VISCONTI, MATTEO I

born Aug. 15, 1250, Invorio, Lombardy died June 24, 1322, Milan byname Matteo The Great, Italian Matteo Il Grande early head of the powerful dynasty of the Visconti, who for almost two centuries ruled Milan. Installed as captain of the people in 1287 with the help of his great-uncle Ottone Visconti, archbishop of Milan, Matteo succeeded in extending his six-month term to five years and in being several times reelected. In 1294 the German king Adolf of Nassau made him imperial vicar in Milan. Exiled in 1302, when the Della Torre family, rulers of the city in the first half of the 13th century, returned to power, he recovered Milan in 1310 with the aid of the Holy Roman emperor Henry VII. His position was strengthened by the Emperor's sojourn in Italy, and by 1315 he ruled through his own military efforts and those of his sons the important north Italian cities of Piacenza, Bergamo, Lodi, Como, Cremona, Alessandria, Tortona, Pavia, Vercelli, and Novara. Opposed in his drive for power by Pope John XXII, Matteo in 1317 renounced the title of imperial vicar to placate the Pope, assuming that of lord of Milan. The Pope, nevertheless, excommunicated him in 1320, accusing the Visconti of heresy and witchcraft, and declared an interdict against the city. In May 1322 Matteo abdicated in favour of his son Galeazzo I and died a month later.