Oberto Doria | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of theDoria family | |
| Capitano del popolo of theRepublic of Genoa | |
| In office 1270–1288 | |
| Preceded by | Guglielmo Boccanegra |
| Succeeded by | Corrado Doria |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1229 Genoa,Republic of Genoa |
| Died | 1306 Genoa, Republic of Genoa |
Oberto Doria (died 1306) was an Italian politician and admiral of theRepublic of Genoa, ruling the republic asCapitano del popolo.
Oberto Doria was born atGenoa before 1230, the oldest of four sons of Pietro Doria and Mabilia Casiccia.[1] He was thus a member of the powerfulDoria family, and the brother ofLamba Doria, who defeated theVenetians in theWar of Curzola, and of the chroniclerIacopo Doria.[2]
The Doria family, one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Genoa, was always related to the political events of the Genoese Republic, however, Oberto's father, Pietro, chose to remain neutral. This allowed him to establish a flourishing trading company with his partner, Poncio Riccio. Oberto spent his youth as his father's assistant, before becoming an independent merchant.[1] Surviving documents show the diversity of his mercantile activities, fromc. 1250 on, stretching from France toNorth Africa, often in close partnership with his father and the Riccios.[1] At the same time, he began to participate in Genoese political life, from an exceptionally privileged position: not only were both his father and grandfather Oberto were members of the Great Council, but thepodestà (the city'schief magistrate) at that time resided in the palace of the Doria family.[1] As a result, Oberto is attested asconsiliator of the Commune at the conclusion of a treaty on 22 March 1252, in the acts of sending an ambassador toFlorence on 15 July 1254, and in a treaty withSanta Igia on 17 November 1256.[1]
Following the defeat and capture of the Genoese fleet under Lanfranco Borbonino at theBattle of Trapani on 23 June, Oberto assumed his first naval command, being placed in charge of a fleet of 25 ships.[1][3] This appointment, according to theAnnali Genovesi, was due to his popularity with the mercantile classes, who had reason to be dissatisfied with the scant successes of the Guelph faction following the fall of thecapitano del popoloGuglielmo Boccanegra. As the historian Giovanni Nuti points out, the branch of the Doria family established by Oberto's namesake grandfather was closely identified with the commercial interests of Genoa itself, as opposed to other traditional noble families that pursued the acquisition of possessions outside the city itself, in theItalian Riviera or the islands of theTyrrhenian Sea.[1]
Taking advantage of the victorious Venetian fleet's inactivity at Venice, Oberto sailed in early August and moved east. After capturing some Venetian merchant vessels, his fleet sacked the town ofCanea on Crete (then aVenetian colony), sometime in September. On his return journey, his fleet encountered the Venetian trade convoy sailing east atModon, protected by Marco Zeno's thirty galleys. Numerically inferior and encumbered with the loot and captives of Canea, Oberto avoided combat and fled. Despite having the advantage over his enemy, Zeno was content to see the Genoese retreating, and did not pursue them.[1][3] After offloading his booty atMessina, Oberto returned home. Although the principal naval objective, the Venetian trade convoy, had eluded him, his sack of Canea boosted morale following successive defeats at the hands of the Venetians.[1]
On 28 October 1270, together withOberto Spinola, member of another importantGenoese family, inaugurated a series of two-man governments headed by their families, with dictatorial powers as the captains of the people (Capitano del popolo). Ruling for 15 years during what has been termed the golden age of the Genoese in theMiddle Ages.[4]
His moves aimed to defend the Genoese Republic's integrity against theFieschi family, who wanted to create a personal seignory in the Levante Ligure, and theGrimaldi, who had usurped part of the Ponente. He personally moved against Nicolò Fieschi in 1273, storming his capitalLa Spezia, while his brother Jacopo, at the same time, warred victoriously against the Grimaldi.
At the same time, he led a prudent conduct against the FrenchCharles of Anjou, thenKing of Naples and Sicily and also a powerful feudatory in north-western Italy andProvence. Oberto Doria rose to fame however as the admiral of the Genoese fleet in theBattle of Meloria (6 August 1284) in which, together withBenedetto Zaccaria andCorrado Spinola (son of his co-dictatorOberto Spinola) he crushed thePisans, then Genoa's main rivals in the maritime trades in the Mediterranean together with Venice. This victory allowed Genoa to regainCorsica andSardinia, and reduced Pisa to a secondary status in theMediterranean Sea
In 1285 he renounced voluntarily to co-dictatorship, but maintained a role in the Genoese politics. The peace with Pisa was signed in his house on 15 April 1288.
Oberto Doria died sometime shortly before 6 September 1306.[1]
