Beatrice Regina della Scala | |
|---|---|
 Beatrice Regina della Scala and her husbandBernabò Visconti, painted c. 1350 by an unknown artist | |
| Born | 1331 Verona,Italy |
| Died | 18 June 1384(1384-06-18) (aged 52–53) Milan, Italy |
| Noble family | della Scala |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Issue among others... | |
| Father | Mastino II della Scala |
| Mother | Taddea da Carrara |
BeatriceRegina della Scala (1331 – 18 June 1384) was Lady of Milan by marriage toBernabò Visconti, Lord of Milan, and politically active as the adviser of her spouse.[1]
Beatrice Regina was the youngest child ofMastino II della Scala and Taddeada Carrara.[2] She had three older brothers and one sister, as well as five illegitimate half-siblings. Her father, who was a member of theScaliger family of Northern Italy, was Lord ofVerona,Vicenza,Brescia,Parma, andLucca.[citation needed] Her paternal grandparents wereAlboino I della Scala and Beatrice, daughter of Gilberto III da Correggio of Parma, and her maternal grandparents wereJacopo I da Carrara and Anna Gradenigo, daughter ofPietro Gradenigo,Doge of Venice andTommasina Morosini.
Beatrice’s mother, Taddea, had been married off to Mastino as a way to keep peace between the da Carraras and the della Scala families[3] but this failed thus Beatrice grew up within a milieu of martial conflict between her relatives. By the time of Beatrice’s birth the della Scala family had expanded their territory to containPadua in the north toTreviso in the east. The personal fortune of the family was also large and comparable to that of the king of France.[4]
The neighbouring lords of the family felt threatened by the della Scalas and formed a league and in quick succession conquered large parts of the della Scala territories. In the end Beatrice’s father was left holding only two cities; Verona and Vicenza[4]
In the late 1340s Mastino encountered another threat to his lands from Milan and its new lord Giovanni Visconti.
Visconti, however, proposed that by having Mastino’s daughter Caterina marry his nephew, Bernabo Visconti, they would be allies instead.
On 27 September 1350, in Verona, Beatrice Regina was married to Bernabò Visconti, son ofStefano Visconti and ValentinaDoria.[2] She was nineteen years of age and he was twenty-seven. The marriage had been arranged between Beatrice’s father andGiovanni Visconti, the ruling lord of Milan and paternal uncle of Bernabo. It would cement a powerful political alliance between Milan and Verona. Bernabo assumed power as Lord of Milan in 1354, henceforth, Beatrice Regina was styled as Lady of Milan.
Beatrice is said to have had "all the graces that the heavens bestow on women".
The name of Regina, and its variations Reina and Rayna,[5] is said to have been added to her name because of her regal bearing.[6] Later historians would acccuse her of arrogance in wanting to be called "queen" despite not having legitimate claim to such a title.
In 1351 Beatrice gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Taddea after her maternal grandmother.
In 1351, barely a year after Beatrices marriage to Bernabo, her father Mastino della Scala died and was succeeded by her brother Cangrande.
In 1359,Cansignorio, the older brother of Beatrice assassinated their brotherCangrande and succeeded him as lord of Verona.[7] Beatrice’s youngest brother Paolo Alboino then ruled together with Cangrane. On 20 February 1365 Paolo Alboino was arrested on charges of conspiracy against Cansignorio and was imprisoned. Then in 1375 he was killed on his brother's orders,[7] so that Cansignorio's sons, Beatrice’s nephewsAntonio andBartolomeo could succeed him. The latter however were forced by the city of Verona’s bankruptcy to accept the protectorate of their uncle-in-law Bernabo.
The only legitimate sibling of Beatrice still alive after 1375 was her sister Verde (wifeNiccolo II d´Este)[8] The families of d´Estes and Viscontis had been in conflict since around the time of their marriage. But the marriages of Beatrice and of her sister Verde to members of the rival families seems to for a time to created a period of intermittent and relative peace between the two rival families.
Beatrice’s brother-in-law Niccollo II d Este would however join forces with Verona and Padua against Beatrice’s husband in 1367 when Bernabo led his forces to attack and attempted to take claim the city of Padua on behalf of Beatrice’s claim of succession.
It has been claimed that Bernabò was a cruel and ruthless despot, and an implacable enemy of theChurch. He seized the papal city ofBologna, rejected the Pope and his authority, confiscated ecclesiastical property, and forbade any of his subjects to have any dealings with theCuria. He was excommunicated as aheretic in 1363 byPope Urban V, who preachedcrusade against him.[9] When Bernabò was in one of his frequent rages, only Beatrice Regina was able to approach him.[10] She reportedly had a strong will, and her influence upon Bernabò - and thereby upon the policy of Milan - was recognized:Catherine of Siena used her as an intermediary every time she had a political request to Bernabò.[1]
After the conquest of Reggio Emilia in 1356, control over the city was given to Beatrice, with Bernabo stating that all concerns should be adressed to his wife rather than him.[11] Beatrice thereafter handled audiences and decided appeals brought before her.[11]
Despite his close relationship with Beatrice, Bernabo was frequently unfaithful and apart from the many children he had with Beatrice he would also father numerous illegitimate children.
Beatrice Regina died on 18 June 1384 at the age of fifty-three years. She was buried in Milan and entombed inSan Giovanni in Conca . Bernabo then imposed two years of mourning to all Milanese citizens.
A year and a half later, her husband was deposed and later poisoned by his nephew and son-in-lawGian Galeazzo Visconti, who in 1395 became the first Duke of Milan.
In 1892 Beatrice’s and her husband’s remains were removed from San Giovanni in Conca and transferred in 1892 toSant'Alessandro in Zebedia.
She gave her name to the church ofSanta Maria alla Scala in Milan, and by extension, theLa Scala opera house (Teatro alla Scala) which was built on the same site four hundred years later.
Together Bernabò and Beatrice Regina had at least between 15[12] and 17[10] documented children:
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Preceded by | Lady of Milan 1350–1384 | Succeeded by |
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