A Ghibelline strategist whose downfall was sealed by ecclesiastical rivalry.
FEDERICO DA MONTEFELTRO Ghibellino. Conte. Signore di Urbino, Pisa, Cagli e Fano. Padre di Nolfo da Montefeltro e di Niccolò da Montefeltro, cugino di Speranza da Montefeltro.
Death: 1322, April
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ……………. | He is excommunicated with his father Guido da Montefeltro. | ||||
| 1295 | He is absolved with his father from all ecclesiastical censure. | ||||
| 1298 | |||||
| June | Ghibellines | Imola | Romagna | After the conquest of Imola by Maghinardo da Susinana and Galasso da Montefeltro, he is again struck by interdict from the apostolic legate of the March Guglielmo Durand. The sentence is quashed by the pope when Boniface VIII needs the help of the Ghibellines to capture Palestrina, fief of the Colonna. | |
| 1299 | Tuscany | Podestà of Arezzo. | |||
| 1300 | |||||
| May | Ghibellines | Gubbio | Umbria | With Galasso da Montefeltro, the count of Ghiaggiolo Uberto Malatesta and Uguccione della Faggiuola enters Gubbio through Monte di Sant’Ubaldo. | |
| June | Gubbio | Church Perugia | Umbria | Remains in Gubbio for a month. The curia’s reaction is swift. He is driven from the city by the joint intervention of Cante Gabrielli and the Perugians. | |
| 1301 | |||||
| Feb. | Romagna | Takes part in Ravenna at the general parliament called by the count of Romagna, cardinal Matteo di Acquasparta. With Federico da Montefeltro is also Maghinardo da Susinana. | |||
| May | Cesena | Exiles | Romagna | Holds in Cesena (from the previous year) the position of captain of the city with Uguccione della Faggiuola and Ciappettino degli Ubertini. He is driven from the city with the other Ghibellines by Raule dei Mazzolini. | |
| 1302 | |||||
| Oct. | Arezzo | Cesena | Romagna | He is podestà of Arezzo. With Uguccione della Faggiuola rushes to aid Bernardino da Polenta. Appointed vice-consul of the archbishop, with inhabitants of Ravenna and Cervia besieges Cesena, occupies the castles of the countryside with the exception of Roversano and Fermignano, destroys the castle defending the port of Cesenatico and has the port filled with earth. | |
| 1303 | Arezzo | Florence Siena | Tuscany | Faces the black Guelphs of Florence with the Ghibellines and white Guelphs. With Ciappettino degli Ubertini replaces Uguccione della Faggiuola in the podestà of Arezzo when the latter shows some hesitation in fighting adversaries; defeats Florentines and Sienese at Cennina. | |
| 1304 | |||||
| Spring | Podestà of Arezzo. Moves against the Florentines. | ||||
| July | Tuscany | Invests Florence, against which he has brought together large forces from Romagna, Bologna and Tuscan white Guelphs under the command of Aghinolfo di Romena. Baschiera della Tosa penetrates the city’s suburbs as far as piazza San Giovanni two days ahead of schedule without waiting for the arrival of the Aretine companies of Montefeltro and those from Pistoia of Tolosato degli Uberti: the attack is thus easily repulsed by Cante Gabrielli. Many are killed; prisoners are hanged in the piazza of San Gallo. | |||
| ……………. | Todi | Guelphs | Tuscany and Umbria | Leaves Pisa to head toward Umbria to provide aid to the Ghibellines of Todi. | |
| 1305 | |||||
| ……………. | Church | Rimini Florence | Marches | Supports cardinal legate Napoleone Orsini against Pandolfo Malatesta who, at the death of pope Boniface VIII, has seized Fano, Senigallia and Fossombrone. | |
| Dec. | Marches | Federico da Montefeltro joins with the communes of Fabriano, San Severino Marche and Matelica, the “Friends of the March” led by his cousin Speranza; occupies Serrungarina and Montecampanaro where he is called by the Fanese nobles. | |||
| 1306 | |||||
| July | Marches | Conquers Fano; shortly after Pandolfo Malatesta must also abandon Pesaro and Senigallia. Federico da Montefeltro makes an incursion into the Macerata area and appears under the walls of the capital. The podestà Berardo da Varano comes out of the city. He must retreat. In the year he seizes Urbino, of which he will maintain lordship until his death. | |||
| ……………. | Romagna Tuscany | Leaves Romagna to support cardinal Napoleone Orsini against the Florentines; on the way he is harassed by the militias of Malatestino Malatesta who, with the people of Rimini and Cesena commanded by Uberto Malatesta, try to obstruct him at Montevecchio. | |||
| 1307 | |||||
| June | Church | Florence | Marches and Umbria | Rushes to aid the papal legate, cardinal Napoleone Orsini favorable to the Ghibellines. With Speranza da Montefeltro moves toward Arezzo; defeats the Malatesta at Uffogliano in Val Marecchia; joins with the Ghibellines of the upper Tiber valley, with the Tarlati, the Ubaldini and cardinal Orsini. Seizes Città di Castello; fights the Florentines assembling an army of 2,500 horses and 10,000 infantry. The action does not conclude due to lack of offensive will. | |
| Aug. | Urbino | Rimini | Romagna | With Ciappettino degli Ubertini aids the Ordelaffi engaged in occupying Bertinoro against the Malatesta. Inflicts heavy losses on adversaries. | |
| 1308 | |||||
| Apr. | Forlì | Cesena | Tuscany Romagna | Forced to abandon Arezzo, resumes the initiative in Romagna; with Scarpetta Ordelaffi, Imolese, Faentine and Forlivese forces attacks Cesena where the count of Ghiaggiolo is still podestà. Breaks into the Valley of San Vittore and devastates the territory. | |
| Aug. | Romagna | A general peace is reached between Ghibellines and Guelphs with the liberation of respective prisoners. | |||
| ……………. | Captain general | Marches | He is appointed captain general of the Ghibelline league to counter the Guelphs commanded by Poncello Orsini and Ubertino de Salis. | ||
| 1309 | |||||
| Mar. | Tuscany | He is elected podestà of Pisa. He maintains this position for the following five years until 1313. | |||
| ……………. | Umbria | With the mediation of the Perugians concludes peace with Città di Castello. | |||
| June | Church | Ancona | Marches | At the head of the “Friends of the March”, of Jesi, Osimo, San Severino Marche, Rocca Contrada (Arcevia) and Camerino assists the rector of the March Raimondo d’Attone against Ancona. Enemy troops are defeated between Chiaravalle and Camerata Picena; among the enemies, commanded by Poncello Orsini, 4,000 men remain on the field and another 1,000 are captured. | |
| 1310 | Empire | Florence | Captain general | Tuscany | Goes to meet with his cousin Speranza emperor Henry of Luxembourg; in the imperial army Montefeltro has supreme command of the Italian contingents. |
| 1312 | |||||
| Sept. | Tuscany | Confronts the Florentines at the head of 500 horses and 10,000 infantry. With the victory of the imperialists at Incisa in Val d’Arno Federico da Montefeltro is able to resume the initiative; devastates Santa Margherita a Montici and the hills around Fiesole, positions himself at San Casciano in Val di Pesa with his cousin Speranza. | |||
| Dec. | Tuscany | With Uguccione della Faggiuola and Roberto di Fiandra (700 horses) seizes in Val d’Elsa the castle of Casole d’Elsa. He is immediately besieged there by Florentines and Sienese. | |||
| 1313 | |||||
| Jan. | Tuscany | Exits the castle of Casole d’Elsa taking advantage of the relaxed vigilance of the troops besieging him. Takes refuge in the imperial camp. | |||
| Feb. | Tuscany | In Pisa; attends the ceremony in which the emperor banishes as rebels many inhabitants of Florence. He is reconfirmed by Henry of Luxembourg as vicar of the city. | |||
| ……………. | Umbria | Harasses in Umbria the countryside of Città di Castello. | |||
| June | Tuscany | Leaves Pisa to become imperial vicar of Arezzo. | |||
| Aug. | Tuscany | Still with Uguccione della Faggiuola reaches Henry of Luxembourg at Montaperti with 200 horses, 2,000 Aretine infantry and many Ghibellines from Val d’Ambra. Devastates the neighboring territory. At the emperor’s death which occurs in the Sienese Maremma at Buonconvento, the imperial army disbands. Montefeltro immediately goes to Arezzo with substantial booty. Most of the stolen livestock is, however, lost during the march. | |||
| 1314 | Tuscany | Still holds the role of imperial vicar of Arezzo. | |||
| 1315 | |||||
| Jan.-June | Ghibellines | Ancona Macerata | Marches | In January he is elected at Cingoli captain of the “Friends of the March” (Osimo, Fabriano, Recanati, San Severino Marche, Matelica, Cingoli, Serra San Quirico, Corinaldo, Montenovo, Ostra Vetere, Montecassiano, Montemilone/Pollenza and Monterubbiano). The work of the Ghibellines consists of a crescendo of violence against Ancona, Macerata and other lands. The “Friends” are banned by the curia. The Ghibelline league also includes Rinaldo di Brunforte, Lomo da Jesi, Lippaccio da Osimo, Tommaso Chiavelli, Contuccio della Genga, Mizia di Corinaldo, Appigliaterra di Cingoli. | |
| 1316 | Ghibellines | Rimini Naples | Romagna | Clashes with the Angevins and Malatestino Malatesta. Soon stipulates a truce with the latter. | |
| 1317 | Urbino | Church | Marches | Forcibly takes from the Guelphs Recanati, Urbino, Cingoli and Fano. With the Ghibellines of Fermo and Fabriano captures near Urbino Castelcavallino previously occupied by the Malatesta; invades the Macerata area and damages its territory by cutting down plants, burning crops and houses. He also obtains Cagli by treaty; besieges in the fortress the podestà Muzio Gabrielli. He is condemned repeatedly with Guido and Speranza da Montefeltro by the rector of the March. Attacked by the Perugians commanded by Oddo Oddi he is forced to cede the locality to the new pontiff John XXII. | |
| 1318 | |||||
| June | Marches | Promises the rector of the march of Ancona Amelio di Lautrec to return the castles of Primicilio and Pietralata and to readmit to Urbino the Guelph exiles. | |||
| Sept. | Urbino | Church | Marches | The rector of the March promotes a Guelph league between the cities of Camerino, San Severino Marche and Matelica against the “Friends of the March” and the counts of Urbino. Federico da Montefeltro opens hostilities against Berardo da Varano, occupies and sacks Apiro with the exiles of Jesi. He is declared heretic and idolater and is struck by interdict with his cousin Speranza: in response he expels from Nocera Umbra count Bernardino da Marsciano, enters Cagli at night and expels the podestà Cantuccio Gabrielli. The city is horribly sacked. | |
| ……………. | Marches | Rides in the Macerata area and puts all the countryside to fire and sword; seizes Cingoli and together with Lippaccio da Osimo occupies Fano. Aids in Castelleone Scattone di Brunforte, there besieged by the pontificals. | |||
| 1319 | |||||
| ……………. | Marches | Amelio di Lautrec and the general judge of the March Niccolò da Reggio condemn Federico da Montefeltro for the massacre of Cagli to payment of 10,000 Ravenna lire and confiscation of goods. He is declared rebel to the Church state. The condottiero leaves Cagli; before departing from the city he demands from the inhabitants 630 lire to settle the wages of his men. | |||
| ……………. | Umbria | With the Marchigian Ghibellines and those of Spoleto expels from Spoleto the local Guelphs, of whom many are killed and others imprisoned. The Perugians and Tuscan Guelphs come against him, led by the governor of the duchy Rinaldo di Sant’Artemia. | |||
| Sept. | Umbria | With the bishop of Arezzo Guido Tarlati helps Muzio di Francesco and Vanni da Poppi (podestà of Assisi) to expel the Guelphs also from this last city; the rebels, driven by Muzio di Francesco, appropriate the treasure of San Francesco and seize numerous precious objects that will be sold in the markets of Arezzo, Florence and Fabriano for 14,000 florins. | |||
| Nov. | Umbria | Sends 600 horses to Muzio di Francesco to raise Spoleto and Nocera Umbra against the ecclesiastics. With the capture of the bailiff of the general curia of legate Buonagrazia da Parma and his son Gerarduzzo (thrown in prison, they have tongue, ears and nose cut off) Montefeltro is condemned by the pontiff to a fine of 100,000 marks. | |||
| 1320 | |||||
| Jan. | Marches | Fights Ancona. He is sent by the bishop of Arezzo Guido Tarlati 5 banners of horses under the command of Tarlatino Tarlati. Pope John XXII charges a Franciscan inquisitor, friar Lorenzo di Mondavio, to instruct a process for heresy against him, against the brothers Lippaccio and Andrea Guzzolini of Osimo and some rebels of Recanati. It is particularly imputed to Federico da Montefeltro to have fashioned two idols, one in the form of a prelate and another of a warrior, and to force the population to worship them. Other accusations concern verbal intemperance, unacceptable statements about the mortality of the soul, a profound anticlerical spirit arrived at the point of having publicly burned the effigy of the archbishop of Ravenna. | |||
| ……………. | Marches and Umbria | Swoops down on Urbino; makes Assisi rebel; frees Spoleto from the siege of the Perugians led by the governor of the duchy of Spoleto Rinaldo di Sant’Artemia. | |||
| Oct. | Marches | He is again excommunicated with his cousin Speranza because he does not want to return to the Church state the city of Urbino and the castles of the countryside. He is defined by the pontificals “hereticus manifestus et hidolatra.” | |||
| 1321 | |||||
| ……………. | Marches | Occupies Fano. He is driven out in a short time by adversaries. | |||
| Mar.-Aug. | Romagna Marches and Umbria | Swoops into the Rimini area and sacks it: occupies Cerasolo, Montescudo and Montegridolfo with his cousin Speranza, Uberto Malatesta, Paoluccio della Faggiuola and Lippaccio da Osimo: he also receives aid from Guido Tarlati who sends Aretine militias commanded by Pier Saccone Tarlati and Castruccio Castracani. The surprise does not have the hoped effects because Rimini, with the aid of the Bolognese, resists. In August, he beats adversaries at Cingoli. He leaves his cousin Speranza and his sons to defend Urbino and rushes to Umbria. He is appointed captain of Spoleto; faces the Perugians. | |||
| Aug. | Reorganizes the Ghibelline reaction intervening in Fabriano, Serra San Quirico and other localities. Montefeltro is accused of heresy and idolatrous cults and is once more excommunicated by John XXII. | ||||
| Sept. | Marches | The papal captains Pandolfo and Ferrandino Malatesta go on the counterattack. They camp at Montefabbri at the gates of Urbino. | |||
| Dec. | The archbishop of Ravenna declares him heretic, idolater and enemy of the Church. The pope orders a crusade against him: it is provided in the proclamation that whoever serves for one year against Federico da Montefeltro be granted an indulgence equal to that which the Church is accustomed to give to crusaders departing for the Holy Land. The lord of Urbino is assailed by the ranks of the Trinci of Foligno, by those of the Gabrielli of Gubbio, by the Perugians and by the soldiers of Città di Castello: he is not on the contrary adequately aided by allies the bishop of Arezzo and Castruccio Castracani. | ||||
| 1322 | |||||
| Jan. | Marches | Pandolfo and Ferrandino Malatesta force him to abandon the idea of providing aid to Recanati and to return to the defense of Urbino: the city is increasingly burdened by new taxes. | |||
| Apr. | Marches | Urbino rises against Federico da Montefeltro; he is assaulted in the main tower while his adversaries enter the city in triumph. He presents himself to the crowd with his son Francesco, both with nooses around their necks asking for mercy. He is slaughtered with his son by bystanders at the instigation of the bishop of Rimini. The corpse is dragged on the ground to a pit, where it is buried in a hole full of horse manure because excommunicated. Two other sons manage to flee from Urbino only to be captured at Gubbio; another, smaller one, is taken prisoner still in Urbino. His cousin Speranza flees to the castle of San Marino. The arms of Federico da Montefeltro are carved in the oratory of Santa Maria and near the baths of Montepisano which he had restored. In September 1334 the same pope who condemned him (John XXII), at the request of his sons Nolfo and Galasso, will order the revision of the heresy trial against him. |
Sources
-“Aveva dimostro nell’armi l’usato valore di sua famiglia in molte guerre.” UGOLINI
-Con Uguccione della Faggiuola “Valenti capitani.” PARDI
-“Federico figlio di Guido riuscì non inferiore al padre nel valore militare, sebbene non così fortunato nel fine della sua vita e nel governo dei popoli.” COLUCCI
-“(La sua) carriera.. suggerisce che addirittura nell’incarico podesteriale, quand’era conferito per ragioni inizialmente militari, si possano individuare le radici del mercenariato italiano trecentesco.” BARBERO
-“Indiscusso leader politico e militare della regione (Marche).” PIRANI
-Con Uguccione della Faggiuola “Il Montefeltro e il Faggiolano sono accomunati nelle fonti coeve dall’epiteto di “volpe”, per i loro stratagemmi, verosimilmente dovuto alla loro origine comune. Lo stile di vita guerriero dei signori dell’Appennino emiliano-romagnolo è riflesso dalla loro indomabile politica.” NARDONE
-“Il solo che si possa paragonare ad Uguccione, di cui fu lungamente amico ed alleato.” CIPOLLA
-Ricordato in un’epigrafe metrica nel pergamo del duomo di Pisa, scolpito da Giovanni Pisano “Iam dominante Pisis concordibus atque divisis/ Comite Montis Feretru Federici.”
-Epigrafe che lo ricorda posta nella chiesa di Montepisano “Annis millenis trecentis, et duodenis,/ In dicto anno Iulium dum perderet aestas,/ Arbitrio pleno capitaneus, atque potestas,/ Urbis realis Pisanae cum generalis/ Esset magnificus comes, et fortis Federicus/ Feretris Montis venis erumpere portis,/ Balnea tam clara sunt montis haec reparata,/ Praeceptore sero fatio comitis Bavatero,/ Cui dat nota plebatus de Galeata/ Tot sanat morbos simul, undas vix habet orbis.”
Featured image: wikipedia
