Ubaldo I Visconti (died 1230) was the ''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...

'' overlord of the

Giudicato of Cagliari The Judicate of Cagliari (, ) was one of the Sardinian medieval kingdoms, four kingdoms or judicates (''iudicati'', literally "judgeship") into which Sardinia was divided during the Middle Ages. The Judicate of Cagliari occupied the entire southe ...

from 1217. He was a member of the

Visconti Visconti is a surname which may refer to: Italian noble families * Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447 ** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan * Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...

family of

Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...

, controlling Cagliari on behalf of his brother, who was judge ''

jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title '' suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could beco ...

'' from 1218. His grandfather, Alberto, was a patrician of Pisa, while his father, Eldizio, was patrician and

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

. He and his brother Lamberto in turn served as patrician and ''

podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...

''. Ubaldo's grandmother was Aligarda and his mother was a daughter of Torchitorio III of Cagliari, through whom he would have inherited some claim on the ''giudicato''. Around 1200, Ubaldo was assisting

William I of Cagliari William I (c. 1160–1214), royal name Salusio IV, was the '' judike'' of Cagliari, meaning "King", from 1188 to his death. His descendants and those of his immediate competitors intermarried to form the backbone of the Italian Aristocracy, an ...

on behalf of Pisa in a war with Comita III of Logudoro when the two warring ''giudici'' came to terms. In 1212, there was complete anarchy in Pisa. A pro-Visconti faction was at war with an anti-Visconti one. In mid-January 1213, William of Cagliari led the forces of

Massa Massa may refer to: Places Italy *Province of Massa and Carrara, province in the Tuscany region of Italy * Duchy of Massa and Carrara, controlled the towns of Massa di Carrara and Carrara * Roman Catholic Diocese of Massa Marittima-Piombi ...

Pistoia Pistoia (; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of a province of the same name, located about north-west of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. It is a typic ...

, the anti-Visconti faction in Pisa, and the militia of Guido Guerra III to victory near Massa over the forces of

Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...

supported by the Visconti under Ubaldo, and by the deposed Pisan ''podestà'' Goffredo Musto. Pisa was forced to accept four rectores, only one of which was a Visconti. In 1214, Lamberto and Ubaldo took the opportunity that year to launch an offensive at

Cagliari Cagliari (, , ; ; ; Latin: ''Caralis'') is an Comune, Italian municipality and the capital and largest city of the island of Sardinia, an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy. It has about 146,62 ...

and

Arborea Arborea is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, whose economy is largely based on agriculture and cattle breeding with production of vegetables, rice, fruit and milk (notably the local milk product Arborea). Histo ...

, but were beaten off by Comita and

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

. The war continued at sea, but was arrested by the entreaties of

Pope Honorius III Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of importa ...

, who forced Comita to come to terms with Pisa (1 December 1217). In 1215, profiting from the weakness of the ''giudicessa''

Benedetta of Cagliari Benedetta ( – 1232/33) was the daughter and heiress of William I of Cagliari and Adelasia, daughter of Moroello Malaspina. She succeeded her father in January or February 1214. She was consecrated in 1214 by Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliar ...

, Lamberto assembled a large fleet and landed an army at

. He captured the adjacent hill, S. Gilla, which dominated the city, and fortified it. To Ubaldo he gave the job of finishing the conquest and securing Pisan control of Cagliari. He forced Benedetta to flee her capital. In 1217, Ubaldo forced her to accept terms surrendering Cagliari. She received her ''giudicato'' back as fief from the consul of Pisa. However, violence between Sardinians and Pisans escalated in Cagliari and Benedetta and her husband, Torchitorio IV, made an alliance with Comita and Genoa in hopes of expelling the Pisans. Meanwhile, Lambert's wife, Elena of Gallura, died sometime before 1220 and, in 1218, a year after the death of Benedetta's husband, Ubaldo arranged the marriage of Benedetta with Lamberto. The two were married, despite papal objections, on 9 April 1220. In 1230, Ubaldo, who had controlled Cagliari since 1215, died. His nephew, Lamberto's son, Ubaldo II, inherited his position. His son

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

would be Ubaldo II's successor in the

Giudicato of Gallura The Judicate of Gallura (, , ) was one of four Sardinian judicates in the Middle Ages. These were independent states whose rulers bore the title ''iudex'', judge. Gallura, a name which comes from ''gallus'', meaning rooster (cock), was subdivide ...

Sources

* Ferrabino, Aldo (ed). ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: I Aaron – Albertucci''.

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, 1960. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ubaldo 01 Visconti 1230 deaths Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia Year of birth unknown