List of rulers of Milan

The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia by the Congress of Vienna.

Lordship of Milan (1259–1395)

Until 1259, Milan was a free commune, in practice an oligarchy, that elected its own podestà. The Della Torre family gained sustained power in 1240, when Pagano della Torre was elected podestà. After Pagano's death, his nephew Martino was elected, but at the end of his tenure, Martino perpetrated a coup d'état and proclaimed himself the first "Lord of Milan", establishing the city's Signoria (Italian for "Lordship"). Another powerful family were the Viscontis, who eventually became Dukes of Milan.

Political factions

  Ghibellines   Guelphs

Portrait		Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Title
			Martino della Torre	8 September 1259	20 November 1263	• Nephew of Pagano	Captain of the People
			Filippo della Torre	20 November 1263	24 December 1265	• Brother of Martino	Ancient of the City
			Napoleone della Torre	24 December 1265	21 January 1277	• Son of Pagano	Ancient of the City
			Archbishop Ottone Visconti	21 January 1277	5 August 1278	• None; defeat Napoleone	Archbishop of Milan
			Guglielmo VII di Monferrato	5 August 1278	27 December 1281	• None; appointed by Ottone Visconti	Captain of the People, Marquess of Montferrat
			Matteo I Visconti	27 December 1281	June 1302	• Grandnephew of Ottone	Captain of the People
			Guido della Torre	June 1302	February 1311	• Nephew of Napoleone	Podestà
			Matteo I Visconti	February 1311	24 June 1322	• Grandnephew of Ottone	Captain of the People
			Galeazzo I Visconti	24 June 1322	6 August 1328	• Son of Matteo	Imperial vicar of Milan
			Azzone Visconti	6 August 1328	16 August 1339	• Son of Galeazzo	Imperial vicar of Milan
			Luchino Visconti	16 August 1339	24 January 1349	• Son of Matteo  • Brother of Azzone	Imperial vicar of Milan
			Archbishop Giovanni Visconti	24 January 1349	5 October 1354	• Son of Matteo  • Brother of Azzone and Luchino	Archbishop of Milan
			Matteo II Visconti Galeazzo II Visconti Bernabò Visconti	5 October 1354	29 December 1355	• Grandsons of Matteo I
				5 October 1354	4 August 1378
				5 October 1354	6 May 1385
			Gian Galeazzo Visconti	6 May 1385	5 September 1395	• Son of Galeazzo II	Imperial vicar of Milan

Duchy of Milan (1395–1796)

In 1395, Gian Galeazzo Visconti was appointed by Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia as "Duke of Milan". In 1447, with the death of Filippo Maria Visconti, the original line of the Viscontis ended, and the Golden Ambrosian Republic was established. After three years, Francesco Sforza, Filippo Maria Visconti's son-in-law, overthrew the Republic and re-established the Duchy. During the Renaissance, the Italian Wars undermined the Sforzas' rule in Milan, and French kings allied with the Holy Roman Empire usurped the Sforzas several times. In 1535 Francesco II Sforza died without heir, ending the original line of the Sforzas. In 1540, Charles V, uncle of the wife of Francesco II, Christina of Denmark annexed the Duchy and appointed his son Philip II of Spain as Duke.

In 1714, with the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, Milan and its territories were conquered by Austrian Empire. In 1814, the Duchy of Milan was integrated into the new Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, part of the Habsburg territories.

House of Visconti

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Gian Galeazzo Visconti	5 September 1395	3 September 1402	• Son of Galeazzo II	(1) Isabella, Countess of Vertus 4 children (2) Caterina Visconti 2 children
		Giovanni Maria Visconti	3 September 1402	16 May 1412	• Son of Gian Galeazzo and Caterina	Antonia Malatesta of Cesena No children
		Filippo Maria Visconti	16 May 1412	13 August 1447	• Son of Gian Galeazzo and Caterina	(1) Beatrice Lascaris di Tenda No children (2) Marie of Savoy No children (*) Agnese del Maino (mistress) 1 daughter

House of Sforza

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Francesco Sforza	25 March 1450	8 March 1466	• Son-in-law of Filippo Maria	(1) Polissena Ruffo 1 daughter (2) Bianca Maria Visconti 8 children
		Galeazzo Maria Sforza	8 March 1466	26 December 1476	• Son of Francesco	Bona of Savoy 4 children
		Gian Galeazzo Sforza	26 December 1476	21 October 1494	• Son of Galeazzo Maria	Isabella of Aragon 3 children
		Ludovico Sforza	21 October 1494	6 September 1499	• Son of Francesco	Beatrice d'Este 2 children

House of Valois-Orléans

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Louis XII of France	6 September 1499	16 June 1512	• Descendant of Valentina Visconti	(1) Joan, Duchess of Berry No children (2) Anne of Brittany 6 children (3) Mary Tudor No children

House of Sforza

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Massimiliano Sforza	9 January 1513	5 October 1515	• Son of Ludovico	Unmarried

House of Valois-Angoulême

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Francis I of France	11 October 1515	19 November 1521	• Son-in-law of Louis XII	(1) Claude, Duchess of Brittany 7 children (2) Eleanor of Austria No children

House of Sforza

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Francesco II Sforza	4 April 1522	24 October 1535	• Son of Ludovico	Christina of Denmark No children

House of Habsburg-Spain

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Philip II of Spain	11 October 1540	13 September 1598	• Nephew of Christine of Denmark	(1) Maria Manuela, Princess of Portugal 1 children (2) Mary I of England No children (3) Elisabeth of Valois 5 daughters (4) Anna of Austria 5 children
		Philip III of Spain	13 September 1598	31 March 1621	• Son of Philip II	Margaret of Austria 8 children
		Philip IV of Spain	31 March 1621	17 September 1665	• Son of Philip III	(1) Elizabeth of France 7 children (2) Mariana of Austria 5 children
		Charles II of Spain	17 September 1665	1 November 1700	• Son of Philip IV	(1) Marie Louise of Orléans No children (2) Maria Anna of Neuburg No children

House of Bourbon-Spain

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Philip V of Spain	16 November 1700	24 September 1706	• None	(1) Maria Luisa of Savoy 4 children (2) Elisabeth Farnese 7 children

House of Habsburg

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Charles VI of Austria	12 January 1707	20 October 1740	• None	Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 4 children
		Maria Theresa of Austria	20 October 1740	20 November 1780	• Daughter of Charles VI	Francis I of Lorraine 16 children

House of Habsburg-Lorraine

Portrait	Coat of Arms	Name	Reign		Relationship with Predecessor(s)	Marriage(s) Issue
		Joseph II of Austria	29 November 1780	20 February 1790	• Son of Maria Theresa	(1) Princess Isabella of Parma 2 daughters (2) Maria Josepha of Bavaria No children
		Leopold II of Austria	20 February 1790	1 March 1792	• Son of Maria Theresa	Maria Luisa of Spain 16 children
		Francis II of Austria	1 March 1792	15 May 1796	• Son of Leopold II	(1) Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg 1 daughter (2) Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily 11 children (3) Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este No children (4) Caroline Augusta of Bavaria No children

See also

• List of Governors of the Duchy of Milan
• List of mayors of Milan
• List of consorts of Milan
• Timeline of Milan

Bibliography

• Cappelli, Adriano. Cronologia Cronografia e Calendario Perpetuo (Milano, Hoepli, 1998 ISBN 88-203-2502-0)