Giovanni Battista Doria (1470 – 1554) was the 50th

Doge A doge ( , ; plural dogi or doges) was an elected lord and head of state in several Italian city-states, notably Venice and Genoa, during the medieval and renaissance periods. Such states are referred to as " crowned republics". Etymology The ...

of the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the La ...

Biography

Son of Agostino Doria and Soprana Grimaldi and a member of the powerful

Doria family The House of Doria ( lij, Döia ) originally ''de Auria'' (from ''de filiis Auriae''), meaning "the sons of Auria", and then ''de Oria'' or ''d'Oria'', is an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the ...

, he was born in Genoa around 1470. The fate of Giovanni Battista Doria was closely linked to the well-known figure of Admiral

Andrea Doria Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi (; lij, Drîa Döia ; 30 November 146625 November 1560) was a Genoese statesman, ', and admiral, who played a key role in the Republic of Genoa during his lifetime. As the ruler of Genoa, Doria reformed the Re ...

. Shortly after the landing in the port of Genoa of the Andrea Doria fleet with a good number of army on board, Giovanni Battista was sent, together with other citizens, by the governor Teodoro Trivulzio for an exploratory reconnaissance of the admiral's intentions. On that occasion the two Dorias met secretly and it was Andrea himself, perhaps for the surname of the same name or simply for trust and esteem, who explained to Giovanni Battista the real reasons for his landing "in the common struggle for freedom and estrangement of the current domination of

Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...

. After the various stages of the new and independent Republic, the name of Giovanni Battista Doria was found in 1536 when he began to take part in public life in the city and in government. A year later, on January 4, 1537, in the presence of Andrea Doria himself, he was elected fiftieth doge of the Republic, the fifth in biennial succession. During his dogate the wall curtain was built near the Acquasola gate. The two-year period ended, as scheduled, on January 4, 1539. He died in Genoa around 1554 where he was buried in the demolished church of San Domenico.

Personal life

Married to Geronima Lomellini had no children, unlike his brother Giacomo Doria who saw the birth of nine children; two of these, Nicolò Doria and Agostino Doria, were also doges in 1579-1581 and 1601-1603.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doria, Giovanni Battista 1487 births 16th-century deaths Giovanni Battista 16th-century Doges of Genoa

Biography

Personal life

See also

References