Ezzelino Da Romano, or Etcelino Da Romano, a leader of the G-hibellines in Italy, born at Onaro, April 26, 1194, died at Soncino, Sept. 26,1259. He belonged to a German family which in the 11th century had acquired large feudal possessions in Lombardy, and whose principal seat was the castle of Romano near Padua. He was the fourth of his name, and is known in history as Ezzelino the Tyrant. From his youth he entered into the quarrels of the time, and war having become general in Lombardy, he re-mained faithful to the emperor Frederick II. His lands being ravaged by the Guelphs, he invited the help of the emperor, who relieved him and gained noteworthy advantages. In 1236 Ezzelino, with his brother Alberic, gained possession of Verona and Vicenza, and he became podesta of Verona, and his brother of Vi-cenza. In February, 1237, after the return of the emperor to Germany, he took Padua. He subsequently captured Treviso, and imprisoned many eminent people on suspicion of disaffection to him; and from this time his oppression and cruelty became conspicuous. The emperor returned with reenforcements, and they gained the victory of Cortenuova, Nov. 27, 1237. The following spring he married a natural daughter of Frederick. In 1239 he was excommunicated by the pope.

In 1240 he was intrusted with the conduct of the war in Lombardy, and lost Ferrara; but in 1246 he repulsed the marquis of Este, and subsequent-ly he took Verona, Feltre, Belluno, and even Este. By 1250, when the emperor died, he had extended his control from the Adriatic to the suburbs of Milan. A league was formed against him in 1252 by most of the Lombard cities, the marquis of Este, and others, including his own brother Alberic, and in 1256 a crusade was proclaimed against him; but he still successfully resisted all combinations, and in the latter year he besieged Mantua. A new league being formed against him, which was joined by Venice, the allies invested and captured Padua, which was held by his nephew Ansedisio. But Ezzelino defeated the army of the league near Brescia, and captured that city Sept. 1, 1258. In 1259 he threatened Milan, but it was saved by Martin della Torre; and Ezzelino's retreat being cut off, he was forced into a battle near Soncino, in which he was severely wounded and captured (Sept. 16), and his army dispersed.

He refused food, tore the bandages from his wounds, and died without reconciliation to the church.