Malerba’s Fate Against the Turks
MALERBA (Reinhold von Giver) – Swiss or German.
Death: 1345, January
| Year, month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Conduct | Activity Area | Actions taken and other salient facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1338 | Florence | Verona | Veneto | Malerba (Reinhold von Giver) served the Florentines against the forces of Mastino della Scala. | |
| 1339 | |||||
| Jan. | Comp. ventura | Veneto, Lombardy | With funding from the Lord of Verona, Malerba (Reinhold von Giver), along with other condottieri, established the Compagnia di San Giorgio. Together with Lodrisio Visconti, Lutz Von Landau (Conte Lando), and Duke Werner von Urslingen, they assembled a force of 2,500 cavalry, 800 infantry, and 200 crossbowmen, predominantly Swiss. They marched from Vicenza towards the Duchy of Milan, governed by Azzone Visconti. Crossing the Adige River, they advanced into the regions of Brescia and Bergamo. | ||
| Feb. | Lombardy | Malerba (Reinhold von Giver) reached Monza, pursued Lodrisio Visconti to Castelseprio, and fortified himself in Legnano. He plundered Parabiago, where the Visconti forces under Giovannello Visconti and Giovanni Fieschi were caught by surprise while sleeping by the mercenaries. Those who fell into his men’s hands were massacred and mutilated. The next morning, Azzone Visconti dispatched him with 700 cavalry near Milan to guard the banks of the Olona River, effectively cutting off any potential retreat for the opposing forces towards the city. When confronted by Azzone Visconti, the encounter was avoided by the Lord of Milan through the gift of ten flasks of ducats, presented to the condottiero as if they were Malvasia wine. | |||
| Mar. | Milan | In the service of the Lord of Milan, Azzone Visconti. | |||
| 1340 | |||||
| July | Valperga | Savoy – Acaia | Piedmont | The Podestà of Cuorgné, Giovanni Azario, contacted Malerba (Reinhold von Giver). The condottiero then moved to the Canavese region to serve the Lords of Valperga. He was engaged for six months with 300 helmeted troops (barbute) and was tasked with plundering the lands of the Prince of Savoy-Achaea. He crossed the Dora Baltea River and ravaged the territories of the Lords of Vische, setting fire to crops and cutting down vineyards. He sacked Rivarolo Canavese. | |
| Aug. – Sept. | Piedmont, Val d’Aosta | He retreats beyond the Orco River and attacks Montalenghe, the castle of the Counts of San Martino. All the enemies of these feudal lords, including the inhabitants of the nearby village of San Giorgio, join the attackers, strengthening the Ghibellines with an additional 800 men, including crossbowmen and foot soldiers. The castellan is forced to surrender on terms after waiting in vain for reinforcements for three days. Malerba also secures the surrender of Orio Canavese under similar terms, threatens Caluso, captures Rivarolo Canavese, and enters the lands of the monastery of San Benigno Canavese, which are also plundered. The Great Company (this is the name of the company under the condottiero’s command) then expands between the Orco and the Mallone, seizes Favria, setting it on fire; plunders Front, and forces the inhabitants of Barbania to pay a ransom. Blocked by the Marquis of Monferrato when he intends to penetrate into Savoy, he veers towards the valleys of Locana and Pont Canavese; he continues his raids in the countryside of Castellamonte, Agliè, Loranzé, and San Martino, burning, uprooting trees, and destroying houses and mills. The entire area between Cuorgné and Chivasso is in flames. | |||
| 1341 | |||||
| Mar. | Piedmont | At the end of the six-month contract, the company is disbanded. A hundred of these men, having not found another engagement, feel free to seek loot and prey on their own. Eventually, they are hired by the Counts of San Martino, who employ them against their former comrades in the devastations of Canavese. Malerba returns to Milan. | |||
| 1342 | |||||
| ………… | Comp. ventura | Bologna | Romagna | He then became part of the Great Company led by Werner von Urslingen. | |
| Oct. – Nov. | Comp. ventura | Florence | Romagna, Tuscany | Thank you for the correction. Here’s the revised translation: Malerba (Reinhold von Giver) threatens to invade Bologna. Encouraged by the troops led by Giberto da Fogliano, he moves with Werner von Urslingen (Guarnieri di Urslingen) towards Romagna, specifically the area of Cesena. He is left with 200 cavalry by Werner von Urslingen to garrison Cesena. Repelled by the fortifications of his opponents along the Lamone River, he moves towards Tuscany. He clashes with the bands of the Ubaldini, who force him to take refuge with Ettore di Panigo in Laterina, in the county of Arezzo. He is captured by the Duke of Athens, Walter VI of Brienne (Gualtieri di Brienne), Lord of Florence, while disguised as a friar, attempting to reach Werner von Urslingen in Romagna with Galeotto di Panigo and the Bolognese Berto Bacilieri. He is released within a few days on the promise not to wage war against the Florentines for a year, nor to rejoin the Great Company. He breaks every commitment and reconnects in Romagna with Werner von Urslingen. | |
| 1344 | Church | Ottoman Empire | Turkey | Due to a vow he made during the Battle of Canegrate years earlier, Malerba (Reinhold von Giver) participated in the crusade against the Ottomans, leading a contingent of 25 cavalry that he personally financed for a year. He fought the Turks near Smyrna (Izmir) alongside the Venetians under Piero Zeno and the Genoese under Martino Zaccaria. | |
| 1345 | |||||
| Jan. | Turkey | Smyrna (Izmir) was captured, provoking a fierce reaction from their adversaries. MALERBA (Reinhold von Giver) was caught off guard in the Church of St. John, near the city walls, along with the patriarch of the Knights Hospitaller, Fra Manuele Camosini, and 40 other knights while attending Mass. He was killed and beheaded. According to other accounts, he was captured by the Turks and either torn apart by dogs or skinned alive. |
Sources
-“Corpore praestans et fortis ac bellicae artis peritus.” CORTUSII
-“Viribus et animo praestans.” MERULA
-“Loro capo e connuttore era uno famoso Todesco- Malerva avea nome-, prode de perzona, saputo de guerra. Cavalieri a speroni de aoro ce erano assai. Erance lo conte Olando e lo conte Guarnieri, li quali di puoi fuoro capora de compagnia.” ANONIMO ROMANO
Featured image: wikimedia
