Bloodlines, allegiances, and control in 15th-century northern Italy
Pandolfaccio Malatesta (Pandolfo Malatesta) of Verucchio. Lord of Rimini, Sarsina, Meldola, San Savino, Sant’Andrea in Bagnolo, San Clemente, Montescudo, Monte Colombo, Gemmano, San Giovanni in Marignano, Montegridolfo, Mulazzano, and Cittadella. The illegitimate son of Roberto Malatesta, brother of Carlo Malatesta, and father of Sigismondo Malatesta, Galeotto Malatesta, and Malatesta Malatesta. He was the brother-in-law of Ranuccio da Marciano, Giberto Pio, Galeotto Manfredi, Niccolò Maria Rangoni, and of Annibale and Alessandro Bentivoglio; and the nephew of Giovanni Aldovrandini.
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1482 | Romagna | Upon his father Roberto’s death, the Venetians and pontificals grant him the honorary dignity of captain general and a salary of 16,000 scudi. They send him 150 men-at-arms for the defense of his state. | |||
| 1485 | Rimini | Forlì | Romagna | He is protected by the Venetians when the lord of Forlì Girolamo Riario attempts to seize Rimini. | |
| 1486 | |||||
| Dec. | Romagna | He is knighted at San Lazzaro, in the church of Pantano, by the Duke of Calabria Alfonso d’Aragona. | |||
| 1487 | |||||
| Jan. Feb. | Emilia | In January he is in Bologna for the wedding of Annibale Bentivoglio with Lucrezia d’Este; his widding is also planned with Violante Bentivoglio, sister of Annibale. In February he is reported in Ferrara. | |||
| 1488 | Church | 50 lances | |||
| 1489 | Church | Romagna and Marche | His contract with the Church State expires; he offers his services to the Venetians. Lorenzo dei Medici intervenes and his engagement is renewed by the pontificals. On pilgrimage to Loreto. | ||
| 1490 | |||||
| Apr. | His contract is renewed by the pontificals. | ||||
| Sept. | Emilia | He spends several days in Bologna as guest of the city’s lord Giovanni Bentivoglio. | |||
| 1492 | |||||
| Mar. | Romagna | During a masked festival he kills with dagger blows his tutor Raimondo Malatesta who governs the state. | |||
| July | Romagna | Galeazzo Malatesta attempts on his life with his sons: the plot is discovered. | |||
| ………. | Romagna | He receives in Rimini the Duke of Ferrara Ercole d’Este. | |||
| 1493 | |||||
| May | 400 horses | He passes to Venetian pay with a contract for 100 men-at-arms. The engagement is established for two years, the salary is 7,000 ducats per year and he has the obligation to serve in any part of Italy. Protection of his states is assured. | |||
| Sept. | Lombardy | He watches the borders of Ghiaradadda. | |||
| Dec. | Emilia | In Bologna with his wife Violante Bentivoglio, daughter of Giovanni; he is received by his brothers-in-law Annibale and Alessandro Bentivoglio, Niccolò Maria Rangoni and Giberto Pio. | |||
| 1494 | |||||
| Jan. | Emilia | In Bologna. He rides with relatives to Corticella for the opening of a navigable canal on the Reno. | |||
| Aug. | Venice | 400 horses | Romagna | He meets in Rimini with Niccolò Orsini. | |
| 1495 | |||||
| Jan. | Venice | His contract is renewed for another two years; his salary is raised to 8,000 ducats per year: the contract includes the clause by which, at the expiration of the engagement, he commits not to fight for six months against the troops of the Serenissima. | |||
| Feb. | Rimini | Bagno | Romagna | With Antonio Malatesta he takes the castle of Cusercoli from Guido Guerra da Bagno | |
| Apr. | Venice | France | Romagna | He sends 25 horses to Rome to protect Pope Alessandro VI. | |
| May | Romagna | Guest in Forlì of Caterina Sforza. | |||
| June | Romagna | He is urged by the Venetians to join with the rest of the army to counter the French in the Parma area. | |||
| July | Emilia and Piedmont | He takes part in the battle of Fornovo. He then crosses the Modena area with 12 squadrons and moves to the siege of Novara. | |||
| Aug. | Piedmont | At the camp of Vespolate. He attends the ceremony in which the baton and standard of captain general of the Italic League are delivered to Francesco Gonzaga. He follows Niccolò Orsini towards Granozzo and Casalino to intercept a supply column directed to Novara and coming from Vercelli. | |||
| Oct. | Lombardy and Romagna | At Crema. He returns to Romagna. | |||
| Nov. | Romagna | He provides some men to Guido Guerra da Bagno; the latter penetrates Venetian territory and conquers Castelnuovo in the Ravenna area. The Serenissima complains of his actions; Malatesta then sends for Guido Guerra da Bagno; to demonstrate his innocence he holds him prisoner. He has orders to have him hanged: he can use no other consideration than to have him strangled in prison and show him dead to the population. | |||
| 1496 | |||||
| Mar. | Romagna | He refuses to fulfill his obligations when the Venetians send him with 100 men-at-arms and 35 crossbow cavalry to the Kingdom of Naples to face the French there: he fears dangerous developments in his states. | |||
| Apr. | Martinelli | Tiberti | Romagna | He sends 100 infantry to the Martinelli so they can defend themselves from Polidoro Tiberti; he obtains by treaty the castle of Monte Giotone causing the reaction of the Cesenati. He carries out some raids in the territory of Savignano sul Rubicone. He is forced to yield due to the prompt reaction of the lady of Forlì Caterina Sforza, of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, as well as the inhabitants of Cesena itself. | |
| May | Venice | Romagna | In Romagna, on behalf of the Venetians, with 100 men-at-arms. | ||
| Aug. | Romagna | He receives in Rimini the papal legate, the Cardinal of Santa Croce. | |||
| 1497 | |||||
| ……. | Rimini | Rebels | Romagna | Upon the death of his mother Elisabetta Aldovrandini he commits violence and murders in his states. He tries to rape a young woman from Rimini, daughter of Castracane Castracani, who is hidden in a convent. He tries to penetrate it; discovered, he is forced to flee through a window: having saved himself, he gathers his mercenaries and captures thirteen people who worked to capture him. All are hanged; even the woman’s father is pursued by his henchmen; his house is sacked and his goods confiscated. The population rebels, Malatesta shuts himself in the fortress where he is besieged; he must resort to the Venetians to restore calm. | |
| Mar. | Rimini | Tiberti | Romagna and Veneto | Achille Tiberti sets an ambush for him (which fails) with some crossbowmen. He protests to Venice about delayed payments and asks for one hundred staia of wheat and six hundred of barley instead: he goes to the city with a retinue of 90 people. The Serenissima, for his expenses, recognizes a daily allowance of twelve ducats. Malatesta requests a contract for his brother Carlo. | |
| Sept. | Venice | 400 horses | Romagna | His contract is renewed by the Serenissima. He is also exempted from the obligation of review. | |
| Oct. | Rimini | Forlì | Romagna | Achille Tiberti carries out new raids in his territories with the help of Caterina Sforza; in retaliation he has seven villages in the Forlì area sacked. | |
| 1498 | |||||
| Jan. | Romagna | He becomes guilty of the kidnapping and acts of violence against a woman of the Marcheselli family. They, with other citizens, want revenge and try to kill him at vespers in the church of Sant’Agostino: Malatesta jumps first on the organ and then on the main altar which breaks under his weight. Four Ferrarese organists, who are at his side, defend him with their swords; thanks to their intervention he manages to retreat to the castle. He comes out with his armed men, has Ludovico and Piero Belmonte killed, has fifteen houses sacked and four others set on fire; thirteen people from Rimini are hanged, including two members of his council. Even the organists, who saved his life, suffer the weight of his anger being expelled from the city; one of them is even held in prison with the suspicion of being an accomplice or, at least, aware of the attack of which he was victim. | |||
| Feb. | Rimini | Forlì | Romagna and Emilia | He is attacked by the Forlì forces; he requests help from the Venetians and retreats to Ravenna. Upon his return to Rimini he must get rid of his favorite Borso da Ferrara, cause of much discontent. He goes to Bologna with 500 horses to his father-in-law Giovanni Bentivoglio; only when the tumults are quelled does he return to Rimini. | |
| May | Romagna | A new conspiracy against him ends with the hanging of 2 men. | |||
| June | Emilia | In Ferrara with the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo da Montefeltro. | |||
| July | Venice | Florence | He is sent by the Venetians with Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Paolo Orsini and Astorre Manfredi to help Piero dei Medici in order to help him recover the lordship of Florence. | ||
| Aug. | Romagna | New disorders arise in Rimini. The Venetians propose the exchange of Rimini with the lordship of Bassano del Grappa or Conegliano. Nothing comes of it. | |||
| Sept. | Romagna | He moves in Val di Lamone with his company. He carries out no operations against the Florentines. | |||
| Oct. | Romagna | He captures Antioco Tiberti with some supporters. Of these, some are hanged. | |||
| Dec. | Romagna | He protests to the Venetians about the contract granted to his personal enemy Lamberto Malatesta da Sogliano; he offers to command the troops of Galeata in place of his relative. He simultaneously asks the Venetians for a loan to pay some of his debts and redeem jewels pledged in Milan. | |||
| 1499 | |||||
| Feb. | Venice | At the expiration of the engagement he is further re-engaged for another two years. | |||
| Mar. | He asks both for an increase in the contract and for his emoluments to be raised to 10,000 ducats. There is no lack of reference to the settlement of back pay. | ||||
| Apr. | His dues are paid in kind through the delivery, as advance payment, of 1,000 staia of wheat. | ||||
| May | He asks the Venetians for 1,000 ducats of his salary to be able to face, under penalty of excommunication, payment of the census to the Church State. The Venetians assure the pope in this regard. | ||||
| July Aug. | Venice | Milan | 100 lances and 25 light cavalry | Romagna | In July he proposes to the Serenissima to review his company. In August he renews his requests and wants to depart for the field: he does not accept the three payments offered to him, he wants at least 500 ducats. Even the people of Rimini pressure the Serenissima in this direction just to know him far away. |
| Sept. Oct. | Romagna | He takes part in the siege of Cotignola; he plants the bombards. A sortie of 200 infantry puts him to flight with Giacomazzo da Venezia and Meleagro da Forlì. Having barely escaped capture and wounded with the loss of nine horses, he retreats to Piangipane; he excuses himself to the Signoria and returns to his possessions also because the French allies oppose the Venetians seizing Cotignola. The behavior of Malatesta’s men is highly criticized by the Venetian authorities of Ravenna. In October the pope requires him to pay the back census, under penalty of forfeiture of the fiefs he actually holds. Malatesta is in difficulty again. | |||
| 1500 | |||||
| Feb. | Veneto | He is threatened by Cesare Borgia. He goes to Venice (where he lodges at San Giovanni Nuovo) with a retinue of fifty people and puts himself under the protection of the Serenissima. He asks for money to settle back pay and aid. | |||
| Apr. | Romagna | He reiterates his requests to the Venetians | |||
| May Sept. | Romagna | He suspects that the castellans of his fortresses have made agreements with the pontificals: he changes the captains. He is excommunicated by Alessandro VI. He becomes ill with tertian fever and moves to Coriano: he again invokes the Venetians, but they do not move to his aid. His contract is not even renewed and the Venetian ambassador is withdrawn from Rimini. | |||
| Oct. | Rimini | Church | Romagna and Emilia | Finding himself alone, without the support of the people of Rimini, he is forced to yield. He hands over the fortress to the pontificals with arms and munitions at the appraisal price of 2,900 ducats. He flees disguised from Rimini through the Gattolo gate. Previously he sent his wife Violante Bentivoglio and all the riches he could gather to Bologna; at the moment of departure he has Antioco Tiberti killed in the castle. He takes refuge in Cervia; he realizes that in his haste he forgot a dog of which he is very fond; he writes to Rimini to get it back. He crosses the Ferrara territory with the protection of 100 mercenaries and tries to obtain a loan from the local Monte di Pietà. In Bologna. Great festivities are instead held in Rimini on the day of his flight, culminating with the celebration of a solemn mass in the cathedral by the papal legate, Bishop Olivieri. | |
| Nov. | Veneto | In Venice. He is received with his brother Carlo by Doge Agostino Barbarigo. | |||
| Dec. | Veneto | He asks to be transferred to Ravenna or the Polesine. | |||
| 1502 | Veneto | In Venice | |||
| 1503 | |||||
| Jan. | Veneto | In Venice. He lodges at the Giudecca. | |||
| Aug. | Romagna and Marche | With the death of Alessandro VI and the simultaneous illness of Borgia he tries to reoccupy Rimini with the support of Bartolomeo d’Alviano. He sacks the port of Cesenatico and continues to Rimini, where he is repelled by the inhabitants; he retreats to Pesaro. | |||
| Sept | Malatesta | Church | Romagna | He enters Rimini. He clashes with the infantry of Dionigi Naldi who have fortified themselves in the palace. He is forced to withdraw. | |
| Oct. | Marche and Romagna | He leaves the castle of Pietracuta and assails Vincenzo Cassina: this captain is returning from Rimini and is directed to Cesena loaded with booty. Malatesta gathers troops, appropriates four falconets placed in the fortress of Fano; with 4,000 men he camps near Rimini at Fra Bianchi. Repelled once again by the papal condottiere Imola da Imola, he retreats to San Marino and Coriano. He conquers Meldola and convinces Maldonato Valdonsello to give him for 1,500/4,000 ducats the fortress held on behalf of Borgia. | |||
| Nov. | Veneto and Romagna | In Venice, to thank the Serenissima for the support received. Incapable of ruling the state and hated by all he meets with his uncle Giovanni Aldovrandini and Doge Leonardo Loredan; he cedes Rimini, Sarsina and Meldola to the Venetians. As compensation he is given 10,000 ducats plus another 4,400 for the castellan of the fortress, a contract with his brother Carlo, ecclesiastical benefices for his son in the Venetian territory worth 1,000 ducats, an annual provision of 500 ducats for his wife, ownership of the salt of Rimini and the lordship of Cittadella which entails an annual income of 2,700 ducats. | |||
| Dec. | Veneto | He is aggregated to the Major Council with his brother Carlo. He takes possession of Cittadella. | |||
| 1504 | |||||
| Jan. Feb. | Veneto | He pressures for the promised contract of 100 men-at-arms and 50 crossbow cavalry to be given to him and his brother. | |||
| 1506 | |||||
| May | 400 horses | Veneto | The podestà of Padua, Andrea Gritti, attends the review of his company which takes place at Montagnana. He allows some duels between inhabitants of Mirandola and Vicenza to take place in Cittadella: the authorities intervene and the combats are cancelled. | ||
| Aug. | Veneto | In Cittadella with his company. | |||
| 1507 | |||||
| ………. | Veneto | With his brother Carlo he goes to Bassano del Grappa to watch the Canal pass. | |||
| June July | Veneto | In Venice. He asks for his provision to be increased. In July he is granted an extraordinary subsidy. | |||
| 1508 | |||||
| Jan. | Venice | Empire | 480 horses | Veneto | |
| Feb. | Veneto | At Bassano del Grappa with his company, many infantry and 100 stradiots. | |||
| Mar. | Veneto | He joins, although late, the march of Bartolomeo d’Alviano. He has the task of attacking the left flank of the German infantry; he participates in the battle of Tai di Cadore and takes part in the siege of the castle of Pieve di Cadore whose defense is held by Leonardo Chorel. With the death of his brother Carlo his contract is increased by 40 men-at-arms. | |||
| Apr. | Friuli | At Tricesimo the stables of his company catch fire; some of his mounts perish in the fire. He distinguishes himself in the attack on Gorizia. On one occasion he runs great danger when two barrels of powder catch fire while he is near the artillery: his clothes burn. He suffers some burns for which he must be treated in Udine. He arrives at Lucinico with Giampaolo Manfrone: the peasants obstruct the entry of the Venetians, the soldiers react and kill twelve/sixteen inhabitants and wound another 50/60. | |||
| July | Veneto | In Venice. In Piazza San Marco he attends the ceremony in which the standard and baton of governor general are delivered to Bartolomeo d’Alviano. In the year his total pay amounts to 7,944 ducats. | |||
| 1509 | |||||
| Feb. | Veneto | In Venice. | |||
| Mar. | Veneto | He is given 500 ducats to put his company in order; he has orders not to host the Bentivoglio relatives in Cittadella anymore as they are considered undesirable by the republic. | |||
| Apr. | Venice | France Empire | 200 lances and 50 light cavalry | Lombardy | He is summoned to Bologna by the pontificals for his friendship with the Bentivoglio. At the camp of Pontevico at the head of 200 men-at-arms and 50 crossbow cavalry: he is incorporated in the fourth column commanded by Alviano. |
| May | Lombardy | He participates in the battle of Agnadello. With the defeat he retreats to Cittadella. Also induced by Francesco Gonzaga, he submits to the emperor. | |||
| June | Empire | Venice | Veneto and Lombardy | He seizes the revenues of Cittadella. Assigned to guard Asola he connects with another defector from the Venetians, Rinieri della Sassetta. He begins to imprison some nobles of the Serenissima. | |
| July | Veneto | He raids with Ranieri della Sassetta in the territory of Cornuda; grave excesses, culminating in the killing of two children, are then committed in the countryside of Mogliano Veneto. He falls into an ambush at Barco Corner, between Cittadella and Castelfranco Veneto, where he is about to be captured by 250 stradiots commanded by Domenico Busicchio and Giovanni Snati; he then sends an emissary to the Venetians and apologizes for his actions. At the end of the month he is besieged in Cittadella by Alessandro Bigolino, by the priest Luca da Curtarolo and by Bonifacio Soncino at the head of five thousand pro-Venetian peasants. He abandons Cittadella with all his baggage. | |||
| Aug. Sept. | 100 horses | Veneto | He takes part in the siege of Padua. | ||
| Oct. | Veneto | He must abandon the siege of Padua; he also moves away from Vicenza due to Venetian pressure. He heads towards Bassano del Grappa and returns to Cittadella. Again besieged in the city, he asks for aid from the emperor stationed at Vicenza. Rigo Porro, Giovanni Gonzaga and other cavalry move to his aid for a total of 200 men-at-arms and 300 light cavalry. They reach the pass of Santa Croce Bigolina to cross the Brenta: the road is barred by pro-Venetian peasants so they are forced to return to Vicenza. La Palisse arrives to help Malatesta with French troops. Alessandro Bigolino tries to oppose them. At the news Malatesta leaves Cittadella with 300 Spanish infantry, faces the peasants and kills about 200 of them. The imperial army then leaves Vicenza for Cittadella. | |||
| Nov. | 40 horses | Veneto and Lombardy | He leaves Cittadella with 40 horses and 400 German infantry. Such militias sack the territory before fleeing to Trento. Malatesta takes refuge in Mantua; he always finds ways to distinguish himself negatively by participating in a conspiracy against the Gonzaga. | ||
| 1510 | |||||
| June | Veneto | He reaches Vicenza to recover Cittadella: he contacts Bigolino to be able to seize the city by treaty. He promises him imperial favor if he leaves a gate open for him. | |||
| Sept. | Veneto | He passes to the defense of Verona: the imperials imprison citizens at Zevio. Some women complain of his actions to the city’s bishop. Questioned, Malatesta intervenes; he threatens to have them hanged with the excuse that they collaborate with the Venetians. | |||
| Oct. | Trentino | At Trento at the imperial court. | |||
| 1511 | |||||
| Aug. | Empire | Venice Church | 50 lances | Veneto and Friuli | He returns to Cittadella with 400 horses and expels the provveditore Gregorio Pizzomano; he raids the surrounding territory, crosses the Piave and devastates Friuli. At the news of the death of Pope Julius II (which proved false) he moves to Romagna. |
| 1512 | |||||
| Apr. | Romagna | He participates in the battle of Ravenna; with Alfonso d’Este he obtains the city by treaty. The French do not respect the signed agreements; the city is horribly sacked until order is restored by la Palisse. 34 soldiers found in a monastery are hanged. Malatesta is called to Rimini by his supporters; the French do not want to hand over the city to him. Despite this, he enters it with 300 Italian cavalry and besieges the fortress after the defenders have been convinced to surrender by Matteo da Zara. | |||
| Aug. | Trentino | At Trento. Emperor Maximilian of Austria invests him with Cittadella. | |||
| Sept. | Lombardy | In Mantua. | |||
| 1513 | |||||
| Feb. | Malatesta | Church | Romagna | Pope Julius II dies. Pandolfo Malatesta contemplates reconquering Rimini. Having failed in every attempt, he returns to imperial pay. | |
| ……….. | Empire | Venice | Veneto | On guard at Verona. He contacts Alviano; he promises to open the Gate of San Giorgio, facing the Valpolicella, to the Venetians. Alviano moves with the troops; the plot is discovered by a page and the author of the treaty, a certain Faella, is captured and given precisely to Malatesta. | |
| July | Venice | Empire Spain | Veneto | Unmasked in turn, he returns to Venetian pay. He is sent with other condottieri to guard Treviso. | |
| 1515 | |||||
| Aug. | Veneto | He is still reported at Treviso. There is no lack of suspicion about his loyalty. | |||
| 1522 | |||||
| May | Malatesta | Church | Romagna | He returns to Rimini with the arms of his son Sigismondo. He hopes to obtain, through his nephew Guido Rangoni, the investiture of the city; Pope Adrian VI does not want to accede to his requests. | |
| Dec. | Empire | Rimini | Romagna | Federico Gonzaga, who leads 3,000 Spaniards, and the artillery of Alfonso d’Este, force him to ask for a safe conduct from Francesco Maria della Rovere to be able to go to Rome. | |
| 1523 | |||||
| Mar. | Emilia | He takes refuge in Ferrara. | |||
| Oct. | Malatesta | Church | Romagna | He leaves Ferrara to attempt once more the adventure of regaining Rimini. | |
| 1527 | |||||
| June | Malatesta | Church | Romagna | He can return to Rimini after the sack of Rome by the imperials. He achieves the objective thanks to the militias of his son Sigismondo and those of Roberto da San Severino. | |
| 1528 | |||||
| Jan. | France | Rimini | Romagna | Threatened by the French, he shuts himself in Rimini with 5,000 men. He obtains Venetian mediation, meets with Lautrec and capitulates: he is granted Meldola, Bertinoro and Sarsina and is promised money for his family members. | |
| Mar. | Malatesta | Rimini | Romagna | The French do not comply with the agreements. Pandolfo Malatesta returns to Rimini with his son Sigismondo. | |
| June | Rimini | Church | Romagna and Emilia | He is expelled from Rimini following some attacks carried out by Giovanni da Sassatello. His acts of cruelty push the people of Rimini once more to request the intervention of Pope Clement VII. He takes refuge in Ferrara; he lives in the city in poverty with some subsidy from Duke Alfonso d’Este. | |
| 1532 | Emilia | Duke of Ferrara Alfonso d’Este is so annoyed by his continuous requests for money that he forces him not to bother him for a year. | |||
| 1534 | |||||
| June | Lazio | He dies in Rome in poverty. The pope, in memory of his father Roberto, has noble funerals celebrated for him. He is buried in the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. Represented with his son Carlo in the Altarpiece of San Vincenzo Ferrer by Ghirlandaio (Museum of the city of Rimini). Remembered by Francesco Berni in a quatrain. |
Sources
-“Uomo crudele ed insolente.” VARCHI
-“Questo Pandolfo è homo de mala natura, dissoluto in ogni vizio; l’ha venerà so pare, e ha fatto anche morir un so fratel menor.” MALIPIERO
-“Fu odiato per le sue dissolutezze e crudeltà.. quanto il padre amato per le virtù.” BERCHET
-“E’ il signorotto immerso tutto nel vizio e nella lussuria, di animo debole, circondato da mala compagnia e da sicari; sospettoso, pauroso e perciò crudele.” NISSIM ROSSI
-“Qui étoit le plus riche prince d’Italie en argent contant.” VARILLAS
-“Fu capitano d’huomini d’arme della Signoria di Venetia et fu molto travagliato dalla fortuna et due volte scaciato di dominio.” PARTI
-“Un homme dégénéré et si détesté de ses sujets qu’on l’appelait Pandolfaccio (péjoratif qui exprimait la mauvaise réputation attachée à sa personne). Parmi les nombreuses pratiques et les nombreux abus auxquels il avait recours pour extorquer de l’argent à ses malheureux sujets, il obligeait les gens riches de Rimini à lui acheter les Etats qu’il confisquait aux “fuorusciti” – ceux qui avaient cherché dans l’exil à se mettre à l’abri de la colère provoquée par leur juste ressentiment contre son oppression.” SABATINI
-“Empio Signor che della roba altrui/ lieto ti vai godendo e del sudore,/ venir ti possa un canchero nel cuore,/ che ti porti di peso a i regni bui./ E venir possa un canchero a colui/ che di quella città ti fé signore/ e s’egli è d’altre che ti dia favore,/ possa venire un canchero anche a lui!” Rime di Francesco Berni riportate da P. ZAMA
-“Detto Pandolfaccio, per la sua maniera sbrigativa di risolvere questioni di stato e non spesso con delitti efferati.” marecchia.it
Featured image: wikipedia
