About Elena of Gallura
Lived 1190 – 1220 (aged 29–30). Elena of Gallura was a monarch.
Elena (c. 1190–1218) was the daughter and successor of Barisone II of Gallura and was named after her mother Odolina of the Lacon family. First queen regnant in Sardinia, she ruled Gallura from the death of her father until her own death, though she was eclipsed by her husband after 1207.
When Barisone died in 1202 or 1203, he left Elena and the giudicato under the protection of Pope Innocent III, who wrote a letter to Biagio, Archbishop of Torres, charging him with assuring a smooth succession in Gallura, which meant arranging a marriage for the young Elena. The prospect of interference from William I of Cagliari, Comita III of Logudoro, and Hugh I and Peter I of Arborea was great enough to incite a second letter to those judges, in which the pope told them to respect Biagio's authority in the matter. On 15 September 1203, Innocent admonished William to restrain a relative of his (the margrave William Malaspina) who was seeking Elena's hand and to get him out of Gallura. He was asked to guard Elena from making a poor match and especially to guard her from Ittocorre de Gunale, her presumed grandfather. Ittocorre was the cousin, possibly brother, of Comita of Logudoro, and the father of her father Constantine III. Both William and Comita were warned a second time to follow Biagio in the matter. Innocent desired a husband that would not be "suspect" to any of the judges. In August, Innocent sent letters ordering the Sardinian episcopacy to go through with the marriage. Elena, however, refused him and instead married a Pisan named Lamberto Visconti di Eldizio.
Elena died around 1218, when Lambert was engaged to Benedetta of Cagliari. Her son Ubaldo II Visconti later succeeded to the Gallurese throne.
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Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Elena of Gallura's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Elena of Gallura's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Elena of Gallura?
Sardinian queen
When was Elena of Gallura born?
Elena of Gallura was born in 1190 in Olbia.
When did Elena of Gallura die?
Elena of Gallura died in 1220 in Olbia.
What was Elena of Gallura's occupation?
Elena of Gallura was a monarch.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Elena of Gallura. https://biography.guide/elena-of-gallura/
MLA: "Elena of Gallura." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/elena-of-gallura/.
Chicago: "Elena of Gallura." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/elena-of-gallura/.
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