Obizzo da Polenta

Who was Obizzo da Polenta?

Obizzo da Polenta was a lord of Ravenna of the da Polenta family.

Obizzo and his brothers had their father Guido III da Polenta imprisoned in 1389. However, all his brothers died in sequence in the following years; when also Aldobrandino died in 1406, Obizzo managed to gain the undisputed power in Ravenna.

In 1404 he signed a treaty with the much stronger neighbour, the Republic of Venice, by which he received help against the Este of Ferrara, in exchange of help in the Venetian war against the Carraresi. Obizzo was imprisoned during the latter campaign, being freed after payment of 8,000 ducats. In 1406 he asked Venice to send a podestà in Ravenna as protection for him and his sons; in exchange, the Ravennate lands would go to Venice in the event of the childless death of a Polentani.

He died in 1431, succeeded by his son Ostasio under the Venetian regency. However, when Ostasio abandoned the alliance with Venice, the latter ousted him and annexed Ravenna.