Boniface was the son of marquis
John Jacob and Joanna of Savoy. He succeeded his brother
William VIII who had got involved in the
War of Ferrara. When the conflict's eastern front settled, Boniface had to face the advance of the
Dukes of Savoy. Boniface signed a treaty of non-belligerence, and had his niece Bianca married to Duke
Charles I of Savoy. He also conceded to the latter the title of Montferrat in case he would die without a male heir. This decision was spurred by the assassination of Scipione Palaiologos, the illegitimate son of
John IV of Montferrat who tried to gain the throne, at
Casale Monferrato by his relative
Ludovico II, Marquis of Saluzzo, who was also a candidate to the succession. Boniface sided the House of Savoy in the war against Saluzzo of 1486, and occupied several lands in the
Langhe belonging to Ludovico II. Boniface married three times, the first with Orvietana di Campofregoso, daughter of
Pietro Campofregoso,
doge of Genoa. His second wife was Helena of Brosse, a daughter of
John II of Brosse. His brother William would later marry her sister Bernarda of Brosse. His third wife was
Maria of Serbia, daughter of despot
Stefan Branković of
Serbia. He had two sons from his last marriage. At his death, Boniface was succeeded by his eldest son
William IX (1486–1518), who became Marquis of Montferrat between 1494 and 1518. His other son
John George (1488–1533) became the last Marquis of Montferrat between 1530 and 1533. ==References==