Viridis Visconti

Viridis Visconti
Duchess of Austria
Portrait of Viridis Visconti by Anton Boys
Born	c. 1352 Milan, Italy
Died	1 March 1414 Sittich, Carniola
Spouse	Leopold III, Duke of Austria
Issue	William Leopold IV Ernest the Iron Frederick IV
Father	Bernabò Visconti
Mother	Beatrice Regina della Scala

Viridis Visconti (1352–1414) was an Italian noblewoman, a daughter of Bernabò Visconti and his wife Beatrice Regina della Scala. By her marriage to Leopold III, Duke of Austria, Viridis was Duchess consort of Austria, Styria and Carinthia, she was also Countess consort of Tyrol.

Viridis was born in Milan, Italy and was the second of seventeen children.

Her sister, Taddea Visconti married Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria and was mother of Isabeau of Bavaria, wife of Charles VI of France. Viridis and the rest of her sisters secured politically advantageous marriages.

Her maternal grandparents were Mastino II della Scala and his wife Taddea da Carrara. Her paternal grandparents were Stefano Visconti and his wife Valentina Doria.

Viridis' father, Bernabò was described as a cruel and ruthless despot. He was also an implacable enemy of the Church. He seized the papal city of Bologna, rejected the Pope and his authority, confiscated ecclesiastical property, and forbade any of his subjects to have any dealings with the Curia. He was excommunicated as a heretic in 1363 by Pope Urban V, who preached crusade against him. When Bernabò was in one of his frequent rages, only the children's mother, Beatrice Regina, was able to approach him.