Scaliger (redirected from House of Scaliger)

Scaliger 

(also Scaligeri, della Scala, Scaligerus), an Italian feudal family that ruled in Verona from the 1260’s until 1387.

The rise of the Scaliger family began with Mastino I Scaliger, who became podestà in 1259 and capitano del popolo in 1262. He granted his family the sole right to occupy the latter post, thus establishing a de facto Scaliger tyranny in Verona.

The most important member of the family was Cangrande I, who became joint ruler with his elder brother Alboino in 1308 and then ruled independently from 1311 to 1328. In addition to Verona, he gained power over other cities, including Padua, Vi-cenza, Treviso, Feltre, and Belluno. In the mid-14th century the Scaligers lost most of their holdings, and in 1387 even Verona when the city was seized by the Visconti family, rulers of Milan.