Visconti of Milan

Not to be confused with Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia.
Visconti
Coat of arms of the Visconti of Milan
Country Lordship of Milan
Duchy of Milan
Etymologyvice: "deputy" - comes: "count"
Place of originMilan
Founded1075; 949 years ago (1075)
FounderAriprando Visconti
Final rulerFilippo Maria Visconti
Titles
MottoVipereos mores non violabo
("I will not violate the customs of the serpent")
Cadet branchesVisconti di Modrone

The Visconti of Milan are a noble Italian family. They rose to power in Milan during the Middle Ages where they ruled from 1277 to 1447, initially as Lords then as Dukes, and several collateral branches still exist. The effective founder of the Visconti Lordship of Milan was the Archbishop Ottone, who wrested control of the city from the rival Della Torre family in 1277.[1]

Depiction of the biscione swallowing a child, the coat of arms of the House of Visconti, on the Archbishop's palace in Piazza Duomo in Milan, Italy
  1. ^ Hale (1981), pp. 338–339, 351.