Everything about Giovanni Luigi Fieschi totally explained
Giovanni Luigi Fieschi (or
Fiesco; c.
1522 -
January 2,
1547) was a
Genoese nobleman, count of
Lavagna.
Biography
The
Fieschi were one of the prominent families of
Liguria, first mentioned in the
10th century. Among his kin were popes (
Innocent IV and
Adrian V), many cardinals, a king of
Sicily, three saints, and many generals and admirals of Genoa and other states.
Sinibaldo Fieschi, his father, had been a close friend of
Andrea Doria, and had rendered many service to the
Genoese republic. On his death in
1532, Giovanni found himself at the age of nine the head of the family and possessor of immense estates. He was described as handsome, intelligent, of attractive manners and very ambitious. He married Eleonora Cybo, marchioness of
Massa, in
1540, described as a woman of great beauty and influence.
Doria family conspiracy
Giovanni Luigi Fieschi is best known for his part in a failed conspiracy against the Doria family. There were many reasons which inspired his hatred of the Doria family; the almost absolute power wielded by the aged admiral and the insolence of his nephew and heir
Giannettino Doria, the commander of the galleys, were galling to him and many other Genoese. It is rumored that Giannettino had affairs with Fieschi's wife. Moreover, the Fieschi belonged to the French or popular party, while the Doria were aristocrats and Imperialists. Fieschi conspiracy against Doria found allies in Pope
Paul III, in the Duke of Parma
Pier Luigi Farnese and in
Francis I of France. In Genoa, co-conspirators were his brothers Girolamo and Ottobuono, Verrina and R. Sacco.
A number of armed men from the Fieschi fiefs had been secretly brought to Genoa, and they agreed that on the
January 2 1547, during the interregnum before the election of the new doge, they should seize the galleys in the port and the city gates.
The first part of the plan was easily carried out, and Giannettino Doria, aroused by the tumult, was killed as he rushed to the port. Andrea Doria, however, fled from the city unharmed. The conspirators attempted to gain possession of the government, but unfortunately,
Giovanni Luigi, while crossing a plank from the quay to one of the galleys, fell into the water and drowned. The news of his death spread consternation among the Fieschi faction, and
Girolamo Fieschi found few adherents. They came to terms with the senate and were granted a general amnesty. However, when Doria returned to Genoa on
4 January, he ignored the amnesty, and confiscated the Fieschi estates. Girolamo, Verrina, Sacco and other conspirators had secluded themselves in his castle of
Montobbia, which the Genoese, at Doria's instigation, besieged and captured. Girolamo Fieschi and Verrina were tried, tortured and executed; all their estates were seized, including
Torriglia, which Doria obtained for himself.
Ottobuono Fieschi, who escaped, was captured eight years later and put to death by Doria's orders.
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