Cangrande II della Scala (7 June 1332
– 14 December 1359) was
Lord of Verona from 1351 until his death.
In 1351, after the death of his father
Mastino II della Scala
Mastino II della Scala (1308 – 3 June 1351) was lord of Verona. He was a member of the famous Scaliger family of Northern Italy.
He was the son of Alboino I della Scala and Beatrice da Correggio. At the death of Cangrande I, he and his broth ...
, he inherited the lordship of Verona and
Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; or , archaically ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, where it straddles the Bacchiglione, River Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and e ...
, initially (until 1352) under the regency of his uncle
Alberto II. In 1350 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Emperor
Louis IV of Bavaria
Louis IV (; 1 April 1282 – 11 October 1347), called the Bavarian (, ), was King of the Romans from 1314, King of Italy from 1327, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1328 until his death in 1347.
Louis' election as king of Germany in 1314 was cont ...
and
Margaret II, Countess of Hainault.
Cangrande, nicknamed ''Can Rabbioso'' ("Raging Dog") ruled Verona with iron fist, amassing rich treasures for his illegitimate sons and impoverishing the city. This caused internal strifes which led the suspicious Cangrande to surround himself with Brandenburg mercenaries. This did not prevent him being assassinated by his brother
Cansignorio, who, with the help of the
Carraresi of
Padua
Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
, succeeded him.
Cangrande had a castle and a fortified bridge built in the town (see
Castelvecchio and
Castelvecchio Bridge) in order to grant him a safe place and a safe escape route towards Germany in the event of revolt against him in the city.
Among his children were:
* Antonia della Scala (died 1400), married to Mastino Visconti, son of
Bernabò Visconti
Bernabò or Barnabò Visconti (1323 – 19 December 1385) was an Italian soldier and statesman who was Lord of Milan. Along with his brothers Matteo and Galeazzo II, he inherited the lordship of Milan from his uncle Giovanni. Later in 1355, he ...
and
Beatrice Regina della Scala
Beatrice ''Regina'' della Scala (1331 – 18 June 1384) was Lady of Milan by marriage to Bernabò Visconti, Lord of Milan, and politically active as the adviser of her spouse.
Life
Beatrice Regina was the youngest child of Mastino II della Sca ...
.
* Cleofa della Scala (died 1403), married to Giammastino Visconti, younger brother of Mastino.
He also had a natural son:
* (illegitimate)
Guglielmo della Scala.
References
Scala, Cangrande 2
Scala, Cangrande 2
Medieval murder victims
Scala, Cangrande 2
Cangrande 2
Scala, Cangrande 2
14th-century Italian nobility
People assassinated in the 14th century
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