Ludovico I Gonzaga (1268 – 18 January 1360) was an Italian lord, the founder of theGonzaga family who was the firstcapitano del popolo ofMantua andimperial vicar.
Biography
editBorn inMantua, he was the son of Guido Corradi and the grandson of Antonio Corradi. On 16 August 1328, with the help ofGhibelline troops fromCangrande I della Scala and his father-in-lawGuglielmo Azzone Panebarco, he oustedRinaldo Bonacolsi from Mantua, replacing him ascapitano generale.[1] The following 28 August he was electedcapitano del popolo ("Captain of the People") by the inhabitants. The following yearLouis IV appointed him as imperial vicar and in 1335 he became also lord ofReggio Emilia.
In 1339, he supportedLuchino,Giovanni andAzzone Visconti againstMastino II della Scala andLodrisio Visconti, sending troops that helped the former to win theBattle of Parabiago. In 1342 he helpedPisa stand theFlorentine assault.
In 1349 Ludovico housed poetFrancesco Petrarca, who visitedVergil's tomb in Mantua. In his late years he fought againstBernabò Visconti. He died at Mantua in 1360 and was buried in thecity cathedral.
He was succeeded in Mantua by his sonGuido, while his other sonFeltrino heldReggio Emilia.
Marriages and issue
editHe was married to:
Richilda Ramberti
- Tommasina (d. 1372), married Guglielmo Azzone Castelbarco.
- Guido Gonzaga (1290- =) married to Agnese Gonzaga,married secondly to Camilla Beccaria and thirdly to Beatrix de Bar
- Fillipino Gonzaga (1300-1356) married to Anna Dovara and secondly to Verena Habsburg-Laufenburg
- Feltrino Gonzaga (1305-1374)
- Francesca Gonzaga
with Caterina Malatesta
- Corrago Gonzaga married Verde Beccaria
- Luigia Gonzaga married Nicola Fiesch
- Federigo Gonzaga
with Giovanna Novelle Gonzaga
- Tommasina Gonzga married to Alidosio Alidosi, Todeschino
- Orietta Gonzaga
- Giovanni Gonzaga
- Azzo Gonzaga
Ludovico also had by unknown mothers
- Costanza
- Bartolomeo
- Costanza