Regents of Milan

Milan became a self-governing imperial city by the peace of Constance 1183. Although Milan was a republic it was usually dominated by one person, a so called signore. The political life was characterised by internal strife between the Guelfs led by the house of della Torre who supported the pope and the Ghibbellins led by the house of Visconti who supported the emperor. During the numerous wars in the 14^th and 15^th centuries Milan conquered several of its neighbours and became master of Lombardy. Giovanni Galeazzo Visconti purchased a ducal title from the emperor 1395 whereby Milan formally seized to be a republic. During the the Italian Wars in the 16^th century Milan was constantly fought over and were often under French control. When the house of Sforza died out 1535 Milan came under the Habsburgs rule, which with the exception of two periods would last until the unification of Italy in the middle of the 19^th century.

1197-1241 1247-1257 1253-1256 1257-1259 1259-1264 1263-1265 1265-1277 1277-1295 1294-1302 1302-1311 1311-1322 1322-1327 1327-1329 1329-1339 1339-1349 1349-1385 1349-1378 1349-1355 1378-1395	Paganus I della Torre Paganus II della Torre Manfredi Lancia Martino della Torre Oberto Pelavicino Filippo della Torre Napoleone della Torre Ottone Visconti Matteo I Visconti Guido della Torre Matteo I Visconti (restored) Galeazzo I Visconti Direct rule by the Holy Roman Empire Azzo Visconti Luchino Visconti Bernabò Visconti Galeazzo II Visconti Matteo II Visconti Giovanni Galeazzo I Visconti (-1402)
Duchy of Milan House of Visconti
1395-1402 1402-1412 1412-1447 1447-1450	Giovanni Galeazzo I (1378-) Giovanni Maria Filippo Maria Republic
Houses of Sforza and Valois
1450-1466 1466-1476 1476-1494 1494-1499	Francesco I Galeazzo Maria Giovanni Galeazzo II Ludovico il Moro (the Black)
1499-1500 1500	Luigi (XII) Ludovico il Moro
1500-1512	Luigi (XII)
1512-1515	Massimiliano
1515-1521	Francesco (I)
1521-1524	Francesco II
1524-1525	Francesco (I)
1525	Francesco II
1525-1529	Francesco (I)
1529-1535	Francesco II
House of Habsburg
1535-1540	Carlo I
1540-1598	Filippo I
1598-1621	Filippo II
1621-1665	Filippo III
1665-1700	Carlo I
House of Bourbon
1700-1706	Filippo IV
House of Habsburg
1706-1707	Guiseppe I
1707-1740	Carlo III
1740-1780	Maria Teresa
House of Habsburg-Lorraine testing
1780-1790	Guiseppe II
1790-1792	Leopoldo
1792-1796	Francesco III
1796 1796-1797 1797-1802 1802-1805 1805-1814	Lombard Republic Part of Transpadanian Republic Part of Cisalpine Republic Part of Italian Republic Part of the Kingdom of Italy