Francesco Tocco (died 16 August 1596) was the titular Despot of Epirus and Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from the death of his father Leonardo IV Tocco in 1564 to his own death in 1596. He served as infantry captain in the army of the Republic of Venice.

Francesco Tocco
Lord of Refrancore
Despot of Epirus
Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
(titular)
Reign1564–1596
PredecessorLeonardo IV Tocco
SuccessorLeonardo V Tocco
BornUnknown[1]
Died16 August 1596
SpouseVeronica Malaspina
IssueLeonardo V Tocco
DynastyTocco
FatherLeonardo IV Tocco
MotherMaddalena (Graziosa) Colli

Biography

edit

Francesco Tocco was the second son of Leonardo IV Tocco and the Italian noblewoman Maddalena (Graziosa) Colli. His older brother Carlo predeceased Leonardo IV, which made Francesco the oldest surviving son and thus the heir to his father's claims.[1]

He was a patrician of Venice, and held the castle of Refrancore in Montferrat,[1] granted to his father by Constantine Arianiti, another pretender to lands in Greece.[2] As an adult, Francesco worked as a soldier, serving as an infantry captain in the army of the Republic of Venice.[3]

Francesco died on 16 August 1596.[1] At an unknown point in time, Francesco married Veronica Malaspina, a daughter of the Veronese nobleman Girolamo Malaspina. Veronica outlived Francesco by more than a decade, still attested as being alive as late as 1611.[3] Francesco and Veronica had only a single child, the son Leonardo V Tocco, born in 1591, who inherited and continued Francesco's claims.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Shamà 2013, p. 45.
  2. ^ Osswald 2018, p. 839.
  3. ^ a b Shamà 2013, p. 46.
  4. ^ Shamà 2013, pp. 48–49.

Bibliography

edit
  • Osswald, Brendan (2018). "Les armoiries des Tocco de Céphalonie dans la citadelle intérieure de la forteresse d'Arta". Bulletin de Correspondence Hellénique (in French). 142 (2): 803–844. doi:10.4000/bch.689.
  • Shamà, Davide (2013). "I di Tocco, Sovrani dell'Epiro e di Leucade: Studio storico-genealogico". Notiziario dell'Associazione Nobiliare Regionale Veneta (in Italian).
Francesco Tocco
Tocco dynasty
 Died: 16 August 1596
Titles in pretence
Preceded by — TITULAR —
Despot of Epirus
1564–1596
Succeeded by
— TITULAR —
Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
1564–1596