Flaminio Paleologo

He was the natural son of the Marquis John George of Montferrat, the last Marquis of Montferrat of the Palaeologus dynasty.[1] When he died in 1533, the succession of the imperial fiefdom of Monferrato fell vacant.[1] Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, in 1536, invested Margaret of Montferrat with the fief, who in 1531 had married Frederick II of Mantua, duke of Mantua, in Mantua.[1]

The imperial decree set aside the claims of Flaminio as, being an illegitimate son, he could not aspire to the succession of Monferrat.[1] However, he received from his father, in 1532, the investitures of San Giorgio Monferrato and of Caluso.[1] Under the rule of Guglielmo Gonzaga, duke of Mantua and marquis of Monferrato, Flaminio was appointed governor of Casale.[1]

The continuous harassment made by the Gonzagas towards the population, pushed the citizens to rebellion. Flaminio also participated in the conspiracy which, in 1567, was to lead to the assassination of Guglielmo Gonzaga, during the installation of the bishop of Casale Ambrogio Aldegati: the duke was saved because his men discovered the plot in good time. Flaminio Palaeologus was arrested and imprisoned in the fortress of Goito,[1]  where Guglielmo gave Agostino Valla, governor of Mantua, the duty of poisoning Flaminio. Flaminio died, having been poisoned by the two doctors, on May 24, 1571.[1]

Flaminio married the Mantuan Lucina della Torre, with whom he had seven children:

1. Teodoro, who participated in the conspiracy against the Gonzagas;
2. Ferdinando,
3. Giovanni,
4. Margherita,
5. Laura,
6. Isabella,
7. Eleonora.[1]

• "Paleologo, Flaminio in "Dizionario Biografico"". Treccani (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-05-11.

• Prigionia e morte di Flaminio Paleologo (1568-1571). Narrazione storica su documenti. Rivista di storia, arte, archeologia della provincia di Alessandria periodico semestrale della commissione municipale di Alessandria (in Italian). Tip. Jacquemod. 1912.
• Valeriani, Flavio (1912). Prigionia e morte di Flaminio Paleologo (1568-1571). Narrazione storica su documenti [Imprisonment and death of Flaminio Palaeologus (1568-1571)] (in Italian). Alessandria, Gazzotti.