Simone Boccanegra

Simone Boccanegra ( * before 1339, † 1363) was the first Doge of Genoa. His life story is treated in the opera Simon Boccanegra by Verdi.

Life

Boccanegra was elected in 1339 as a Ghibelline to the Doge of Genoa. He expanded the territory of the Republic of Genoa along the Riviera and sent galleys to Spain to Alfonso XI. assist in his battle against the Saracens.

Numerous attempts were made ​​on his life, the first conspirators was executed in the first year of his government on December 20, 1339. Boccanegra was always surrounded by a 103 -strong cavalry bodyguard guard because he feared for his life constantly.

On December 23, 1345, he was forced at a conference convened by himself People's Assembly to abandon the government. Giovanni Valente served after eleven years as chief magistrate until Boccanegra in 1356 came back to power. He was poisoned in 1363 fatal.

Boccanegra's grave in the church of San Francesco at Castelletto was covered with a sculpture depicting laid him out. On this his facial features are elaborated in great detail. The sculpture is now in the Museo di Sant'Agostino in Genoa.