Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (19 June 1417 – 7 October 1468) was an Italian
condottiero
''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europe ...
and nobleman, a member of the
House of Malatesta and lord of
Rimini and
Fano
Fano is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. It is a beach resort southeast of Pesaro, located where the ''Via Flaminia'' reaches the Adriatic Sea. It is the third city in the region by popula ...
from 1432. He was widely considered by his contemporaries as one of the most daring military leaders in Italy and commanded the
Venetian
Venetian often means from or related to:
* Venice, a city in Italy
* Veneto, a region of Italy
* Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area
Venetian and the like may also refer to:
* Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
forces in the 1465 campaign against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. He was also a
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
and patron of the arts.
Biography
Sigismondo Pandolfo was born in
Brescia
Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo. ...
, northern
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, the elder of the two illegitimate sons of
Pandolfo III Malatesta
Pandolfo III Malatesta (c. 1369 – October 3, 1427) was an Italian condottiero and lord of Fano, a member of the famous House of Malatesta.
Biography
He was the second son of Galeotto I Malatesta. After the latter's death, the Malatesta lan ...
and Antonia da Barignani. His younger brother Domenico, known as
Malatesta Novello, was born in Brescia on 5 August 1418. An elder (and also illegitimate) half-brother,
Galeotto Roberto Malatesta
Galeotto Roberto Malatesta (1411–1432) was an Italian condottiero.
He was the son of Pandolfo III Malatesta and succeeded him in the lordship of Rimini in contrast with the local bishop; after the people rose against the latter, he obtained by ...
, born in 1411, was the issue of the relationship of their father Pandolfo III with Allegra de' Mori.
Following the family's tradition, Sigismondo after the death of his father debuted as man-at-arms at the age of 13 against his relative
Carlo II Malatesta
Carlo II Malatesta ( – 14 November 1438) was an Italian politician and condottiero. He was lord of Pesaro, Gradara, Senigallia, Fossombrone and Civitanova Marche. He was the son of Malatesta IV Malatesta and Elisabetta da Varano.
Life
In 1409 h ...
, lord of
Pesaro
Pesaro () is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Marche, capital of the Province of Pesaro e Urbino, on the Adriatic Sea. According to the 2011 census, its population was 95,011, making it the second most populous city in the Marche, ...
and
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V ( la, Martinus V; it, Martino V; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Otto (or Oddone) Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. Hi ...
's ally, who aimed to annex Rimini, Cesena and Fano to his territories. After his victory, Sigismondo obtained, together with his brothers Galeotto Roberto and Domenico, the title of Papal vicar for those cities. In 1431, though having inferior forces, he repelled another invasion by the Malatestas of Pesaro. When, soon afterwards, his elder brother abdicated, he became lord of Rimini, at the age of 15.
In 1432 he accepted the command of a papal corps, defeating the Spanish condottiero Sante Cirillo and thwarting
Antonio I Ordelaffi's attempt to capture
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 ...
(1435–36). However, the following year Sigismondo occupied the papal city of
Cervia
Cervia ( rgn, Zirvia) is a seaside resort town in the province of Ravenna, located in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.
Cervia is a major seaside resort in Emilia-Romagna, North Italy. Its population was 28,700 at the 2018 census.
...
and was excommunicated; he was soon pardoned and created commander of the papal army. Later he fought 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 ...
and the
Marche
Marche ( , ) is one of the twenty regions of Italy. In English, the region is sometimes referred to as The Marches ( ). The region is located in the central area of the country, bordered by Emilia-Romagna and the republic of San Marino to the ...
alongside
Francesco Sforza. In the meantime, in 1434 he married his niece
Ginevra d'Este
Ginevra d'Este (24 March 1419 - 12 October 1440) was an Italian noblewoman. She and her twin sister Lucia (died 1437) were daughters of Niccolò III d'Este and his second wife Parisina Malatesta - they also had a younger brother, who died aged a f ...
,
Niccolò III's legitimate daughter by his second wife
Parisina Malatesta
Laura Malatesta (140421 May 1425), better known as Parisina Malatesta, was an Italian marchioness. She was the daughter of Andrea Malatesta, lord of Cesena, and his second wife, Lucrezia Ordelaffi. She had an affair with her illegitimate stepson, ...
, first cousin of Sigismondo; they had one son, Galeotto Roberto Novello, who died as an infant, in 1438. On 12 October 1440 Ginevra died, and rumours spread that she had been poisoned by Sigismondo. Two years later he married
Polissena Sforza
Polissena Sforza (1428 – June 1, 1449) was an Italian noblewoman and wife of the Lord of Rimini. She was the daughter of the condottiero Francesco Sforza, the future Duke of Milan, and Giovanna d'Acquapendente, his mistress, with whom he h ...
,
Francesco I's illegitimate daughter; they had two children: a son, Galeotto, born in 1442 and who only lived a few months, and a daughter, Giovanna, born in 1444 and later
Duchess of Camerino by marriage. In this period he fought several times against the other condottiero
Niccolò Piccinino
Niccolò Piccinino (1386 – 15 October 1444) was an Italian condottiero.
Biography
He was born in Perugia, the son of a butcher. Piccinino was introduced in the guild of Perugia's butchers. He was later scornfully called "son of a butcher" by ...
: first, in 1437, as a
Venetian commander, he was defeated at
Calcinara sull'Oglio
The Calcinara is a river in southeastern Sicily in Italy. It flows into the Anapo near the archaeological site of Pantalica
The Necropolis of Pantalica is a collection of cemeteries with rock-cut chamber tombs in southeast Sicily, Italy. Dating ...
. Later, while defending his lands from the papal invasion army led by Piccinino,
Federico III da Montefeltro
Federico da Montefeltro, also known as Federico III da Montefeltro KG (7 June 1422 – 10 September 1482), was one of the most successful mercenary captains (''condottieri'') of the Italian Renaissance, and lord of Urbino from 1444 (as Duke fr ...
and
Malatesta Novello, he crushed them at Monteluro, managing to obtain some territories of Pesaro, although the latter was successfully defeated by Federico's forces.
In his restlessness he betrayed Sforza twice, but he also betrayed his momentary ally against him, Niccolò Piccinino. Enmity against Sforza turned into true hatred when his father-in-law bought the signory of Pesaro from Carlo Malatesta. Therefore, Sigismondo allied with
Pope Eugene IV and the Sforza
duke of Milan
The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia by the Congress of Vienna.
Before elevation to duchy
Until 1259, Milan was a free commune that elect ...
. Later, he was hired by King
Alfonso V of Naples, but soon afterwards received money for a ''
condotta
''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europ ...
'' to be spent in the service of
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
against Alfonso. In 1445 he forced the Neapolitans to raise the siege of
Piombino
Piombino is an Italian town and ''comune'' of about 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno (Tuscany). It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the northern side of Maremma.
Ove ...
in
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze'').
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
.
In 1449 his second wife Polissena died under mysterious circumstances. Francesco Sforza claimed that Sigismondo had her drowned by one of his servants, but this has remained unconfirmed. During his two marriages, he had numerous mistresses, but only two were well known:
Vannetta dei Toschi, who bore him a son,
Roberto
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, in 1441, and
Isotta degli Atti
Isotta degli Atti (late 1432 or 1433 – 9 July 1474)
was an Italian Renaissance woman and regent. She was the mistress and later wife of the condottiero and lord of Rimini, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. She governed Rimini as regent during the ex ...
, who bore him four children: Giovanni (who died in infancy), Margherita (later wife of Carlo di Fortebraccio),
Sallustio and Antonia (later the first wife of
Rodolfo Gonzaga
Rodolfo Gonzaga (18 April 1452, in Mantua – 6 July 1495, in Fornovo) was an Italian condottiero. He was the son of Ludovico III Gonzaga and Barbara of Brandenburg. He had married Caterina Pico and he was the founder of the Castel Goffredo, Ca ...
, Lord of
Castiglione delle Stiviere
Castiglione delle Stiviere ( Upper Mantovano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Mantua, in Lombardy, Italy, northwest of Mantua by road.
History
The town's castle was home to a cadet branch of the House of Gonzaga, headed by the M ...
, who beheaded her in 1483 when she was discovered in adultery).
After 1449 Malatesta served variously under Venice, Florence,
Siena
Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...
, Naples and Sforza himself. The
Peace of Lodi
Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...
(1454), from which he was excluded, pushed the major Italian powers against him. His territories were repeatedly invaded by Aragonese, Venetian and Papal troops. In 1456 Sigismondo married Isotta degli Atti, his long-time mistress, and legitimized their three surviving children; the only son, Sallustio, was declared his heir. On 25 December 1460, a famous trial ''in absentia'' was held in Rome against Sigismondo. Pope
Pius II, who considered him guilty of treachery towards
Siena
Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...
arising from his long-running feud with
Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of
Urbino, excommunicated him, declaring him a heretic and attributing to Sigismondo a series of sins (
incest
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
,
sodomy
Sodomy () or buggery (British English) is generally anal or oral sex between people, or sexual activity between a person and a non-human animal ( bestiality), but it may also mean any non- procreative sexual activity. Originally, the term ''sodo ...
against his son
Roberto
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
and others) which smeared his reputation for centuries. In a unique ceremony, he was ''canonized into Hell'' with the curse, "No mortal heretofore has descended into Hell with the ceremony of canonization. Sigi shall be the first deemed worthy of such honor."
Malatesta's image was publicly burnt in Rome, and a ''de facto'' crusade was then launched against him, in a league including the pope, the king of Naples, the Duke of Milan and Federico da Montefeltro. He defeated the first contingent of Papal troops, led by
Napoleone Orsini
Napoleone Orsini (c. 1420 – September 1480) was an Italian condottiero.
The son of Orso Orsini of Bracciano, he fought for Pope Eugene IV against Francesco Sforza in 1443. Later, in the 1450s, he flanked Ferdinand of Aragon in the struggl ...
, on 2 July 1461 at
Castelleone di Suasa
Castelleone di Suasa is a town and ''comune'' within the Province of Ancona, in the Marche region of Italy.
It is well known for the archaeological park of Suasa, an ancient Roman town.
Rising on a hill near the river Cesano, Castelleone di ...
. In 1462 he was able to take
Senigallia
Senigallia (or Sinigaglia in Old Italian, Romagnol: ''S’nigaja'') is a ''comune'' and port town on Italy's Adriatic coast. It is situated in the province of Ancona in the Marche region and lies approximately 30 kilometers north-west of the pro ...
, but was forced to flee to Fano after the arrival of Federico da Montefeltro. The latter followed and severely crushed him on 12 August 1462 near Senigallia at the mouth of the Cesano. The war ended in 1463, due to the intervention of Venice,
with the loss of all Sigismondo's territories apart from Rimini and a territory of some 8 kilometers around it: both, however, were assigned to return to the Papal States after his death. He then sought greater fortune as a general for Venice in its
war against the
Ottomans
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
, as a field commander in the
Peloponnesus
The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge which ...
(1464–1466). The Venetians granted him a contingent of 150 men to defend Rimini and his other lands during his absence.
In an attempt to reverse this situation, Sigismondo appears to have intended to murder Pius' successor,
Pope Paul II
Pope Paul II ( la, Paulus II; it, Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States
from 30 August 1464 to his death in July 1471. When his maternal uncle Eugene IV ...
(who had asked him to exchange Rimini for
Spoleto
Spoleto (, also , , ; la, Spoletum) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.
History
Spolet ...
and
Camerino), in 1468, but he lost his nerve and returned to Rimini. He died in his residence of
Castel Sismondo
Castel Sismondo is a castle in Rimini, Romagna, northern Italy.
History
The present castle was built by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, beginning on March 20, 1437, but only the central nucleus of this structure remains. According ...
a few months later.
He was succeeded by his legitimated son and heir Sallustio, under the regency of his mother Isotta; but one year later (1469) his illegitimate son Roberto, also a skilled condottiero, managed briefly to maintain control over Rimini.
Reputation, patron of art
Sigismondo's valour and skill as general were widely recognized by his contemporaries. According to the
Catholic Encyclopedia
The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...
:
From his childhood he was a skilful and daring soldier, and throughout his life was regarded as almost the first captain in Italy.
He was not a religious man, and his
Tempio Malatestiano, also known as San Francesco, built in Rimini, by
Leon Battista Alberti and decorated by artists including
Piero della Francesca
Piero della Francesca (, also , ; – 12 October 1492), originally named Piero di Benedetto, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. To contemporaries he was also known as a mathematician and geometer. Nowadays Piero della Francesca i ...
and
Agostino di Duccio, was essentially a lay monument to
Isotta degli Atti
Isotta degli Atti (late 1432 or 1433 – 9 July 1474)
was an Italian Renaissance woman and regent. She was the mistress and later wife of the condottiero and lord of Rimini, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. She governed Rimini as regent during the ex ...
, his lover and third wife. It was a landmark
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
building, being the first church to use the Roman
triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...
as part of its structure. Sigismondo also built a notable series of fortifications in his Romagna possessions, including the ''Rocche'' ("Castles") of Rimini and Fano.
Malatesta's reputation was largely based on
Pius II's perception of him, although numerous contemporary chronicles described him as a tyrant and a womanizer: he delved in "rape, adultery, and incest". Italian Renaissance historian
Francesco Guicciardini
Francesco Guicciardini (; 6 March 1483 – 22 May 1540) was an Italian historian and statesman. A friend and critic of Niccolò Machiavelli, he is considered one of the major political writers of the Italian Renaissance. In his masterpiece, ''The ...
defined him "enemy of every peace and well-living". His deeds and political manoeuvers were characterized by all the typical play of violence, intrigues and subtleties typical of Renaissance Italy; however, Sigismondo was well aware of his sins, and tried to justify them in a series of love sonnets dedicated to Isotta.
Legacy
In 1906,
Edward Hutton published the historical novel ''Sigismondo Malatesta'', mostly sympathetic to its hero. It was slightly revised and reprinted under the title ''The Mastiff of Rimini'' in 1926. The title of this book may be partly responsible for the notion that Sigismondo was known as "the Wolf of Rimini" by contemporaries or indeed subsequently at any point before the 21st century, when this sobriquet has gained some ground. In fact there is no evidence for its use in his lifetime and it cannot be found in any mainstream historical or biographical text on Sigismondo predating the Internet. Though it appears in chapter four (page 112) of art historian Kenneth Clark's 1969 book "Civilisation," released to accompany the 13part BBC series of the same name. ("...in the neighbouring state was Sigismondo Malatesta, the wolf of Rimini, who did things that even the most advanced theatrical producer would hesitate to put on the stage." Clark, 1969, p. 112)
Hutton's novel and
Charles Emile Yriarte
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...
's ''Un condottiere au XV Siècle'' (1882) were among the main sources of American poet
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an expatriate American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a Fascism, fascist collaborator in Italy during World War II. His works ...
's Malatesta Cantos (
The Cantos
''The Cantos'' by Ezra Pound is a long, incomplete poem in 120 sections, each of which is a ''canto''. Most of it was written between 1915 and 1962, although much of the early work was abandoned and the early cantos, as finally published, date ...
8–11), first published in 1923. These are an admiring albeit fragmentary account of Malatesta's career as warrior, lover and patron.
Largely influenced by Pound, as well as by
C. G. Jung
Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, phi ...
, the critic
Adrian Stokes devoted a study, ''The Stones of Rimini'' (1934), to the art created at Sigismondo's court.
Early in his writing career,
E. M. Forster attempted a historical novel about Malatesta and
Gemistus Pletho , but was not satisfied with the result and never published it - though he kept the manuscript and later showed it to
Naomi Mitchison
Naomi Mary Margaret Mitchison, Baroness Mitchison (; 1 November 1897 – 11 January 1999) was a Scottish novelist and poet. Often called a doyenne of Scottish literature, she wrote over 90 books of historical and science fiction, travel writin ...
.
Henry de Montherlant's play ''
Malatesta'' (1946) is about the end of Malatesta's life and his intrigues with Paul II.
[Norrish 1988, pp. 53–54]
See also
*
Francesco Sforza
*
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
*
Castel Sismondo
Castel Sismondo is a castle in Rimini, Romagna, northern Italy.
History
The present castle was built by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, beginning on March 20, 1437, but only the central nucleus of this structure remains. According ...
*
Portrait of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta
The ''Portrait of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta'' is a painting attributed to the Italian Renaissance master Piero della Francesca (c. 1451). It portrays the condottiero and lord of Rimini and Fano Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, and is housed i ...
Notes
References
* D'Elia, Anthony, ''Pagan Virtue in a Christian World: Sigismondo Malatesta and the Italian Renaissance'', Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016.
*
*
External links
Comune di Rimini (translated)*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malatesta, Sigismondo Pandolfo
1417 births
1468 deaths
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing
Sigismondo Pandolfo
15th-century condottieri
People excommunicated by the Catholic Church
People of the Ottoman–Venetian Wars
Lords of Fano
Lords of Rimini
Italian patrons of the arts