Sambucuccio was born to an obscure family and eventually became a soldier. His leadership of the Corsican revolt of 1356 against the pro-Aragonese nobles led to his appointment as governor. After destroying the castles of the feudal lords, he participated in an embassy to Genoa, then under a “popular” government, soliciting Genoese governorship of the island. In 1360 Giovanni Boccanegra, brother of the doge of Genoa, became governor of the northern and central areas of Corsica. When Boccanegra returned home after a two-year term, a revolt drove Sambucuccio to Genoa once more to seek aid; a new Genoese governor, sent at his request, was assassinated. After 1370 Sambucuccio disappeared from the scene, perhaps dying in an epidemic of the Black Death in that year.