Ottone Visconti

Ottone Visconti (1207–1295), a churchman, became the first Visconti lord of Milan. In 1262 Pope Urban IV named him archbishop over the candidate of the Guelph Della Torre, who opposed his appointment. Their occupation of Milan Cathedral began a long war between the families, in which his nephew Teobaldo was beheaded in 1276.

Ottone defeated Napoleone della Torre at Desio and entered Milan as its ruler on 22 January 1277. Victor again at Vaprio d'Adda in 1281, he made his grand-nephew Matteo I capitano generale in 1287, then retired to religious affairs and died at Chiaravalle Abbey in 1295.