Galeazzo Visconti 11 February 1389 8 September 1390 Duke of Milan.
Francesco II 'il Novello' da Carrara 8 September 1390 22 November 1405 Son of Francesco I. Lost rule of Padua to the Visconti troops, but recovered the city in 1390 and ruled it until defeated by the Republic of Venice in 1405. He and his sons were executed in early 1406, thus ending the Carrara line.

See also[edit]

Sources[edit]

  • Kohl, Benjamin G. (1998). Padua under the Carrara, 1318–1405. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0801857031.