Serving under the Ghibelline chief, Uguccione della Faggiuola, he was elected lord (as lifelong consul) of Lucca on June 12, 1316, displacing the Quartigiani family, and was appointed Duke of Lucca, Pistoia, Volterra and Luni by emperor Frederick of Austria .
The Quartigiani family was a noble family from Lucca, the family was mentioned in the Lucca statute of 1308 as noble and powerful.