Francesco II Ordelaffi (c. 1300–1374), also known as Cecco II, was a lord of

Forlì Forlì ( , ; rgn, Furlè ; la, Forum Livii) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and city in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. It is the central city of Romagna. The city is situated along the Via E ...

, the son of Sinibaldo Ordelaffi (died 1337, brother of Scarpetta and

Francesco Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...

) and Orestina Calboli, and the grandson of Teobaldo I Ordelaffi. Initially he ruled the city with his uncle Francesco, but in 1332 the two were ousted by a Papal Army, remaining in control of

Forlimpopoli Forlimpopoli (; rgn, Frampùl) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Forlì-Cesena, north-eastern Italy. It is located on the Via Emilia between Cesena and Forlì. History The name of Forlimpopoli derives from the Roman ''Forum Popilii'', ...

only. The following year, however, he became the

Ghibelline The Guelphs and Ghibellines (, , ; it, guelfi e ghibellini ) were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, rival ...

leader in

Romagna Romagna ( rgn, Rumâgna) is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna, North Italy. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to t ...

, receiving the seigniories of

Cesena Cesena (; rgn, Cisêna) is a city and ''comune'' in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, served by Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine Mountains, about from the Adriatic Sea. The total population is 97,137. History Cesena was o ...

and

Bertinoro Bertinoro () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna (Italy). It is located on hill Mount Cesubeo, in Romagna, a few kilometers from the Via Emilia. History There are remains of a settlement dating from the Iron ...

and establishing a firm rule on Forlì. In 1337 Francesco imprisoned the Archbishop of Ravenna and was excommunicated by the Pope

Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII ( la, Benedictus XII, french: Benoît XII; 1285 – 25 April 1342), born Jacques Fournier, was head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1334 to his death in April 1342. He was the third Avignon pope. Benedict was a careful p ...

: however, the struggle ended with the Ordelaffi victorious, since the Pope named him vicar of Forlì, Cesena and Folimpopoli, in exchange of an annual payment. The excommunication was later renewed when he sided for Emperor

Louis IV of Bavaria Louis IV (german: Ludwig; 1 April 1282 – 11 October 1347), called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was King of the Romans from 1314, King of Italy from 1327, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1328. Louis' election as king of Germany in ...

in order to avoid the tribute, being named imperial vicar. Around 1347 he hosted

Giovanni Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio (, , ; 16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375) was an Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanist. Born in the town of Certaldo, he became so well known as a writer that he was somet ...

in Forlì. In 1350 Francesco conquered Bertinoro,

Meldola Meldola ( rgn, Mèdla) is a town and ''comune'' near Forlì, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. History The area of Meldola was inhabited since very ancient times. The Romans built here a large aqueduct (still existing under the ground) which served the mi ...

Fontanafredda Fontanafredda ( Standard Friulian: ; Western Friulian: ; vec, Fontanafreda) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of about 12,000 inhabitants in Province of Pordenone, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, north-eastern Italy. The town hall is located in th ...

and Ghiaggiolo, but had to face the opposition of the strong Papal general

Gil de Albornoz Gil or GIL may refer to: Places * Gil Island (disambiguation), one of several islands by that name * Gil, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province, Iran * Hil, Azerbaijan, also spelled ''Gil, a village in Azerbaijan * Hiloba, also spelled ''Gil, ...

, supported by the

Malatesta Malatesta may refer to: People Given name * Malatesta (I) da Verucchio (1212–1312), founder of the powerful Italian Malatesta family and a famous condottiero * Malatesta IV Baglioni (1491–1531), Italian condottiero and lord of Perugia, Bettona, ...

Rimini Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...

, as well as another excommunication. Despite the strong resistance of his wife Cia degli Ubaldini and his son Ludovico, Cesena fell on June 21, soon followed by Bertinoro. Francesco and Forlì fell on July 4, 1359, and he was to content of the title of vicar of Forlimpopoli and Castrocaro thenceforth. Later he fought for

Bernabò Visconti Bernabò or Barnabò Visconti (1323 – 19 December 1385) was an Italian soldier and statesman who was Lord of Milan. Along with his brothers Matteo and Galeazzo II, he inherited the lordship of Milan from his uncle Giovanni. Later in 1355, he an ...

against the Papal armies, and tried unsuccessfully to reconquer Forlì. He died in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

in 1374. His son Sinibaldo was later lord of Forlì.

References

External links

Page at www.condottieridiventura.it

{{DEFAULTSORT:Francesco 02 Ordelaffi Ordelaffi, Francesco 2 Ordelaffi, Francesco 2 Francesco 2 Ordelaffi, Francesco 2 Ordelaffi, Francesco 2 Lords of Forlì