Simone Guercio

His early life is obscure, and he is first safely attested in 1254, among the leading citizens who ratified the nomination of Enrico di Bisagno as plenipotentiary ambassador in the peace negotiations with Pisa.^[1] The negotiations failed, and war with Pisa resumed, in which Genoa was joined by Lucca and Florence. During the conflict, the Genoese supported the Judicate of Cagliari in Sardinia against Pisan domination.^[1]

In 1256, Guercio and Niccolò Cigala were named admirals of a fleet of 24 galleys sent to Cagliari to back its pro-Genoese ruler, Torchitorio V. Guercio's appointment was likely motivated in part due to his ties of kinship, due to their common descent from the Obertenghi, with the Marquis of Massa, who was also involved in Sardinian affairs.^[1] The Genoese fleet raided the Pisan port of Porto Pisano, and then made for Cagliari. On its arrival, it found Torchitorio V had recently died, and his cousin, William III, had succeeded him. In order to secure his uncertain throne, the new ruler of Cagliari made significant concessions to the Genoese, including his capital city of Santa Igia. Both William III and the city elders swore allegiance to Genoa in the presence of Guercio.^[1] These gains did not last long, however. Lucca and Florence reached separate peace agreements with Pisa, allowing the latter to focus their efforts on Sardinia. The Pisans and their local allies quickly defeated the Genoese on the island and annexed Cagliari.^[1]

Junto con otros reveses, el fracaso de la empresa sarda abrió el camino al régimen populista de Guglielmo Boccanegra en Génova (1257-1262), durante el cual la aristocracia tradicional fue marginada. ^{[ 1 ]} Guercio desaparece de las fuentes durante este período, y solo se le menciona nuevamente en 1265, al mando de una flota en la Guerra de San Sabas contra la República de Venecia . ^{[ 1 ]} El año anterior, los genoveses habían logrado un gran éxito al capturar el convoy comercial veneciano hacia el Levante , ^{[ 2 ] [ 3 ]} pero en 1265, Guercio no pudo lograr mucho. Botada en mayo de 1265, su flota de diez galeras se encontró con varios buques mercantes venecianos frente a la costa del Reino de Sicilia , pero, respetando la neutralidad de estos últimos, no los atacó. El convoy comercial veneciano también estuvo protegido por 16 buques de guerra en esta ocasión, y los genoveses no los atacaron. Ambas flotas regresaron a puerto en noviembre. ^{[ 4 ] [ 5 ]}

Guercio está documentado en Génova en 1266, y en 1269 fue coembajador, junto con Janella Avvocato y Simone Cancelliere , ante la corte del rey de Sicilia, Carlos I de Anjou , en Nápoles . Con la posición de Carlos fortalecida tras su victoria en la batalla de Tagliacozzo , el tratado resultante, firmado el 12 de agosto de 1269, transformó a Génova en un satélite de facto del poderoso gobernante angevino. ^{[ 1 ] [ 6 ]} Sin embargo, este cambio a los güelfos fue de corta duración, ya que el 28 de octubre de 1270, los gibelinos bajo Oberto Spinola y Oberto Doria tomaron el poder en Génova, ^{[ 7 ]} y los nobles güelfos fueron exiliados de la ciudad. ^{[ 8 ]} Guercio, sin embargo, fue eximido de este proceso y, en agosto de 1271, con el respaldo del Arzobispo de Génova , fue nombrado plenipotenciario de la República en las colonias genovesas del Levante, como cónsul, vicecomes et capitaneus Ianuensium en Siria . ^{[ 1 ]}

He established himself at Tyre, whose lord, Philip of Montfort, was an old Genoese ally, and where a Genoese trading colony existed.^[1] From there he took part in 1272 in the difficult negotiations with the Venetian bailo at Acre, Pietro Zeno, over the monetary sureties the Venetians owed to provide per the terms of the 1270 Peace of Cremona that ended the War of Saint Sabas.^[1]

In the same year, the strained relations between the Ghibelline government in Genoa and Charles of Anjou finally reached a breaking point, resulting in the outbreak of war between Genoa and Sicily.^[1][9] This time, Guercio was not spared. Along with his relatives, he was exiled from the city. He likely spent the next few years in Rome or Naples, where the Guelph nobles gathered.^[1]

In 1276, Guercio was a member of the Guelph delegation during the papally-mediated negotiations at Rome, between the Guelph exiles and the Ghibelline rulers of Genoa. A compromise settlement was reached which allowed the Guelphs to return to Genoa.^[1] Guercio apparently resumed his career very quickly; he is last attested on 17 August 1277 as a judge in the Genoese consulate at Acre.^[1]

The date or place of Guercio's death are unknown.^[1]