John Jacob Palaeologus (Italian: ''Giovanni Giacomo Paleologo'') (23 March 1395 – 12 March 1445) was the
Margrave of Montferrat from 1418 to 1445.
He was born in
Trino, Piedmont
Trino () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southwest of Vercelli, at the foot of the Montferrat hills.
Trino borders the following municipalitie ...
, the son of
Theodore II of Montferrat, with whom he collaborated in the government of the marquisate from 1404. His mother was Johanna of Bar, daughter of
Robert of Bar and
Marie of France, Duchess of Bar
Marie of France (18 September 1344 – 15 October 1404) was the sixth child and second daughter of John II of France and Bonne of Bohemia.Jean d'Arras, ''Melusine; or, The Noble History of Lusignan'', transl. Donald Maddox, (The Pennsylvania State ...
. In 1412 he married Joanna of Savoy, sister of Duke
Amadeus VIII.
After his father's death in 1418, John Jacob received the investiture as Marquis by emperor
Sigismund Sigismund (variants: Sigmund, Siegmund) is a German proper name, meaning "protection through victory", from Old High German ''sigu'' "victory" + ''munt'' "hand, protection". Tacitus latinises it ''Segimundus''. There appears to be an older form of ...
. He distinguished himself for some brilliant military campaign in the
Apennines
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...
area; he also increased his prestige through the marriage between his sister Sofia and the second last Byzantine Emperor,
John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus (; 18 December 1392 – 31 October 1448) was the penultimate Byzantine emperor. Ruling from 1425 to 1448, he attempted to bring about the reunification of the Orthodox and Catholic churches and prior ...
.
John Jacob's expansion, however, spurred the reaction of the Dukes of Savoy and of
Filippo Maria Visconti
Filippo Maria Visconti (3 September 1392 – 13 August 1447) was the duke of Duchy of Milan, Milan from 1412 to 1447. Reports stated that he was "paranoid", but "shrewd as a ruler." He went to war in the 1420s with Romagna, Republic of Florenc ...
of
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
. In 1431 they signed an alliance aiming at the cancellation of the Montferrat state. John Jacob was therefore compelled to ask support to France. In 1432 he was defeated anyway and sued for peace, ceding several territories to Savoy but retaining the seigniory over Montferrat, although with the status of Savoy vassal.
However, when Amadeus VIII asked him the payment of the war expenses, John Jacob rebelled; but, after having besieged in
Chivasso
Chivasso (; ) is a communes of Italy, comune in the Metropolitan City of Turin, in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin. Chivasso has a population of about 27,000. It is situated on the :wikt:left bank, left bank ...
, he was forced to cease. His state and his prestige were shattered, and he had again to declare himself vassal of Savoy.
John Jacob died at
Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato () is a town in the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy, northwestern Italy, in the province of Alessandria. It is situated about east of Turin on the right bank of the Po River, Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montfe ...
in 1445, being succeeded by his son
John IV.
Marriage and children
On 26 April 1411 John Jacob married Joanna of Savoy (1395–1460), daughter of
Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy
Amadeus VII (24 February 1360 – 1 November 1391), known as the Red Count, was Count of Savoy from 1383 to 1391.
Biography
Amadeus was born in Chambéry on 24 February 1360, the son of Count Amadeus VI of Savoy and Bonne of Bourbon. After ...
and
Bonne of Berry. Their children were:
*
John IV (1413–1464), Marquis of Montferrat 1445–1464.
*
Amadea (1418–1440), married to
John II de Poitiers-Lusignan, king of Cyprus.
* Isabella (ca. 1419–1475); married to
Ludovico I del Vasto, Marquis of Saluzzo.
*
William VIII (1422–1483), Marquis of Montferrat 1464–1483
*
Boniface III (1424–1494), Marquis of Montferrat 1483–1494.
*
Theodoro (1425–1481), cardinal.
References
Sources
*
*
*
See also
*
Wars in Lombardy
The Wars in Lombardy were a series of conflicts between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan and their respective allies, fought in four campaigns in a struggle for hegemony in Northern Italy that ravaged the economy of Lombardy. They ...
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:John Jacob, Marquis of Montferrat
1395 births
1445 deaths
People from Trino
15th-century Italian nobility
Palaeologus-Montferrat dynasty
Marquesses of Montferrat