EZZELINO. 407 EZZELINO. German cavalier who settled in Italy at the time of the I lohciistaufen dynasty, and was given the Castle of Romano; hence the na Ezzelino II. was, against all the family traditions, a Uuelph. lie lived about I ISO. Ilis son, Kz/.elino 111., was podesta of Vicenza until a Guelph suc- cess (1194) caused his downfall. With the pro- tection of the Emperor, Otto IV., he regained his position, but finally abdicated (1215). Ezzelino IV. ( I 194-1259), his son, was the most celebrated of the family. Upon the abdication of his father he became podesta oi Vicenza, and directed all bis against the en, ■hoc- of his house, lb- established his capital a( Padua, ami by the vic- tory of the Emperoi Frederick II. at Cortenuova (1237) bee. inn- master of northern Italy from Milan to the Adriatic. His cruelty and impiety caused him to be excommunicated in 1252, and the Lombard cities made a league against him which he could not resist. 1 1<- was takes prisom I in 1259, and died soon after. His brother and all his family were murdered.
