VISCONTI, the name of a celebrated Italian family which long ruled Milan; they claimed descent from King Desiderius, and in the 11th century possessed estates on Lakes Como and Maggiore. A certain OTTONE, who distinguished himself in the First Crusade, is mentioned in 1078 as viscount of Milan. The real basis for the family's dominion was laid, however, by another OTTONE (d. 1295), a canon of Desio, appointed archbishop of Milan by Pope Urban IV. in 1262 through the influence of Cardinal Ubaldini. The Della Torre family, who then controlled the city, opposed the appointment, and not until his victory at Desio in 1277 was Ottone able to take possession of his see. He imprisoned Napoleone Della Torre and five of his relatives.
His nephew, MATTEO, born at Invorio on Aug. 15, 1255, suc ceeded him as political leader of Milan, and although an uprising of the Della Torre in 1302 compelled him to take refuge at Verona, the emperor Henry VII., restored him to Milan in 1310
and made him imperial vicar of Lombardy. He brought under his rule Piacenza, Tortona, Pavia, Bergamo, Vercelli, Cremona and Alessandro. An able general, he yet relied for his conquests more on diplomacy and bribery, and was esteemed as a model of the prudent Italian despot. Persevering in his Ghibelline policy, and quarrelling with Pope John XXII. over an appointment to the archbishopric of Milan, he was excommunicated by the papal legate Bertrand du Puy in 1322. He at once abdicated in favour of his son Galeazzo, and died at Crescenzago on June 24.