From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Scaliger (disambiguation).
The Scaliger insignia on the Sirmione Castle.


Territories held by the Scaligeri in 1336.

Cangrande I was succeeded by his nephews Mastino II (1329–51) and Alberto. Mastino, the richest and most powerful prince of his generation in Italy, continued his uncle's policy, conquering Brescia in 1332 and carrying his power beyond the Po. He purchased Parma (1335) and Lucca (1339). But a powerful league was formed against him in 1337: Florence, Venice, the Visconti, the Este and the Gonzaga all joined, and after a three years war, the Scaliger dominions were reduced to Verona and Vicenza.

His son Cangrande II (1351–59) was a cruel and suspicious tyrant; not trusting his own subjects, he surrounded himself with German mercenaries but was killed by his brother Cansignorio (1359–75), who beautified Verona with palaces, provided it with aqueducts and bridges, and founded the state treasury. He too killed his other brother, Paolo Alboino. Fratricide among the Scaligeri, when Antonio (1375–87), Cansignorio's natural brother, slew his brother Bartolomeo, aroused the indignation of the people, who deserted him when Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan made war on him. Having exhausted all his resources, he fled from Verona at midnight (October 19, 1387), thus putting an end to the Scaliger domination.

