Building and breaking alliances to maintain regional control
Rodolfo da Varano (Rodolfo da Camerino). Lord of Camerino, Fabriano, Tolentino, Cingoli, Sarnano, San Ginesio, Amandola, Macerata, Corridonia (formerly Pausola and Montolmo), Civitanova Marche, Belforte del Chienti, Potenza Picena, Castelraimondo, Numana, Castelfidardo, and Penna San Giovanni. Son of Berardo da Varano, brother of Gentile da Varano and Giovanni da Varano, son-in-law of Pandolfo Malatesta, and father-in-law of Galeotto Malatesta.
Born: 1320 ca
Death: 1384, November
| Year/Month | State / Comp. Ventura | Opponent | Conduct | Activity Area | Actions Taken and Other Notable Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1337 | Siena | Pisa | Captain of War | Tuscany | Upon discovering a conspiracy in Massa Marittima in favor of the Pisans, he travels to the city to restore order. The main conspirators are captured; some are beheaded, others imprisoned, and others fined. |
| 1342 | Florence | Tuscany | Holds the position of Captain of the People in Florence. | ||
| 1343 | Camerino | Church | Marche | Investigated along with his brothers Gentile and Giovanni da Varano by the rector of the Marca, Giovanni di Riparia, for invading the lands of Tolentino and San Ginesio and settling in Matelica the nephews of Burgaruccio Ottoni. | |
| 1345 | Church | Ottoman Empire | Turkey | Reports the conquest of Smyrna at the head of 100 Camerino soldiers. | |
| 1351 | |||||
| … | Milan | Church | Marche | Allies with the lord of Milan, Archbishop Giovanni Visconti, against the papal forces. | |
| Sept. | Naples | Hungary | Campania | Appointed Captain of Aversa when the troops of King Louis of Hungary leave Campania. | |
| Oct. | 100 Cavalry | Abruzzi | Returns to the Kingdom of Naples with 100 cavalry; fights the Hungarians at his own expense. Appointed Viceroy of Abruzzi by Queen Giovanna d’Angiò. Expels the garrisons placed by Corrado Lupo in Abruzzi. With the defeat of Galeotto Malatesta and the approach of winter months, returns to the Marche. | ||
| 1352 | Florence | Milan | Tuscany | Supports the Florentines against the Visconti and their Ghibelline allies. | |
| 1353 | |||||
| Mar. | In the chapters of the Peace of Sarzana, declared allied with the Visconti. | ||||
| … | Church | Vico | Lazio | At the salaries of Cardinal Legate Egidio Albornoz against Prefect Giovanni di Vico. | |
| … | Marche | Hosts Fernando Blasco in Camerino. Sends his brother Giovanni da Varano to meet them, two miles from the city. Allows the papal captain with all his troops to enter. Acquires the assets of his cousin Rodolfo di Pioraco, including mills, lands, houses, and tanneries. Appointed by Cardinal Albornoz as General Captain of the Papal Army, replacing Gentile da Mogliano. | |||
| 1354 | |||||
| … | Marche | Appointed Podestà of Penna San Giovanni. | |||
| Dec. | Umbria | At Orvieto, takes an oath of loyalty to Cardinal Albornoz. Offers his armies to fight the Malatesta. | |||
| 1355 | |||||
| … | Church | Forlì Rimini | Romagna and Marche | Defeated by the troops of Francesco Ordelaffi. Locks himself in Recanati with many horses and repels an attack by 1,500 forces led by Malatesta Malatesta and Gentile da Mogliano. | |
| Mar. | Marche | In Tolentino with Ungaro degli Atti, lord of Sassoferrato. On this occasion, Niccolò da Buscareto declares himself a vassal of the Church state. | |||
| Apr. | General Captain | Marche and Romagna | Appointed General Captain of the Papal Army. Faces Galeotto Malatesta, who with 600 forces captured a castle near Recanati and is besieging another. Launches a successful counterattack, and Galeotto Malatesta is captured. Moves to Romagna with 500 cavalry, joining Ramberto Malatesta. Together they occupy several castles and force Malatesta Malatesta Guastafamiglia to surrender. | ||
| July | Marche | As Gonfaloniere of the Church state, enjoys a monthly commission of 500 florins. | |||
| Sept. | Marche | Becomes the first lord of the Marca to obtain the legitimization of a personal government in the form of feudal investiture for twelve years. | |||
| Nov. | Marche | In Fermo, takes an oath of loyalty to the Church state by Smeduccio Salimbeni. Invested in Ancona by Cardinal Albornoz, with the authorization of Pope Innocent VI, of Camerino and San Ginesio for 12 years, renewable for another 4. | |||
| 1356 | |||||
| … | Church | Faenza Forlì | Romagna | Contrasts Manfredi and Ordelaffi in Romagna. Targets Faenza and sacks its territory. | |
| July | Marche | Retreats to the Marche; purchases the castle of Isnardo from the Brunforte family. | |||
| … | Church | Ascoli Piceno | Marche | Purchases the castles of Gusmano and Algiato near Senigallia. | |
| 1357 | |||||
| May | Marche | Reaches Fano, where Cardinal Legate Androino de la Roche is located. | |||
| 1359 | |||||
| Feb. | Camerino | Comp. Ventura | Marche | The company of Hanneken Von Baumgarten (Anichino Di Baumgarten) and Count Lando roams his territories. They seize the castle of Serra San Quirico. To rid himself of the company, he pays its members 4,000 florins and takes his son Berardo hostage. | |
| … | Church | Milan | Defeats Niccolò da Buscareto. |
| 1360 | |||||
| Oct. Nov. | Marche | Suspicious due to his power, accused of treason; imprisoned after a banquet organized in his honor by the lord of Fermo Giovanni Visconti da Oleggio, under the mandate of Albornoz. His fall is also influenced by brothers Galeotto and Malatesta Malatesta Guastafamiglia, who harbor deep hatred towards him. Rodolfo da Varano informs his relatives not to pay any bounty for his release as he is innocent, nor to hand over any lands subject to family control. He is released in November; returns to Camerino without paying homage to Cardinal Albornoz. | |||
| 1362 | |||||
| July | Florence | Pisa | General Captain | Tuscany | |
| Aug. | Tuscany | After the expiration of agreements, Rodolfo da Varano leads a siege in Peccioli, takes Montecchio, and continues with operations throughout Tuscany. | |||
| Sept. | Tuscany | Recaptures territories near Pisa. Leading 600 cavalry, he conducts raids in the territory of Volterra. | |||
| Oct. | Tuscany | Participates in a planned operation with Piero Gambacorta to penetrate Pisa, but retreats after facing organized resistance. Continues raiding nearby territories. | |||
| 1363 | |||||
| Jan. | Tuscany | Intervenes to rescue Santa Maria a Monte, attacked by Rinieri da Baschi. Forces the Pisans to retreat. | |||
| Mar. | Tuscany | Accused of negligence and greed, replaced in command by Piero Farnese. Leaves the field dissatisfied with the treatment received. | |||
| Nov. | Perugia | Outsiders | Umbria | Recovers Monte Fonteggiano (Fontignano). All noble party outsiders captured are beheaded. | |
| 1364 | |||||
| Jan. | Blasco Fernandez di Belviso, Trincia Trinci, and Branchino Brancaleoni offer themselves as guarantors of Niccolò da Montefeltro’s good faith during negotiations concluding peace. | ||||
| 1367 | |||||
| Oct. | Lazio | Meets Pope Urban V in Viterbo and accompanies him to Rome with 400 cavalry. | |||
| Dec. | Camerino | San Ginesio | Marche | Confirmed in the vicariate of San Ginesio and Tolentino. Crushes a rebellion in San Ginesio led by Angelo Gualtieri. | |
| 1368 | |||||
| Jan. | Church | Milan | 60 Lances | Emilia | Supports Bologna‘s papal legate, Cardinal Anglico Grimoard. |
| Apr. | Emilia | Joins troops with Gomez Albornoz and Galeotto Malatesta to face the Visconti. | |||
| May | Lombardy | Assaults the Bastia di Borgoforte and defeats defenders Pagano di Panico and Guido Savina da Fogliano. | |||
| July | Marche | Returns to Fano and participates in a hunting party with Galeotto Malatesta. | |||
| 1369 | |||||
| Feb. | Included in the peace agreement between the Church state and the Visconti. | ||||
| Dec. | Florence | Milan | General Captain | Tuscany | Called back to Florence to counter the actions of Giovanni Acuto. Arrives in Florence in the last days of the year. |
| 1370 | |||||
| … | Lombardy | Faces the troops of the lord of Milan, Bernabò Visconti. | |||
| June | Florence, Pisa, Lucca | Comp. Ventura | General Captain | Tuscany, Liguria, Lazio | Called back with Galeotto Malatesta Ungaro (4,000 cavalry and 1,000 infantry, including many crossbowmen) to respond to the incursions of Acuto and Giovanni di Raten. Leaves Calcinaia, crosses the Arno, and positions himself in front of the Porta della Pace of Pisa; moves to Val di Serchio; shadows the opponents to Pietrasanta and Sarzana, always maintaining a distance of 2 miles from them. The Visconti, despite his challenge to battle, do not accept the fight. At the end of operations, leaves Tuscany to focus on Montefiascone. |
| July | Tuscany | Resigns his position in Florence; granted citizenship and reserved those honors previously missed. Succeeded in command of the Florentine forces by Francesco Orsini. | |||
| … | Sent by the pontiff to the Great Company to convince its members to spare the territory of Camerino from their raids. The provincial curia orders the comune of Camerino to pay Rodolfo da Varano 2,498 florins for expenses incurred in this and similar missions. | ||||
| Dec. | France | Pisa | Avignon | In Avignon with Pandolfo Malatesta for the funerals of Pope Urban V. Follows the conclave that leads to the pontificate of Gregory XI. | |
| 1371 | |||||
| Aug. | Florence | Milan | General Captain | Tuscany | Contrasts once again the Visconti. With the victory, is replaced in command by Francesco Orsini. |
| 1375 | Church | Florence | In the War of the Eight Saints, initially sides with the papals. | ||
| 1376 | |||||
| Feb. | Florence | Church | Marche | Joins the Florentine league against the Church state. The pope punishes him for this choice by stripping him and his brother Venanzio da Varano of the vicariates of Tolentino and San Ginesio, instead granting them to the brothers Gentile and Giovanni. | |
| Apr. – June | General Captain | Marche | With his brother Venanzio, expels from Camerino the brothers Giovanni and Gentile, proponents of the papal cause. Through treaty, obtains Penna San Giovanni and Macerata. | ||
| July | Tuscany and Emilia | Mid-month, travels to Florence where he receives the insignia of General Captain of the antipapal league. A personal enemy, Bartolomeo Smeducci, also on the Florentines’ payroll, leaves the city upon seeing him. After two days, Rodolfo da Varano is sent with 800 lances and many crossbowmen to defend Bologna, which has rebelled against the papal legate, Cardinal Guglielmo di Noellet. Tasked with countering the Breton gangs of Cardinal Roberto di Ginevra and Giovanni di Maléstroit. Secures the roads from Tuscany leading to Bologna to keep supply routes open towards the city; the city garrison is reinforced by 500 lances sent by the Visconti under the orders of Lucio Lando. The situation in the city is fluid due to disputes among the various major figures, some suspected of acting to restore the Pepoli to the lordship of Bologna. Prevents the inhabitants from any sorties after the disastrous outcome of a clash with the Bretons a few days earlier near Casalecchio. | |||
| Aug. | Emilia | Contacted for a meeting by Giovanni Acuto: Rodolfo da Varano sends his treasurer who is arrested by Roberto di Ginevra. Upon learning that the official has his seal, orders everyone not to obey any messages bearing his signature; also sends assistance to Scarperia where a treaty is underway. | |||
| Sept. | Emilia | Some influential citizens of Bologna such as Francesco Guastavillani, Girolamo di Andrea, Maso dei Sabatini, Bornio da Sala, Leonardo Beccatelli contact Cardinal Roberto di Ginevra to have him open a gate in the wall between San Donato and San Vitale during a Breton assault. The external villages are burned. The attackers are repelled, leaving several hundred dead on the ground. The conspirators are captured and beheaded in the square; their heads are thrown from the towers by order of Rodolfo da Varano. Cardinal Roberto di Ginevra tries in every way to incite the commander to come out of Bologna for a field battle. Does not accept the fight proposed by the enemies, preferring to stay confined within the city walls. Reconfirmed by the Florentines for another six months. | |||
| Oct. | Marche | Leaves Bologna to monitor the movements of the papals in the Marche. Obstructs them near Ascoli Piceno. | |||
| Nov. | Marche | In the countryside of Fabriano. Clashes with 1,000 Breton cavalry entering the territory. | |||
| 1377 | |||||
| Jan. – Apr. | Florence, Church | Church, Florence | General Captain | Abruzzi and Marche | Sent by the Florentines to Ascoli Piceno to prevent the Neapolitan army, sent by Queen Giovanna d’Angiò, from moving to support the papals. Rodolfo da Varano leads the enemy troops, including his close friend, the former governor of Ascoli Piceno Gomez Albornoz, and Count Antonio Acquaviva. His troops repeatedly drive away the opponents. Soon, Rodolfo da Varano comes into conflict with the Florentines, both for the possession of Fabriano (now under his control) and for not obeying the orders of Giovanni Acuto, who has meanwhile joined the republic and should have also contributed to the payment of his salaries as lord of Camerino. Changes allegiance. Pope Gregory XI welcomes him with special honors; entrusts him with the command of the Breton company with which he intends to harass the Florentine allies in the Marca d’Ancona. Reinvested again with Tolentino and Sant’Elpidio. In Florence, the Eight of War have his portrait painted hanging by the feet as a traitor on the doors and in the city squares, accompanied by obscene mottos. In response, Rodolfo da Varano has a portrait of the Eight painted on a facade of his Camerino palace and above it, his figure unloading with a large motto: “Rodolfo son’io di Camerino / Degno signor di terra / Che caca addosso agli Otto della Guerra”. |
| June | Marche | Occupies Sant’Elpidio a Mare; gathers the Bretons found in Osimo, Recanati, Montefano, and other Marche localities; marches towards Fermo. Defeats Rinaldo da Monteverde and defeats them on the Tenna plains. Among the opponents, 300 prisoners are taken, who must all pay a ransom to be released. The dead in combat are only 8. Among the prisoners is the German commander Perio de Laveride. | |||
| Aug. | Marche | Is defeated by Piero del Bianco and Astorre Manfredi in a twelve-hour clash. Breaks into Matelica with 1,500 Breton cavalry; expels Rinaldo da Monteverde and Francesco di Matelica. Moves between Ascoli Piceno and Fermo. Transfers to Tolentino and sends Antonio da Recanati with 25 men-at-arms and Bante da Visso (another 50) to Macerata. They enter the city introducing many provisions. Alberghetto Chiavelli takes advantage of Varano’s absence to break into Fabriano. Upon hearing, Rodolfo da Varano leads 600 Breton lances and more than 3,000 infantry and reaches Fabriano; positions himself in front of the Porta Cervara, at San Pietro. Lucio Lando comes to support Chiavelli and challenges Varano to battle. | |||
| Sept. | Marche | Is defeated once at Matelica by Francesco di Matelica. Has 3,000 fighters, while the league has more than double. The situation balances with the arrival of 600 Breton lances sent by Raimondo di Turenna. Decides to attempt a field battle, sends the gauntlet to the enemy. This is accepted. The following day, is defeated by Lucio Lando and other captains of the league (Corrado Lando, Francesco di Matelica, Bartolomeo Smeducci) on the Rancia plains: in the battle, 1,000 cavalry are captured, and his banner is seized; the dead on both sides are 900. Barely escapes to Tolentino. The opponents seize Montegiorgio and heavily devastate his territories. Following these defeats, he must evacuate many lands. | |||
| Oct. | Marche | Is again defeated by Bartolomeo Smeducci. In Florence, citizenship is revoked, and he is depicted on the facade of the Palazzo degli Otto della Guerra and on city gates hung by the feet as a traitor. In response, Varano has the Eight of War depicted on his Camerino states with a sign reading “Io sono Rodolfo da Camerino, leale signore di terra, / Che caco in gola agli Otto della Guerra.” | |||
| Nov. | Marche | Rinaldo da Monteverde takes over Amandola. | |||
| 1378 | |||||
| Summer | Camerino | Monteverde, Perugia | Marche | Allies for one year with the communes of Fermo, Ancona, and Recanati; commits to maintaining 50 lances for collective needs to counter Monteverde. Also during this period, opposes the Perugians. | |
| 1379 | |||||
| Dec. | Umbria | Signs an alliance treaty in Perugia lasting 25 years. | |||
| 1380 | |||||
| Feb. | Marche | Secures by treaty in Fermo the fortress of Girifalco handed over by the wife of Rinaldo da Monteverde, Luchina dal Verme, and his sons, Mercenario and Luchino. | |||
| … | Chiavelli | Fabriano | Marche | Supports Gualtiero Chiavelli in his vain attempt to seize the lordship of Fabriano at the expense of Guido Chiavelli. | |
| 1381 | |||||
| Feb. | Marche | Aligns with Bartolomeo Smeducci against his nephew Pietro who is roving the countryside around San Severino Marche. | |||
| … | Angiò | Naples | Marche | With Antonio da Montefeltro and Guido da Polenta, supports in his march towards the Kingdom of Naples Luigi d’Angiò and the partisans of the antipope Clement VII (Ex-Cardinal Roberto di Ginevra) against Charles of Durazzo and Pope Urban VI. | |
| … | Marche | Aligns with the inhabitants of Nocera Umbra. Helps them recover the castle of Laverino, taken from them by Meluccio da Rocchetta. | |||
| Autumn | Umbria | The Perugians seek his support as the territory is infested with the incessant passage of mercenary companies. | |||
| 1382 | |||||
| Spring | Florence | Comp. Ventura | Tuscany | Moves to assist the Florentines. All sanctions previously taken against him are annulled by them. | |
| June | Marche | Recognizes a bounty of 500 florins on the companies of Villanuccio da Villafranca and Count Alberico da Barbiano to have them abandon the Piceno. | |||
| Aug. – Oct. | Marche and Umbria | Facilitates Luigi d’Angiò‘s passage and provisions through the Marca d’Ancona against the Durazzeschi: the French hand over 12,000 florins in September, and he grants them passage. In the same days, the Perugian ambassador Alberto Guidalotti arrives in Camerino requesting his support against the outsiders. He immediately travels to the city with a good number of cavalry and stays until all dangers cease. In October, is given a house in the city in the San Pietro district. | |||
| 1383 | |||||
| May | Marche | Takes over the castle of Cingoli. | |||
| 1384 | |||||
| Jan. | Marche | Signs an alliance with several Marche cities. | |||
| Apr. – May | Marche | Ancona and Osimo reconcile. Rodolfo da Varano is not included in these agreements. | |||
| Nov. | Marche | Dies in Tolentino in his houses with a large garden, located in the San Giovanni district. A portrait made by an artist from the Ferrarese school depicts him at the capture of Smyrna. It is housed in Camerino in the former convent and church of San Domenico (Civic Pinacoteca and Archaeological Museum). Renovates the castle of the Rancia in Tolentino. Remembered in some novellas by Franco Sacchetti. Marries Paola Bianca Malatesta, daughter of the lord of Fano, Pandolfo di Pandolfo, and Camilla Chiavelli. His children marry the daughters of Bartolomeo Smeducci and Onofrio da San Severino. | |||
| 1385 |
Sources
-“Personaggio di gran valore.” MURATORI
-“Uomo di sagace ingegno.” L. ARETINO
-“Era valoroso e esperto soldato.” PELLINI
-“Glorioso per imprese militari..Riputato uno de’ migliori condottieri ed uno de’ personaggi più importanti del suo secolo.” LITTA
-“Prode condottiero d’armati nel secolo XIV..Morì in fama di uno de’ migliori condottieri e dei più insigni personaggi del suo secolo.” BOSI
-“Vir sagaci ingenio et bellorum sciens.” SANT’ANTONINO
-“Princeps vir militari peritia insignis.” CHIARAMONTI
-“Fo homo assae bono e de corpo bello assae, e de persona grande, savio assae e in bona paxe resse le sue terre: in senetude pervenudo morì, a çue Dio faççia paxe.” G. DI M. PEDRINO
-“Uno de’ più prodi e potenti capitani di quella stagione.” CAMERA
-“Uno de’ più rinomati signori di quel tempo..Celeberrimo personaggio de’ suoi tempi.” COLUCCI
-“Valoroso Capitano.” MUZZI
-“Annoverato fra i capitani più abili e valenti del suo tempo, validamente affiancato nell’attività di governo dai fratelli Giovanni, detto “Spacaferro” e Gentile.” TOZZI
-“Che fu insigne capitano d’armi.” CARAMELLI
-“Valente capitano.” FILIPPINI
-Contro i pisani sulle porte del capoluogo “Quivi appariro a difesa del fosso,/ Vietando ‘l passo, barbute, e pedoni,/ E ‘l Capitan fe lor, priemere addosso/ Con molte lance, frecce, e verrettoni;/ Così passaro per lo stormo grosso,/ E de’ nimici, tra morti, e prigioni,/ Più di cento quaranta ne camparno. E molti n’affogar passando l’Arno./ (Al suo rientro a Firenze)/ Che moltissima gente per vaghezza/ Gli andaro incontro con molta allegrezza./ All’entrar della porta i Fiorentini/ Gli puoser sopra capo un pallio d’oro,/ Il qual portavan cari cittadini,/ Ch’ntorno a lui a pié facien dimoro,/ E due destrieri, i più begli, e più fini,/ Coverti di scarlatto, adorno, e begli,/ E sìegli ebbe altro, mé di mé l sepp’egli.” PUCCI
-“Gli si attribuisce la partecipazione alla crociata, il trasporto a Camerino dell’immagine di Santa Maria in via e tanta arguzia e sagacia politica da essere celebrate nelle novelle del Sacchetti.” BASSETTI
-“Vir sagax ingenio ac bellorum sciens.” BRUNI
-“A partire dalla fine del Trecento Rodolfo divenne un personaggio letterario: il tipo del signore alla buona, amante delle battute e dei bei conversari. Franco Sacchetti, che lo conobbe, lo mise in scena nel “Trecentonovelle”; diversi episodi furono ripresi da Poggio Bracciolini nelle “Confubalationes”..e poi, nel Cinquecento, da Lodovico Domenichi nei suoi “Detti et fatt di diversi signori et persone private”. Anche gli umanisti mantennero viva la memoria di Rodolfo: il Platina lo annovera tra i tiranni che occuparono i territori papali, e ricorda l’aiuto dato ai bolognesi per ordine di Firenze (“Vitae Pontificum Romanorum”).” DELZANT
-“Lascia ottomila fiorini per l’edificazione di un ospedale per i pellegrini, e tutto il resto del suo patrimonio lo divide e parte ne assegna a suo fratello Gentile.” CIUCCIOVINO
Featured image: Regione Marche
