Political strategy and ambition in the life of Biordo dei Michelotti
Biordo dei Michelotti (Bindo dei Michelotti, Biondo dei Michelotti, Biordo da Perugia)
A native of Perugia, Biordo dei Michelotti was an exile who became the Count of Castel della Pieve and Val di Chiana. He ruled over Perugia, Città della Pieve, Corciano, Casalina, Nocera Umbra, Orvieto, Assisi, Arcevia, Deruta, Trevi, Spello, Gualdo Tadino, Montefiascone, Umbertide, Montone, Montalto, and Cesi. He was the son of Michelotto dei Michelotti, the brother of Ceccolino dei Michelotti, and the son-in-law of Bertoldo Orsini.
Born: 1352
Death: 1398, March
| Year/Month | State/Comp. ventura | Opponent | Condotta | Activity area | Actions taken and other salient facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1380 | Perugia | Umbria | He is sent by the Perugians to guard Bettona. In this assignment, in addition to his own garrison, he employs 200 lances and as many infantrymen hired by Captain Ippolito, brother of Corrado Tedesco. | ||
| 1381 | |||||
| July | Fermo | Comp. ventura | Marche | He serves under the pay of Fermo and the da Varano family, who are threatened by Boldrino da Panicale. After a truce is concluded in the same month, he camps at Monte San Martino; he demands to be paid until the expiration of the condotta (September). He leaves the territory only when his financial demands are met. | |
| 1383 | |||||
| Mar. | Perugia | Exiles | Umbria | In Perugia, he is part of the popular faction of the “raspanti”. He confronts the exiled nobles; he is sent by the priors with some men-at-arms to Castiglione del Lago as commissioner. | |
| 1385 | |||||
| …… | Milan | Exiled after the victory of the noble party over the popular “raspanti” in Perugia, he turns to mercenary life. He enters the service of the Count of Virtù, Gian Galeazzo Visconti. | |||
| Sept. | Camerino | Church | Marche | At Camerino. He is defeated near Penna San Giovanni by Conte da Carrara alongside Gentile da Varano and Boldrino da Panicale. | |
| 1386 | Padua | Verona | 600 cavalry | Veneto | He obtains from the Carraresi a condotta of 600 cavalry together with Antonio Balestrazzo. |
| 1387 | |||||
| Mar. | Veneto | Under the orders of John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto), he participates in the Battle of Castelbaldo, placed in the third division led by Francesco Novello da Carrara, Ceccolo Broglia, Brandolino Brandolini, Antonio Balestrazzo, Giacomo and Conte da Carrara, Bernardo Scolari. Despite injuries, he manages to repel the opponents with Giovanni degli Ubaldini, Broglia, and Filippo da Pisa. He pursues the enemies towards Legnago and captures Benedetto da Malcesine, the Count of Colle, and Ugolino dal Verme, who with 800 cavalry seek refuge at Porto and Legnago. | |||
| 1388 | |||||
| Apr. | Exiles | Perugia | Umbria | He supports his father Michelotto and other exiles of the popular party against Perugia. | |
| 1389 | |||||
| July | Fermo | Ascoli Piceno | Marche | With Gentile da Varano and Giovanni Tedesco da Pietramala, he opposes Boldrino da Panicale and Corrado Lando in the territory of Fermo. | |
| 1390 | |||||
| …… | Siena | Florence | Tuscany | ||
| July | Milan | Florence | Piedmont | Defending Alessandria, besieged by the French troops of Jean III d’Armagnac. | |
| …… | Church | Fermo | Marche | He fights the lord of Fermo, Antonio Aceti, leading 11,000 men. Numerous areas of Piceno are sacked. | |
| 1391 | |||||
| Aug. | Milan | Florence | Tuscany and Umbria | He rides into the Florentine territory; reaches San Gimignano, occupies Castelvecchio where he frees 20 Sienese previously captured by the Florentines. In Siena, he is given the banner with the “balzana”; on returning towards Perugia, he is attacked by troops that have come out of Montepulciano. Part of his men are captured; Biordo dei Michelotti also loses the banner. | |
| Oct. | Tuscany | He is reported to be in a difficult situation in the Pisan territory. | |||
| 1392 | |||||
| Jan. | He is dismissed by the Visconti following the Peace of Genoa. | ||||
| Mar. | Comp. ventura | Florence | Emilia, Liguria, Tuscany Umbria | He is urged by Gian Galeazzo Visconti to move towards the Marche with Broglia and Brandolini. Finding obstacles in the Bolognese territory where they are opposed by John Hawkwood and Hugues de Monfort, they take the route of the Apennines, descend to Sarzana; cross the Arno at Pisa and move into the Maremma. They quickly pass through Tuscany. In Umbria. | |
| June | Tuscany | He joins Ceccolo Broglia, Brandolino Brandolini, Giovanni da Barbiano, and Giovanni Tedesco da Pietramala to form the “Compagnia di San Giorgio” strong of 4,000 cavalry. | |||
| July | Comp. ventura | Perugia, Città di Castello, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca | Umbria and Tuscany | He is at Sigillo with Azzo da Castello; devastates the countryside of Perugia until the inhabitants give him 4,000 florins to leave. The priors of the city send him an ambassador (Tebaldo di Lello) to thank him with some gifts for opposing the initiatives of Ceccolo Broglia and Brandolino Brandolini aimed at further devastating the territory. He threatens Città di Castello and Florence, which, for a truce of one year, recognize to the mercenaries a payment of 40,000 florins (initial request was 100,000), despite the defenses prepared by the republic (600 lances and 4,000 infantry, not counting the militias sent by the Bolognese, 300 lances, and by the Este, another 100). However, these troops have ultimately proved as predatory as the mercenaries themselves. Resuming the march, other payments are imposed by Michelotti on the communes of Siena 5,000 florins (in reality, the total cost borne by the commune for the raid amounts to 11,112 florins for the gifts due to the various captains of the company), Pisa (12,000), and Lucca (8,000). The company returns to the Perugian territory to divide the booty. With Ceccolo Broglia, Brandolino Brandolini, and Giovanni da Barbiano (6,000 cavalry), Biordo dei Michelotti fights the Perugians whose troops are commanded by Azzo da Castello and the Englishman John Beltoft. He makes many prisoners; raids up to the walls of the capital. | |
| Aug. | Comp. ventura | Perugia | Umbria, Tuscany, and Marche | All the captains of the company, except for Biordo dei Michelotti, are pacified with 6,000 florins; Perugia swears obedience to the Pope. As a result, the condottiero goes to Borgo San Sepolcro (Sansepolcro) and devastates its countryside. Some mercenaries go to Perugia to buy bread and are killed by the inhabitants; this triggers a further conflict that is settled with the stipulation of new agreements. The treaty is not respected and Biordo dei Michelotti strengthens in the opinion that peace is attainable only with the return of the “raspanti” faction to Perugia. At the end of the month, he moves to the Marche, called by Gentile da Varano and Ancona to face the papal forces. | |
| Sept. | Camerino, Ancona | Church, Rimini | Marche and Tuscany | With Azzo da Castello, he decides to ride into the lands of the Papal States; throughout September, he confronts the enemies between Osimo, Castelfidardo, and Macerata while the Malatesta, allies of the Rector of the Marche Andrea Tomacelli, carry out numerous raids towards Fiumesino, where a herd of pigs is plundered and taken to the castle of Precozzano near Ripe di Senigallia. Also in the month, Biordo dei Michelotti forms a company with Corrado Lando. | |
| Oct. | Tuscany | The new company soon dissolves due to internal disagreements with Corrado Lando. | |||
| Nov. | Church | Umbria | He crosses the territory of Città di Castello. He strengthens himself in Deruta. Occupies Orvieto on behalf of the papal forces. Soon he is declared lord of the city by the population. | ||
| 1393 | |||||
| Jan. | Urbino | Marche | At Montalboddo (Ostra) on behalf of the Montefeltro. | ||
| Feb. | Comp. ventura | Siena | Umbria | He asks again for money from the Sienese. Receives 300 florins to which are added another 1,000 for an agreement concerning Castel della Pieve (Città della Pieve). | |
| Apr. | Comp. ventura | Florence, Bologna, Ferrara | Umbria | He connects in the Perugian territory with Lando, Giovanni da Barbiano, Conte da Carrara, and Azzo da Castello to form a company of 2,500 cavalry and many infantrymen with which to impose payments on states that do not want to recognize a wage to the mercenaries. He is immediately hired by the Florentines with Corrado Lando; other payments are obtained by Giovanni da Barbiano and Conte da Carrara from the Bolognese and Azzo da Castello from the Este. | |
| May | |||||
| June | Comp. ventura | Perugia | Umbria, Tuscany, and Marche | He leaves Città della Pieve, rides towards Valiano and into the territory of Montepulciano controlled by the Florentines. He reaches his troops stationed at Ponte Valleceppi to move into the Marche and fight the da Varano. Only a few days pass from his absence from Perugia when the noble party, led by Pandolfo Baglioni, rises up raising the banner of the Papal States. The arms of the people prevail with the killing of Pandolfo and Pellino Baglioni (on the steps of the Palace of Justice) and of 70 other conspirators. Pope Boniface IX, frightened, flees to Assisi; Biordo dei Michelotti returns to the city. For the ceremony related to his entrance into Perugia, the priors spend 4,000 florins. He is awarded the belt of “Knight of the People”, he is given a sword with the appointment of Captain General of the Perugian militias with a monthly salary of 1,000 florins; he is given another 2,000 florins so that he can distribute them to the troops. He is elected first among the 25 citizens tasked with pacifying the city; more than 200 nobles are exiled with their followers. Biordo dei Michelotti, for his merits, receives in thanks from the new popular government the fortified palace already belonging to the abbot of Montmajeur, for the restoration of which the commune allocates 4,000 florins. He is given lands and fortresses at Montalera and Renabianca, as well as the post station of Panicarola in the Chiugi. The Priors commission in his honor a bronze statue, depicting him on horseback, to be placed on the facade overlooking the square on the left side of the cathedral of San Lorenzo. His brothers Ceccolino, Siginolfo, and Egano are also freed from previous convictions. He moves into the Marche and with Azzo da Castello forces Rocca Contrada (Arcevia) to pay a ransom. At the end of August, Boniface IX is forced to reassure this commune that it is not his intention to entrust its government to Biordo dei Michelotti or other condottieri. | |
| July | Perugia | Exiles | Captain General | Umbria and Marche | He obtains the castle of Fratta del Vescovo (Fratta Todina) from the papal condottiero Ciucio da Paterno in exchange for 3,000 florins; he camps between Umbertide and Montone and has the fortress of the second center handed over by the brothers of Braccio da Montone in exchange for the release of their relative; he also takes possession of Civitella dei Marchesi (Montalto). |
| Aug. | Perugia | Comp. ventura | Umbria | He sends ambassadors to Florence and to the Pope still in Assisi; he asks the pontiff to assist Perugia with 200 infantry and 50 lances. Giovanni Tedesco da Pietramala and Azzo da Castello are indeed raiding the communal territory, occupying one Castiglione del Lago and the other Nocera Umbra. The Pope does not respond. Biordo dei Michelotti manages to settle the matter with the help of the lord of Cortona, Ugolino Casali: he gives 14,000 florins to Giovanni Tedesco da Pietramala to recover Castiglione del Lago and another 5,000 to Azzo da Castello for Sigillo. To Casali, for his mediation, he gives a charger covered in scarlet cloth, a banner with the emblem of Perugia, a palace, and an annual provision of 500 florins. | |
| Sept. | Comp. ventura | Church | Marche | He intends to get compensation from the papal forces. To his men are added 400 soldiers who have already served under Boldrino da Panicale; he moves with them and Azzo da Castello (2,500 cavalry and many infantry) to march on Macerata. He allies with the da Varano, defeats and captures at Penna San Giovanni Andrea Tomacelli, brother of the Pope. He captures some castles and bursts into Macerata; the Florentines intervene, obtaining that the inhabitants recognize a ransom of 1,000 florins to the company and hand over the bones of Panicale to the mercenaries. Biordo dei Michelotti leaves the territory with the promise of receiving from the Pope, within a month, another 10,000 florins. | |
| Nov. | Church | 200 lances | Umbria | He reconciles with the pontiff; Boniface IX grants him 10,000 florins per year for two years and another 6,000 per year until his death; he is also granted a condotta of 200 lances and the vicariate of Rocca Contrada (Arcevia), of Gualdo Tadino, of Orvieto (in exchange for an annual rent of 400 florins) and of Montefiascone (rent of 200 florins); his privileges held in Perugia are also confirmed. With Corrado Lando, they are also granted 80 florins per month by the Lucchese; during the period May-August of the following year, the two condottieri will collect another 480 florins. | |
| Dec. | Church | Todi | Umbria | He defends in Sismano with 200 cavalry the wife of Catalano degli Atti. He infests the territory of Todi against the lord of the city, Malatesta Malatesta. | |
| 1394 | |||||
| Jan. | Perugia | Church | Umbria | 1,500 papal cavalry led by the Duke of Spoleto Giannello Tomacelli (another brother of Boniface IX), Broglia, Brandolini, and Pietramala enter Umbria: Biordo dei Michelotti confronts them with 500 cavalry and 200 infantry. He reinforces the border castles without seeking battle with the opponents. He gives the mercenaries 5,600 florins and they leave the territory. | |
| Feb. | Florence | Captain General, 300 lances | Tuscany | He goes to Florence where he is given the staff of command of Captain General. He promises the inhabitants of Bettona to protect them from possible raids by Ceccolo Broglia and Brandolino Brandolini. | |
| Mar. | Ancona, Fermo | Osimo, Exiles | Marche | With Azzo da Castello, he fights for Ancona against Osimo. The two captains are then called by the inhabitants of Fermo to confront the exiles and Luca di Canale who have fortified themselves in Montegranaro. Setting up camp near the fortress of Girifalco, they both ask for 10,000 ducats for their condotta, which after some negotiations is reduced to 5,000. | |
| Apr. | Perugia | Città di Castello | Tuscany, Umbria | In Florence. On his return to Umbria, he damages the countryside of Città di Castello. | |
| May | Perugia | Church | Umbria | He is at Ponte San Giovanni. He is again attacked by the papal forces, who have a superior army to his own. He continues to avoid facing the opponents in a pitched battle, limiting himself to carrying out some raids. 500 cavalry commanded by his brother Ceccolino and Corrado Lando also prevent the exiles from continuing to devastate the nearby countryside. He also tries to suborn Ceccolo Broglia, Brandolino Brandolini, and Giovanni Tedesco da Pietramala; he gives them as hostage Tinto dei Michelotti with 4,500 florins (or 10,000 according to other sources). The rivals leave. Michelotti gets the commune of Perugia to give him another 4,000 florins to pay his soldiers and those of his brother Ceccolino and Corrado Prospero. In his incursions, he also causes damage in the territories of Certaldo and Marciano: spoils and prisoners are taken to the Florentine territory. The fact provokes protests from the republic. | |
| June | Perugia | Umbria | He leaves Perugia at night with 500 cavalry and 200 infantry; at dawn he enters Assisi without encountering resistance; he besieges the two fortresses, the smaller one with excavation works and the construction of a series of shelters for the besiegers. The two castellans, Giovanni d’Oddo and Telle da Rosciano, surrender to him under terms. The city is sacked. Supported by the de Nepis family, he is proclaimed Gonfaloniere and lord of the city in a public assembly held in the church of San Rufino. | ||
| July | Comp. ventura | Siena, Pisa, Città di Castello | Tuscany and Umbria | He causes some damage in the territory of Montone. He leaves the Perugian territory with Corrado Lando and Azzo da Castello to raid the Sienese and Pisan territories. After receiving 20,000 florins from the two communes, thanks to the mediation of the ambassadors of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, he enters with Azzo da Castello into the territory of Città di Castello. He sacks Selci, Celalba, and Porcina. Through Florence and Perugia, he obtains from the inhabitants of Città di Castello compensation of 150 florins for the damages caused by their militias in his passage through Montone. | |
| Aug. | Tuscany, Romagna, and Umbria | At the invitation of the Florentines, he takes the spoils to Sansepolcro, Citerna, and Anghiari, where they are sold in the markets. He moves into Romagna attacking Forlì and all those who do not want to recognize payments to his company. At the end of the raids, he passes through Forlì with his brother Ceccolino and the other captains: Corrado Lando goes to Ravenna, Azzo da Castello to Ferrara, Biordo and his brother Ceccolino return to Perugia. | |||
| Oct. | Umbria | In the Perugian territory. He obtains some subsidies from the Sienese. | |||
| 1395 | |||||
| Jan. | Comp. ventura | Fermo, Osimo, Ancona | Umbria and Marche | He acts as arbiter in Orvieto between the factions of the beffati/muffati and the mercorini; he summons their leaders to Perugia. He again joins with Azzo da Castello and camps in the Fermano near the fortress of Girifalco: the two captains demand a payment from Osimo and Ancona; he obtains 1,000 ducats from the inhabitants of Fermo. In the same month, the Florentines urge his help to counter the Sienese. | |
| Feb. | Umbria | He takes possession of Spello. | |||
| Apr. | Perugia | Todi, Church | Umbria | The inhabitants of Todi rebel against Malatesta Malatesta, they call Biordo dei Michelotti into the city and proclaim him as lord. He is excommunicated by Boniface IX and a crusade is preached against him. He defeats the papal forces at Bevagna led by the lord of Foligno, Ugolino Trinci; he reaches Orvieto with 400 cavalry and has the fortress destroyed; he forces many lands to recognize his authority; devastates the countrysides of the localities that do not comply with his orders. | |
| June-July | Perugia | Fermo, Ancona, Recanati | Marche | He breaks into the Marche with 1,500 cavalry against Fermo, Ancona, and Recanati: the three localities hire to their defense Conte da Carrara, Mostarda da Forlì, and Luca di Canale. At Monte San Giusto, they come against him, coming from Montegranaro, Luca di Canale and Conte da Carrara. He reaches an agreement with the second condottiero, who leaves the territory. He clashes instead with Luca di Canale. The opponent, wounded in the throat by a crossbow bolt during the combat, leaves the field, reaches the sea, boards a small vessel, and tries to reach with some companions Civitanova Marche. The condottiero is pursued and captured by some boats of the inhabitants of Grottammare: he is handed over to the priors of Fermo, who capture Canale as they probably suspect him of treason. Upon learning this, Biordo dei Michelotti sends Smeduccio Smeducci to Fermo to ask for his handover. His request is denied. | |
| Aug. | Umbria | He is recalled by the Chiaravalle from the Marche; he is given the fortresses of Todi, still in the power of Malatesta Malatesta. He reaches Orvieto with 400 cavalry and is proclaimed lord. 150 cavalry of his companies move from Deruta, pass through Fratta Todina, and sack the territory of Città di Castello. The inevitable protests of the Florentines follow. | |||
| Sept. | Perugia, Comp. ventura | Fermo, Ancona, Recanati, Ascoli Piceno | Marche | He penetrates again into the Marche to devastate the territories of Fermo, Ancona, and Recanati. He concludes a truce with Conte da Carrara; he joins his company (3,000 cavalry and various infantrymen) and together they demand from the inhabitants of Ascoli Piceno a payment of 3,000 ducats. Once obtained, Biordo dei Michelotti stays in the countryside of San Flaminiano. | |
| Oct. | Perugia | Church | Umbria | He promises an annual provision of 500 ducats to Conte da Carrara to have his support against the papal forces. He captures Cesi with the fortress and obtains Orvieto; he reappears in the Piceno with 1,500 cavalry. | |
| Nov. | Umbria | He hires for two months (payment of 4,000 florins) Ceccolo Broglia and Brandolino Brandolini; he rides in the Spoleto area without particular results because he is unable to cross the Tiber, frozen in those days. | |||
| Dec. | Marche | He arrives in Fabriano; he sells Montegranaro to Fermo in exchange for 7,500 ducats: on the same day, the priors release Luca di Canale. The purchase by the Fermans leads to violence and abuses against the inhabitants of Montegranaro, a situation in which Conte da Carrara inserts himself and which leads to the strengthening of the power of Antonio Aceti in Fermo. Biordo dei Michelotti refuses the proposal of the Florentines to become their Captain General; he is asked, again by them, to release Francesco Gambacorta, whom he holds prisoner for the failure to return 50 florins as the latter was in no way able to meet his obligations. | |||
| 1396 | |||||
| Jan. | Umbria | He is excommunicated. | |||
| Mar. | Church | 500 lances | Umbria | He reconciles with the pontiff under the pressure of the Visconti and Florentine ambassadors. He is appointed papal vicar of Todi and Orvieto in exchange for the payment of an annual rent; Boniface IX recognizes to Biordo dei Michelotti for one year the monthly sum of 2,000 florins to have 500 lances at his disposal. The condottiero returns two castles to the papal forces. The interdict on the city of Perugia is lifted; Michelotti, for his part, must pay 17,000 florins to the Papal States. During the same period, he induces Giovanni da Barbiano to leave the territory with abundant gifts and weapons. | |
| Apr. | Umbria | He buys numerous livestock and weapons with the aim of fighting the papal forces. | |||
| May | He is invited by the Florentines to counter the company of Ceccolo Broglia. | ||||
| June-July | Comp. ventura | Foligno | Umbria | He asks the Sienese to send ambassadors to the Duke of Milan to get his assistance. In July, he harasses with his company the territories of the lord of Foligno, Ugolino Trinci. | |
| Aug. | Perugia | Comp. ventura | Umbria | He receives 1,500 florins from the commune of Perugia to monitor the movements of Bartolomeo Boccanera, Ludovico Gabriotto Cantelli, and Filippo da Pisa: he persuades them to desist from any aggressive attempt with money and promises. The Perugians recognize him another 5,666 florins as a reward. | |
| Nov. | Umbria | He sends ambassadors to Siena to establish an alliance with the Montefeltro and Pisa. | |||
| 1397 | |||||
| …… | Milan | Florence | 500 lances | ||
| Apr.-May | Florence | Milan | Captain General, 800 lances | Umbria and Tuscany | He proposes to harass Ugolino Casali by hiring for 10,000 florins the company of Alberico da Barbiano stationed in the Perugian territory. They attack Borghetto but fail to take the locality; they then advance on Melello but are defeated by the militias of Volterra. At this point, Biordo dei Michelotti is convinced to accept the Captaincy General of the Florentines to counter the Visconti led by Barbiano. He is initially offered 1,600 florins a month; the negotiation ends with the recognition, in his favor, of a monthly provision of 2,150 florins. The duration of the condotta is set at six months, plus another six at pleasure. In mid-May, the relative contract is signed through Rinaldo Gianfigliazzi. |
| June | Tuscany and Umbria | He goes to Florence and is given the insignia of command. He is obliged to return to Perugia due to the threats of Broglia and the exiles. He leaves the city in great haste and through Arezzo unexpectedly reaches Perugia. | |||
| July | Perugia | Exiles | Umbria | He takes possession of Porcaria despite the terms of the recent peace signed with the papal forces. With his action, he discourages the opponents from their intentions. | |
| Aug. | Umbria | He is appointed Count of Castel della Pieve and Val di Chiana by Emperor Wenceslaus of Bohemia. | |||
| Nov. | Tuscany | He marries Giovanna Orsini, daughter of Count of Soana Bertoldo. The marriage is celebrated in Corciano in the castle of Pieve del Vescovo. In honor of the spouses, a tournament is organized, won by a retainer of the Chiavelli. For the celebrations, more than 10,000 florins are spent; at the wedding are present the lords of Urbino, Camerino (Gentile da Varano), San Severino Marche (Smeduccio Smeducci), Fabriano (Chiavello Chiavelli), Foligno, as well as the ambassadors of Venice, Florence, Lucca, Cortona, Città di Castello (they give him a banner and a charger), Assisi, Gubbio, Nocera Umbra, Spello, Castel della Pieve (the inhabitants of this locality send him a horse equipped with precious cloths), and Trevi. | |||
| 1398 | |||||
| Jan. | Umbria | In the territory of Todi due to the rebellion of Monte Castello di Vibio. | |||
| Feb. | Perugia | Church | Umbria | He goes to Todi with 1,500 cavalry; he stays in the locality to heal a leg due to a fall from a horse. With the approach of Mostarda da Forlì, he returns to Perugia. He leaves his brother Ceccolino to guard Todi. | |
| Mar. | Umbria | The abbot of San Pietro, Francesco Guidalotti, his brother-in-law, along with other relatives, to please the Pope, promotes a conspiracy against him. In mid-month, in the morning, Guidalotti, accompanied by his brothers Giovanni and Annibale, goes to Michelotti‘s palace near Porta Sole. The condottiero, informed of this visit, gets up from bed and goes down to the cloister without any suspicion. Abbot Guidalotti embraces him: this is the signal for the others who rush against him with poisoned knives and strike him in the throat. The crowd, upon hearing the news, rushes into the houses of the Guidalotti, killing and setting fire to everything connected to that family. Michelotti‘s funeral costs 334 florins; they are grandiose just as his wedding was. Great pity arouses his mother Baldina who tears her hair in despair. All the people participate with unanimous grief. Michelotti is buried in the church of San Francesco; an equestrian statue is erected in his honor in front of the church of San Lorenzo. A portrait of him, by an anonymous author, is kept in the Palazzo dei Priori of Perugia. In March 1448, the friar Roberto Caracciolo (Roberto da Lecce) preaches against the vanity of the nobles, which is revealed, according to him, even in the ornaments that accompany family tombs: this causes the destruction of Michelotti‘s statue in an unknown cemetery. His secretary is the humanist Giovanni Manzini. Recalled by Lorenzo Spirito in “Lamento di Perugia soggiogata”. |
Sources
-“Fu capitano saggio, accorto e mite, da moltissimi rimpianto.” ARGEGNI
-“Quei due che fanno adorne le scritture,/ Biordo e Ciccholin de’ Michelotti/ Da far deluno infinite picture/ Incredibil di lui cose dirotti./ Non fe più prove il valente Camillo/ Come lui per Peroscia senza motti./ E fu tanto onorato il suo vexillo/ Che fu signor delle terre vicine/ Un lungo tempo in stato tranquillo./ In libertà con le sue opre divine/ Resse Peroscia e per sue lunche liste/ E fu degno di laude fin al fine.” Cambino Aretino riportato da FABRETTI
-“Huomo molto pratico nell’armi.” ALBERTI
-“Huomo in que’ tempi nelle cose dell’armi molto singolare, e illustre.” CAMPANO
-“Di privato cittadino s’era fatto non solo quasi padrone di Perugia, ma di tanti altri luoghi.., si può credere che s’egli fosse più lungamente vivuto sarebbe molto maggiore divenuto.” PELLINI
-“Huomo pratico nell’armi.” SANSOVINO
-“Huius etiam temporis Biordus de Michelottis, perusinus athleta, vir magnanimus et ad omnia magnifica strenuus et armorum fortitudine prevalidus, multorum populorum dominio ipsorum libertis et spontanea electione sortitus est. Hic miris modis ad se diligendum animos hominum conciliabat, liberalitate magnifica vestes, equos, cibos convivales et pecuniam, cum habebat erogando, mirabiliter diffundebat: huic nullum vere in eo tempore comparabilem virum vidi.” MANZINI
-“Was a unifying figure. Hia party came from the merchant class. But his birth and military accord made him a man the nobility had to respect, and his personal qualities endeared him to the popolo minuto.” TREASE
-“Uomo d’azione ma anche abile politico.” GAZZARA
-“Rimarrà fino alla sua morte nel 1398 uno dei signori più potenti di tutta l’Italia centrale …L’arrivo di Biordo al potere è stata la conseguenza della vittoria della sua fazione sull’altra, ma è alla sua fama di condottiero che Biordo deve l’aver ricevuto tutti i poteri che gli furono attribuiti subito dopo la sua trionfale accoglienza da parte dei Perugini, prima di tutto quelli di natura militare. Biordo era certamente ben lontano dall’essere tra i condottieri più famosi del suo tempo: la sua compagnia non comprendeva, a quanto pare, che poche centinaia di lance e i successi da lui ottenuti sui campi di battaglia erano piuttosto modesti. Ma non aveva mai smesso di seguire con grande attenzione le vicende politiche della sua città di origine ed ebbe l’accortezza di capire, ad un certo momento, che i suoi concittadini erano ormai maturi per accettare un potere forte, ossia per passare sotto l’autorità di un signore purché sia in grado di garantire loro l’ordine e la sicurezza ai quali tutti aspiravano.” VIGUEUR
-“La morte tragica richiamò sul Michelotti – vissuto di violenze, rapine e inganni – pietà e rimpianto. Goffo il tentativo di storici perugini campanilisti e anticlericali di accreditare il Michelotti come difensore della libertà comunale contro l’invadenza pontificia.” FALASCHI
-“Pare di poter rilevare come le modalità di gestione del potere della signoria di Biordo dei Michelotti non collimino con l’immagine del signore “rispettoso delle istituzioni comunali”, magnanimo e relativamente largo nel concedere ai gruppi dirigenti delle città a lui soggette spazi e margini di autonomia di una certa rilevanza.” SINI
-“Biordo si restava in Perugia per inanimare i Priori ad attendere al miglioramento del vivere civile, ad amicarsi le primarie potenze d’Italia, a sorprendere i fuorusciti nei loro movimenti, e a sorvegliare i pochi cittadini, creature di nobili, nelle loro secrete adunanze. Tutto operava per la salute e prosperità dello stato popolare, nulla per ingrandire se stesso e gli amici: a questo intendeva, non apparisse in faccia a ciascun popolo d’Italia la Repubblica perugina macchiata dall’improntitudine d’una iniqua reggenza. per cui il nome di Biordo visse incontaminato appo noi per quattro secoli, e passò nella memoria di otto generazioni sempre più bello e più riverito.” FABRETTI
-“Un nobile perugino esiliato durante le lotte di fazione scoppiate a Perugia, il cui intento primario fu quello di riavere una posizione di potere nella città nativa e, anzi, di farsene signore.” MALLETT
-“On a Sunday morning in March 1398, the abbott (Guidalotti, che in precedenza si era incontrato con il papa).. led his followers to Michelotti’s house, choosing this moment as he knew that the majority of the city’s population would be at mass. Announcing that he had important news for Michelotti, the abbott and his party gained admittance to the condottiere’s house. The signal for the attack to be sprung was to be the abbott’s kiss of greeting. When the unsuspecting Michelotti arrived he was duty betrayed with this Judas kiss and hacked and stabbed to the ground… As an extra precaution, the assassins used poisoned daggers.” MURPHY
-“Immagin sono di quel magno Biordo/Che al mondo sugiugò tante cittadi,/Di ventidue stendardi io mi ricordo/Vencelli insieme in gran solennitade;/Ai suoi nimici il viver mise in ordo,/tenendo il proprio nido in libertade/E feci sì per piani e monti e rive/Che, polver d’ossa, il nome ancora vive.” Da un epitaffio del Matarazzo, riportato da FABRETTI, sotto il suo ritratto un tempo collocato a Perugia nel palazzo di Braccio Baglioni.
-“Fu capitano di ventura temuto e famoso.” CIPOLLA
Featured image: Wikipedia
