Ambrogio Visconti and the Guelphs of Lombardy: A Fatal Encounter
Illegitimate son of Bernabò Visconti (Bernabò), and brother of Carlo Visconti (Carlo).
Born: 1344
Death: 1373, August
| Year, Month | State / Company | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1359 | |||||
| July | Milan | Mercenary Company | Tuscany | He enters the military profession early. At age 15 he is dispatched to support the Florentines (Fiorentini) with 500 cavalry and 1,000 men-at-arms to counter the Great Company of Konrad von Landau (Grande Compagnia del conte Lando). He is received with honors and presented with a horse. He participates in the day of the “Field of Flies”; following the victory a palio is organized in Florence (Firenze), to which he is invited alongside Pandolfo Malatesta and Niccolò Orsini. | |
| 1361 | Duke of Andria | Naples | Abruzzi | He is summoned by Francesco del Balzo, Duke of Andria, to fight the troops of Queen Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò). He enters the Aquilano and moves between Corno and Rasina. From Cicolano he takes the road to Avezzano and sacks the locality. He devastates the Marsica region, loyal to Philip of Taranto. | |
| 1362 | |||||
| 1362 | He requests to marry Queen Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò). His request is refused. | ||||
| June | Milan | League | Emilia | He pillages the territory of Mirandola with Conte Lando. | |
| 1363 | |||||
| Apr. | Emilia and Romagna | He is knighted before the Battle of Solara; he is wounded and captured in the subsequent combat by Galeotto Malatesta Ungaro. Imprisoned in Cesena, he will be released only in April 1364 upon signing the peace treaty: in the interim, his father Bernabò urges, without success, interventions for his release by King Peter I of Cyprus (Pietro di Lusignano) and King John of France. | |||
| 1364 | |||||
| Apr. | Emilia and Lombardy | He arrives in Bologna, passes through Piacenza with Gaspare degli Ubaldini, and finally proceeds to Milan. | |||
| 1365 | |||||
| 1365 | Veneto | On his father’s orders he goes to Verona with Feltrino Gonzaga to convince Duke Rudolf of Austria, traveling from Trento to Milan, to reach an agreement to the detriment of the lord of Padua, Francesco da Carrara. | |||
| Sept.–Oct. | Mercenary Company | Florence, Siena | Captain General | Tuscany | With funding from his father Bernabò and his uncle Galeazzo Visconti, he founds, with John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto) and John of Habsburg (Giovanni d’Asburgo), the Company of Saint George (Compagnia di San Giorgio), comprising 45 captains and 7,000 cavalry: it recruits the remnants of the White Company and many Germans, English and Lombards (including Raimondo di Rondello, Guglielmo Bosone, Luca di Valco, Ugolino Ethon, Thomas Merezal, Ludovico degli Spazi, Bartolomeo da Gaggio). The company becomes a formidable war machine in service of the Lord of Milan. In mid-October the Florentines, following a meeting with Doffo Bardi in the Pisan territory, deliver 6,000 florins in return for his promise not to harass the territories of Florence, Pistoia, Arezzo, Volterra and San Miniato for four years, and to provide provisions. The agreement is signed by Ambrogio Visconti, John Hawkwood, Thomas Merezal, Ugolino Ethon, Giovanni degli Ubaldini, and 42 other constables. The Sienese seek help from Florence and the Duke of Spoleto in vain. Anichino di Baumgarten and Albrecht Sterz also fail to respond. Ambrogio Visconti penetrates the Sienese territory, reaching Santa Colomba at Marmoraia, San Galgano, Roccastrada, Buonconvento, Isola in the Berardenga and Badia a Isola. |
| Nov. | Tuscany and Liguria | He is decisively opposed by the podestà of Siena, Isnardo da Rigliano, while his men encamp between Manzano, Radicondoli and Belforte. His soldiers, surprised by such determination, flee precipitously. Ambrogio Visconti exits the contado and moves to Colle di Val d’Elsa, where he is joined by the Florentine envoys Nofri Rossi and Niccolò Rimbaldesi, who accompany him to the border at San Miniato. The Sienese pursue the company half-heartedly. | |||
| Dec. | Mercenary Company | Tarlati, Genoa | Tuscany and Liguria | He plagues the lands of the Tarlati with John Hawkwood and Niccolò da Montefeltro, then moves into Liguria. Commanding 5,000 soldiers he sacks La Spezia and extends raids to Chiavari, entering Riomaggiore (one of the Cinque Terre) and devastating its territory. The terror he induces in the Riviera di Levante forces inhabitants of Chiavari and other unwalled towns to flee to nearby mountains with their possessions. The Company of Saint George ravages the countryside, burns villages and hamlets, and slaughters inhabitants unable to pay the head tax. Ambrogio Visconti descends on Recco, attacks the lands of the Fieschi and sacks the Riviera di Ponente; he damages territories subject to the Marquis of Carretto. He is confronted by the Genoese captains Niccolò di Minergino and Bartolomeo di Levante, who are defeated and taken prisoner. He abandons the territory upon learning that the exiles of Leonardo Montaldo, his allies, have been repelled by Genoa. | |
| 1366 | |||||
| Jan.–Feb. | Liguria | He wages war against the Savonese with the support of an English ship and other vessels provided by Lionel of Clarence, husband of Valentina Visconti. He continues his land operations until the inhabitants of Savona surrender to Galeazzo Visconti. He then turns on Genoa, of which Gabriele Adorno is doge. He reaches the Port of Santo Stefano, burns many houses in the village of Bisagno, and captures numerous citizens. Two assaults on the city walls are repelled. Genoa ultimately makes peace with the Visconti, agreeing to pay 4,000 ducats annually and provide 400 crossbowmen, funded by the commune. Only then does the Company of Saint George abandon Liguria for Tuscany. | |||
| Mar.–Apr. | Mercenary Company | Siena | Tuscany | He joins with John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto) and John of Habsburg (Giovanni d’Asburgo) for a raid in the territory of Siena. In April the Sienese dispatch numerous troops against him, with whom he has several skirmishes; he establishes himself at San Galgano and ravages the territory for 20 miles. He reaches an agreement with the commune, receiving 10,500 florins and many carts of armor and provisions. On the same day emissaries go to Siena while other men ride to Santa Maria a Pilli, where they rob citizens and capture the commune’s envoys. Tumults in Siena wound and kill some venturers; the day’s plunder is returned and ransomed by the commune. John of Habsburg issues a formal receipt. Mid-month Pope Urban V unleashes a curse from Avignon against the company, excommunicating those who serve it and granting a plenary indulgence to those who fight it. | |
| May | Mercenary Company | Città di Castello | Umbria | He encamps in the territory of Città di Castello at Certaldo. He invades the lands of the Duchy of Spoleto and those of the Patrimony near Orvieto. | |
| June | Mercenary Company | Urbino, Camerino | Umbria and Marche | At the month’s start he leaves the territory of Città di Castello and heads to Urbino with Maghinardo degli Ubaldini. He is reported in the Piceno. The rector of the Duchy of Spoleto, Blasco di Belviso, is alerted against him. The pope calls on Queen Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò), John Visconti of Oleggio, Nicholas d’Este, Galeotto Malatesta and Ugolino da Montemarte to unite against the venturers. At month-end, Ambrogio Visconti returns to the territory of Città di Castello with John Hawkwood, Anichino di Baumgarten, and John of Habsburg. | |
| July–Sept. | Mercenary Company | Perugia | Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio | He establishes quarters at Città di Castello and Sansepolcro (Borgo San Sepolcro). From there he raids the Perugia territory to Fratta Todina, which he sacks. He advances to Montecolognola and Castel Rigone to secure release of condottieri and soldiers captured earlier at San Mariano. The Perugians release the prisoners without ransom on condition the venturers refrain from offending their territory and the Papal State for five years; due to past breaches, four captains remain as hostages until the company exits Perugia. Andrea di Belmonte leaves to conclude negotiations but fails to uphold his word. Anichino di Baumgarten and Alberto Sterz are hired for the city’s defence. Ambrogio Visconti moves into Orvieto, encamping at Sucano di Vallocchi, San Lorenzo delle Donne and Petriolo, then heads toward Rome. In early September he returns to Orvieto, controlling the surrounding mountain and foraging the territory. Mid-month a league of Perugians and Papal forces forms to counter the mercenary companies; Florence declares it does not consider the companies of Ambrogio Visconti, John Hawkwood, John of Habsburg and Anichino di Baumgarten hostile. | |
| Oct. | Mercenary Company | Church | Umbria | He links with John Hawkwood and is attacked by night at Casaglia, near Orvieto, by Ugolino and Francesco da Montemarte, during which Ugolino Ethon is captured. Ambrogio Visconti promises to evacuate the Papal territory, then moves to the Marche, inciting revolt at Castel Durante (Urbania). | |
| 1367 | |||||
| Jan. | Marche | The March authorities are informed of his imminent passage through the region with part of his company to enter the service of the Duke of Andria. | |||
| Mar. | Mercenary Company | Genoa, Siena, Perugia | Liguria, Tuscany and Umbria | He occupies La Spezia, encamps before Genoa, and raids with the Fieschi and Spinola, forcing the Republic to an agreement. He returns to Siena and alerts Pisa. Reinforced by Giorgino and Andrea di Belmonte, he attacks Siena for the third time, defeating the Sienese at Montalcinello and capturing the war captain Ugolino da Savignano. He returns to Città di Castello, making many captures and inflicting heavy damage. He storms the Perugia territory and defeats the Perugians at Ponte San Giovanni (1,500–1,800 dead per Muratori; other sources report 200 dead and 1,500 prisoners). The clash occurs between Brusa, Brosa and the Chiagnò, or near the San Giovanni River. | |
| Apr. | Mercenary Company | Naples, Church | Marche and Abruzzi | He encamps between Urbino and Fossombrone, then separates from Hawkwood and with 10,000 men (infantry and cavalry) enters the Abruzzi, causing severe damage. He is confronted at the Sack of Tronto by Papal and Angevin forces commanded by Gomez Garcia and Giovanni Malatacca, who annihilate the venturers. Wounded and captured, he is imprisoned in Naples at the Castel dell’Ovo; only 2,700 men escape. Six hundred prisoners are taken to Rome; by end-May 1369 half remain alive in prison, the others hanged or decapitated. The 300 survivors are first held at the castle of Marta on Lake Bolsena, then transferred in July to the fortress of Montefiascone, where an escape attempt ends with execution by strangulation or decapitation of the remaining venturers. | |
| 1370 | |||||
| Campania | After three years of imprisonment Ambrogio Visconti kills the castellan and escapes with his fellow prisoners; another account holds he escapes with a servant after bribing the guards. | ||||
| Aug. | Milan | League | Emilia | Having freed himself, he returns to fight for his father against the anti-Visconti League’s troops, riding with 2,000 men in the Bolognese region. | |
| 1371 | |||||
| Apr.–May | Emilia | He is appointed governor of Parma. He departs with 500 lances to Reggio Emilia to aid Feltrino Gonzaga, besieged by the Este. He enters the fortress, bursts into the city, and retreats only upon arrival of Lutz von Landau (Lucio Lando), after pillaging Reggio Emilia for days. With his father’s purchase of the city for 60,000 florins he takes possession in mid-May, receiving keys to the citadel and to the gates of Santo Stefano and Santa Croce. The League’s troops retreat toward Modena. Preventing his men from further looting, he kills an Englishman who disobeys and ransoms and returns inhabitants’ goods from Lucio Lando’s venturers. | |||
| Aug. | Emilia | In aid of Manfredino da Sassuolo, he devastates the counties of Modena and Ferrara, enters the marshes at Stellata, reaches the Doccie di Bondeno, and from there strikes the borough of San Giacomo in Ferrara. He withdraws on the church bell call to Finale Emilia with a large booty and 300–600 prisoners. | |||
| Oct. | Emilia | He is sent by his father to John Hawkwood to persuade him to compensate the Marquis of Mantua, Ludovico Gonzaga, for damages his soldiers inflicted on the population of Guastalla. | |||
| 1372 | |||||
| Emilia | He again attacks the Modenese with Manfredino Pio and Manfredino da Sassuolo, besieges Correggio, and strengthens the bastion at Cesio facing Modena. | ||||
| Apr. | Emilia | He notices opposing forces halted on the Secchia River before a bastion and organizes a rapid raid to Pieve di Sant’Andrea. | |||
| June | Emilia | He links with John Hawkwood (800 lances) and together defeats their opponents, capturing 700 horses and 1,000 infantry; Francesco da Fogliano, Guglielmo da Fogliano, and Giovanni di Rod are taken prisoner. The first da Fogliano is hanged from a merlon of the walls of Reggio Emilia. Nobles are held for ransom; mercenaries are released stripped of arms and mounts. Following the victory the da Correggio ally with the Visconti, and Ambrogio Visconti obtains the castles of San Polo d’Enza and Correggio. | |||
| July | Milan | Montferrat, Count of Savoy | Piedmont | He is sent by his father with John Hawkwood to aid his uncle Galeazzo Visconti against the Marquis of Montferrat and the Count of Savoy, Amedeo. He assaults Asti; with the capture of Jacopo dal Verme at Malemort he challenges his opponents alongside Francesco d’Este. Disagreements among the Visconti condottieri prevent battle selection. He raids the enemy camp; the Savoyards counterattack, driving him back across the Tanaro River. A truce is concluded, allowing him to return to Reggio Emilia. | |
| Sept. | Emilia | He meets again at Collecchio with John Hawkwood and persuades him to remain in the Visconti service on the usual terms, renouncing his claim for increased pay. | |||
| Nov. | Milan | League | Emilia | John Hawkwood enters papal service and raids the Piacenza region; Ambrogio Visconti, without his father’s knowledge, makes a similar incursion into the Bolognese, appearing suddenly before the Porta di San Felice with only 100 cavalry, retiring to Borgo Panigale, then plundering the contado for eight days up to Imola without resistance. The damage is estimated at 400,000–600,000 florins, including 3,000 oxen; 3,000 people (including many children) are chained and ransomed for 3,000 florins. He returns to Reggio Emilia at month-end. | |
| 1373 | |||||
| Jan. | Emilia | He renews the assault on Bologna alongside Giannotto Visconti and remains encamped for two weeks near the city. On the return journey, his men—laden with plunder—are ambushed while crossing the Panaro River near Crevalcore by the papal legate Pierre de Bourges (Pietro di Bourges), John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto), and Ugolino da Savignano. The clash ends disastrously for him, with heavy losses: 500 killed and 1,500 captured. According to Bolognese chronicles, the death toll among the Visconti forces rises to 2,000, most of whom drown while trying to cross the river. | |||
| …… | Lombardy | In Bergamo with 300 lances, aiming to confront the advance of Count Amadeus of Savoy (Amedeo di Savoia). | |||
| July – Aug. | Lombardy | He enters the Bergamasque valleys to suppress a revolt incited by the Guelph faction. He orders the burning of the monastery of Pontida, as well as Caprino Bergamasco and Gronsalega. In August, he launches another incursion into the Valley of San Martino, riding toward Caprino Bergamasco without taking particular precautions. Ambushed by local villagers nearby, he retreats to Opreno. There, he is killed by a lance blow, along with many nobles and men-at-arms from his retinue, including Ludovico da Correggio. He is buried in Bergamo with solemn funeral rites. In retaliation, Bernabò Visconti orders the abbey of Pontida—where the rebels had gathered—to be set ablaze. His vengeance is marked by widespread fires, massacres, torture without end, and harsh taxation imposed by the Lord of Milan. |
Sources
-“Per alcuni anni le compagnie di Acuto e di Ambrogio Visconti furono le più potenti forze militari indipendenti della penisola. Quando operavano unite, infatti, risultavano pressoché irresistibili e volta a volta ne fecero triste esperienza Genova, Siena e Perugia. Ma quando agivano separatamente diventavano più vulnerabili e così il Visconti fu sconfitto da un esercito congiunto di Napoli e del papa…La sua carriera fu.. quella di un condottiero a capo di una grande compagnia. Irrequieto e senza una base fissa egli ebbe alterne fortune, finendo vittima di una rappresaglia di contadini esasperati dalle depredazioni dei suoi soldati.” MALLETT
-“Costui era grandissimo valente homo.” CORPUS CHRONIC. BONOMIENSIUM
-“Diventò uno degli uomini più celebri per le sue estorsioni e pel numero de’ paesi che devastò.” LITTA
-“Costui fu molto esperto e valoroso nell’armi, e fece di gran prodezze.” MORIGI
-“Hic erat triginta annorum, vel circa, quem omnes sui amabant, hostes timebant; in suos verbis et opere appaludebat, in hostes bellicosissimus apparebat.” GAZATA
-“Un des meilleurs chefs sur qui Bernabò (Visconti) put compter.” LABANDE
-“Ambroxio, cavaliere valoroxo,/ In quella valle unde (sempre) se fa male/ Accidere se fe(ci) quel(lo) doloroxo.” Da un lamento per la sua morte riportato da MEDIN-FRATI
-Scontro con i pontifici a Sacco del Tronto con pontifici ed angioini “Multo vigorosamente in campo commattero:/ La Conpagnia de missere Amorosino el canpo perdero,/ E la jente de madamma (Giovanna d’Angiò) la vettoria avero./ Non ne campone nulla che non fosse pilliatu,/ e missere Amorosino a Napoli gio legatu,/ Che per lu granne senescalcu a madamma fu datu,/ Che lu facesse salire a pattu menatu./ Li autri presioni a Roma tutti mandone./ Al papa Urbano tutti li presentone;/ nella bocte de Termoli illu lo jodicone;/ E delle loro peccata locu li judicone.” A. DI BUCCIO
-“Ambrogio Visconti, a bastard son of that amazing Milanese family, was a comrade and rival of the foreigner Hawkwood.” NICOLLE
-“La figura di Ambrogio è emblematica di un momento di transizione nella storia militare della penisola: la sua carriera fu breve ma intensa e si pose a metà tra quella tipica di un combattente professionista e quella politico-militare di rampollo di una delle più importanti casate di di potere in tutta Italia. Egli godette indubbiamente di alcuni margini di autonomia nella scala degli obiettivi, ma per la maggior parte, la sua azione fu diretta dal padre e volta a favorire la politica espansionistica viscontea.” BORTOLUZZI
-“Pessimo soggetto, anima dannata del padre, rotto ad ogni nequizia e capace d’ogni impresa più disperata, il quale aveva a’ suoi ordini la compagnia di ventura detta di S. Giorgio, resasi.. tristemente celebre per le infamie commesse.” DONAVER
-“L’elogio che il Gazata ne fa afferma che tutti l’amavano, i nemici lo temevano, generoso con i suoi; bellicosissimo contro gli avversari.” CIUCCIOVINO
-“Bastardo di Bernabò, per formare a sé stesso quella fortuna che altrimenti dubitava d’ottenere, formò la Compagnia di San Giorgio (1365).” CIPOLLA
