During the fourteenth century the pope and emperor had little influence over Italian political affairs. Nobility did not ensure power. Therefore, Italian city-states were left to choose their leader whose responsibility was to defend their city from external enemies and to wage war on rival cities in hopes of gaining more territory. Members of powerful merchant families, such as Galeazzo II, would often be selected for these positions and would seize neighbouring cities in order to extend their rule; affluence and their family name would gain them recognition and help them to become elected as city-state leader. They would then be awarded designations such as ‘vicarite for life’ in order to legitimize their authority over civilians. Galeazzo II was granted this title as was his brother, Bernabò Visconti, once they gained territory in northern Italy.