Luca Fieschi

Fieschi was born around 1275 or slightly earlier to Niccolò di Tedisio, count of Lavagna, and Leonora (Lionetta).

In 1276, his paternal uncle became Pope Adrian V.[3] Fieschi relations included the Malaspina family and the Visconti of Milan.

According to his own testimony in 1300, Fieschi was also related to King James II of Aragon, which suggests a Savoyard connection.

In 1297, he succeeded his elder brother, Brancaleone, in a canonry of the diocese of Lichfield, being exempted from the requirements of residency and age.

[2][3] At the same time, he was assigned the churches of Santi Cosma e Damiano and San Marcello al Corso, which had been taken from Boniface's personal enemy, Cardinal Giacomo Colonna.

He travelled to Lyon to attend the coronation of Clement V. At the invitation of the Black Guelph faction, he stopped in Florence along the way and received gifts.

In the summer of 1311, he was part of the papal delegation sent to meet Henry VII of Germany, who was marching into Italy for his imperial coronation.

[3] Niccolò anointed Henry, while Arnaud and Fieschi invested him with the mitre, diadem, orb, sceptre and sword on behalf of the absent pope.

[3] In Lucca, Fieschi was charged by Clement V with safeguarding the papal treasure that the late Cardinal Gentile da Montefiore had been bringing from Rome to Avignon at his death in October 1312.

[3][7] In 1316, Pope John XXII succeeded Clement V. He demanded Fieschi justify his continued absence in writing.

[3] Durham Priory granted Fieschi a lifetime pension of 100 florins, according to the chronicle attributed to Robert de Graystanes.

[9] The cardinals excommunicated Middleton and his associates and, per the Vita Edwardi Secundi, suspended their mission until they had received satisfaction from Parliament.

[10] On 21 or 21 October, the pope wrote the cardinals warning them of his impending bull Execrabilis, which would revoke all benefices in England held in plurality for papal provision.

In 1322, the pope assigned him and Cardinal Giovanni Gaetano Orsini to reconcile Robert with King James II of Aragon.

According to the Catalans Vidal de Vilanova and Ferrer d'Abella, he was a staunch defender of the Aragonese policy at the time of the conquest of Sardinia in 1323.

[13] Nevertheless, he was opposed to the planned crusade of Philip V of France and urged John XXII to spend the assigned money closer to home.

[3] A collection of 24 letters addressed to Fieschi is preserved in the Library of the Metropolitan Chapter [cs] of Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague.