Ottone Visconti

Ottone Visconti (1207 8 August 1295) was Archbishop of Milan and Lord of Milan, the first of the Visconti line. Under his rule, the commune of Milan became a strong Ghibelline city and one of the Holy Roman Empire's seats in Italy. Biography Early life Born in Invorio, near Novara, Ottone was one of the six children of Uberto Visconti, lord of Massino, and Berta Pirovano. Along with his brother Azzone (later Bishop of Ventimiglia), Ottone was forced into an ecclesiastical career by his family. He became canon of Desio and in 1247 chamberlain of the powerful Cardinal Ottaviano degli Ubaldini. Under his patronage, Ottone was appointed by Archbishop of Milan Leone da Perego as his envoy to France in 1252, gaining the trust of Pope Innocent IV, becoming his chaplain. After the death of Leone da Perego in 1257, Ottone was supported by Cardinal Ubaldini as successor to the Archdiocese of Milan, against Raimondo della Torre's candidacy. This action displeased the city's lord Martino della Torre (relative of Raimondo), who claimed the historical autonomy of Milan on Archbishop appointments. Despite Martino's opposition, Pope Urban IV chose Ottone as the new archbishop on 22 July 1262.