Andrea Malatesta
Andrea Malatesta , also called Malatesta Malatesta, (born November 30, 1373 - † September 24, 1416 in Cesena ), Lord of Cesena Cervia, Bertinoro and since 1388 Lord of Fossombrone , was an Italian nobleman from the Malatesta family , a well-known condottiere of his Time fighting for different masters from Pope Boniface IX. was raised to Senator of Rome, first against, then for the dukes of Milan from the House of Visconti fought, then stood in the service of King Ladislaus of Naples and was finally captain general of Perugia . He was remarkable as a builder in his residence city of Cesena - where, among other things, he had the cathedral rebuilt - and through his family connections: he was the brother of Margherita Malatesta - through her marriage ancestral mother of the Gonzaga, margraves and dukes of Mantua - the father of Parisina Malatesta - whose tragic end inspired writers like Lord Byron to write poems and composers like Gaetano Donizetti and Pietro Mascagni to operas - and through another daughter, Antonia Malatesta, father-in-law of Giovanni Maria Visconti 2nd Duke of Milan (1402–1412).
origin
Andrea came from the Italian noble family of the Malatesta , who ruled Rimini from 1295 and beyond during its heyday in large parts of Romagna .
Andrea's father was Galeotto I. Malatesta (* 1299; † 1385 in Cesena) Lord of Rimini , Fano, Ascoli Piceno , Cesena and Fossombrone , a well-known condottier , who first married in 1323 to Elisa de La Villette († 1366), a niece of the papal vicar (governor) of the Marche region , Amelio de Lautrec, and was married to Elisabetta da Varano in 1367. Andrea came from the second marriage of his father, his mother was therefore Elisabetta da Varano, a daughter of Rodolfo II da Varano, Signore (lord) of Camerino and Camilla Chiavelli. In the troubled times at that time, which was characterized by power struggles between the states of Italy and by the Western Schism (1378-1417) with two, sometimes three, rival popes, Andrea was able to rely on a strong relatives - especially on his brothers - and on his Support brother-in-law.
Andrea had two half-siblings from his father's first marriage:
- Rengarda Malatesta († 1366), who was married to Maso Tarlati, whose family played a leading role in the city of Arezzo .
- Tommasa Malatesta, who married Giacomo Pepoli in 1350, who was Lord of Bologna with his brother Giovanni from 1347 .
Andreas also had six full siblings:
- Carlo I. Malatesta (born June 5, 1368; † September 13, 1429), Lord of Rimini, Fano, Cesena and Fossombrone, who was an important condottier, papal vicar in Romagna , gonfalonier of the church but also governor of Milan and since 1386 with Elisabetta Gonzaga († July 31, 1432), a daughter of Ludovico II Gonzaga , was married. (no children)
- Pandolfo III. Malatesta, called "il Grande" (the great) (* January 2, 1370, † October 1427). Condottiere, Lord of Fano , temporarily Lord of Bergamo , Brescia and Lecco . (Progeny)
- Margherita Malatesta (* 1370, † 28 February 1399), she married in 1393 Francesco I. Gonzaga (* 1366 - 8 March 1407), Margrave of Mantua (1382-1407) (descendants: the Margraves and later dukes of Mantua )
- Galeotto Novello called "Belfiore" Malatesta (* July 5, 1377; † before August 15, 1400), Lord of Cervia , Meldola, Borgo San Sepolcro , la Pieve di Sestino and Montefiore, married in 1395 Anna da Montefeltro , a daughter of the condottiere Antonio II. Da Montefeltro, Count of Urbino († 1404), (no children)
- Rengarda Malatesta (* 1379), married in 1397 the condottier Guidantonio da Montefeltro († February 21, 1443) Duke of Urbino (1403–1444), (no children)
- Gentile Malatesta, married in 1397 Giangaleazzo Manfredi (* around 1375, † 1417), the 6th lord of Faenza in his house. (Progeny)
Life
youth
Andrea was born in 1373 either in Rimini or in the Rocca Malatestiana - the Malatesta's castle above the city of Cesena - as one of the younger sons of his parents. After his father's death in 1385, the family-owned territories were divided up. His eldest brother Carlo I. Malatesta received Rimini, his second brother Pandolfo III. Malatesta received Fano , Mondavio and Scorticata while Andrea Malatesta cities or dominions Cesena (south of Ravenna in the region Emilia-Romagna ) Roncofreddo (in the province of Forlì-Cesena ) and Fossombrone (in the province of Pesaro and Urbino ) in the Region of the Marches received. Because these possessions parts of the Papal States were Andrea Malatesta in 1391 by Pope Boniface IX. (1389–1404) and 1405 by Pope Innocent VII (1404–1406) formally conferred the papal vicariate - ie the governorship - over Cesena and its other possessions. The local archives show that he was active in Cesena from 1393.
Expansion of Cesena into the capital
When Andrea Malatesta took over control of Cesena, the question arose of where to set up his residence. For reasons of safety, the fortress, the "Rocca Malatestiana", located on the top of the Colle Garampo hill, was recommended. This was based on a previous building, which was called "dell'Imperatore", as Emperor Friedrich I "Barbarossa" had already resided there. There were also family ties there for Andrea Malatesta, because one of the ancestors of his wife Lucreza Ordelaffi was Marcia degli Ubaldini, known as Cia, the wife of Francesco II "il Grande" Ordelaffi. In 1357, on the occasion of the “crusade” against the Ordelaffi as lords of Forli and Cesena, they successfully defended the city of Cesena against the troops of Cardinal Gil Álvarez de Albornoz (* 1310; † 1367) until they finally had to surrender. She was therefore one of the heroic female figures of the Italian Middle Ages - similar to later Caterina Sforza (* 1463; † 1509), who heroically defended Forli against Cesare Borgia in 1499 - and just as in vain . To make this old fortress in Cesena, which Andreas father had restored, more comfortable, Andrea Malatesta had the flank of the Garampo hill leveled to create a large square in front of his residence.
In the long run, however, the Rocca did not meet the needs of a stately residence, which is why Andrea moved to the palace of the papal governors in the city. This palazzo was also related to family history. It was the palazzo that the aforementioned papal legate Gil Álvarez de Albornoz had built in Cesena between 1359 and 1362 and that, as the “Palatium Novum”, supplemented the old governor's palace “Palatium Vetus”. This controversial cardinal was of Spanish origin, a tried and tested general who had been Archbishop of Toledo from 1338 to 1350 and was then supported by Pope Clement VI. (1342-1352) was elevated to cardinal priest with the titular church of San Clemente . In 1353 Pope Innocent VI appointed him . (1352–1362) as papal legate and vicar general of the papal territories in Italy, with the mandate to bring the parts of the papal state ruled by local lords or tyrants back under papal control. A task that Albornoz, as an experienced general, devoted himself to with energy, toughness and great success, conquering the region of Latium , Spoleto , the Mark Ancona and Romagna and gradually forcing all local tyrants to obey the Pope. This cardinal was no stranger to the Malatesta, because years earlier he had also used military force to force the Malatesta family to submit to the Papal States.
Malatesta had the new palace built by Albornoz connected to the older governor's palace and adapted for his purposes as the residence of his domain. This residence of Andrea Malatesta is still preserved - in a rebuilt form: it is today's Palazzo Comunale - whose additional name "Palazzo Albornoz" does not, however, remind of him, but of the bellicose cardinal. The Palazzo del Ridotto, built in 1401, also goes back to Andrea Malatesta.
Andrea tried hard to develop his capital into a stately residence and therefore decided to have a new cathedral built in Cesena for the glory of his house. He had this cathedral of San Giovanni Battista , which still stands today, built in the Croce di Marmo district from 1385 by a Swiss architect, the master of Unterwalden, in the style of the German hall churches. Around 1394 he founded the monastery of San Biagio in Cesena for the order of the Benedictine nuns (today the seat of the Centro Culturale San Biagio and the Pinacoteca Comunale di Cesena).
The choice of Cesena as the center of the domain of Andrea Malatesta led to an important economic boom in the city. The needs of the growing court contributed to the fact that craftsmen of various professional groups felt compelled to move to Cesena from the near or further area in order to settle there. Even the Florentine banks discovered this growing market and opened offices in Cesena. In order to promote the economy, he had a statute drawn up for what was then the most important guild of the "Arte della Lana" - which was responsible for all activities that resulted from the processing of wool - which he approved in 1397. Around 1403, work began on building a stone bridge over the Savia River, which helped make trade with Florence much easier.
Extension of his domain
With the death of his younger brother Galeotto "Belfiore" Malatesta in 1400 Andrea inherited his dominions: Cervia , a town on the Mediterranean Sea in the province of Forlì-Cesena , famous and sought after for the high yield of its salt pans, Bertinoro (that between Forli and Cesena), Meldola (which is west of Cesena and south of Forli) and Sarsina (about 25 km southwest of Cesena). As a result, he was able to significantly expand his domain. In order to be able to defend it better, he had a fortified residence built between Cesena and Cervia in San Giorgio. At the same time he had the existing walls and fortifications of the cities and fortresses under him renewed and strengthened.
Condotters
Andrea Malatesta did not limit himself to the administration of his domains, but followed the family tradition by embarking on a military career as a condottiere . He did this in turbulent times, as several conflicts were overlapping in Italy at that time.
On the one hand, because Gian Galeazzo Visconti (* 1351; † 1402), the first Duke of Milan (1395-1402) intended to get all of Northern Italy under his control. As a first step, he had his uncle - and father-in-law - Bernabò Visconti (* 1323; † 1385) the lords of Milan, disempowered, imprisoned and poisoned in 1385. As a result, he conquered in 1387 Verona and Vicenza from the Della Scala (the family of his mother), 1388 Padua by the da Carrara and threatened then Markgrafschaft Mantua of the Gonzaga and the Republic of Florence and the Tuscany .
On the other hand, the Occidental Schism (1378-1417) divided Europe and Italy, as there were long two popes - one in Rome and one in Avignon -, but occasionally even three popes or counter-popes at the same time who tried to fight their rivals with political ones - but also military - means.
At the same time, there were foreign interventions - such as the attempt by Ruprecht von der Pfalz, the Roman-German King (1400–1410) in Rome to obtain the imperial crown and the attempt by the House of Anjou-Valois from 1400 onwards the Kingdom of Naples to her cousins from the younger house Snatch from Anjou . Kondottieri like Malatesta therefore had high season, as all parties tried to get them and as mercenaries they often fought in rapid succession for the highest bidder. Andrea gained first military experience as early as 1393 when the united troops of the Malatesta family fought against the condottiere Antonio da Montefeltro Count of Urbino (1375-1404), whom they could inflict a defeat at Forli, which had positive effects for Andrea, as he was his Dominion in the area of Cesena could expand.
Fight against the 1st Duke of Milan
In view of the Duke of Milan's obvious expansion plans, the threatened small states supported one another. Andrea Malatesta entered the service of the city of Bologna in 1397 , where he received his first command of a troop of 200 lances (that is, one armored knight and his retinue - about a "regiment"). He was supposed to help the Republic of Florence to defend itself against the threat posed by the Duke of Milan. The success of his mission, however, had a downside, as it turned the wrath of the Duke of Milan against Malatesta and he therefore commanded his general, the famous Condottiere Alberico da Barbiano (* 1349 - † 1409), Count of Cunio, the territory of Andrea ambush and devastate. Malatesta only managed to defend his domain with great difficulty.
Soon afterwards he entered the service of Francesco I. Gonzaga (* 1366; † March 8, 1407), Margrave of Mantua (1382-1407) and contributed - together with his older brother Carlo I. Malatesta - to Gonzaga defeated the army of Milan in August 1397. Gonzaga was originally not only allied with the Visconti , but also related by marriage, but it was precisely this brother-in-law that was to force him to suddenly switch sides. Following the rough habits of his time, he had his wife Agnese Visconti publicly beheaded in 1391 for an actual or alleged adultery. Naturally, this could not leave his powerful in-laws indifferent. Since the father of Agnese Visconti, Bernabò Visconti , had already died in 1385 and therefore could not avenge the affront, this was taken over by his nephew - the victim's uncle - Gian Galeazzo Visconti , the 1st Duke of Milan (1395-1402). He therefore sent his general Jacopo dal Verme (* 1350; † 1409) to conquer Mantua.
Andrea Malatesta was given the difficult task of defending Mantua against the Milanese troops. Dal Verme came from a dynasty that was characterized by numerous famous condotters, and was also at the height of his career and kept the upper hand. At first he was able to successfully prevent Andrea Malatesta from crossing the river Po and let his field captain Ugoletto Biancardo fend off his attempt to cross the river Mincio . In the following field battle, Malatesta was defeated by the troops dal Vermes, who were then able to march into Mantua. Despite this defeat, the alliance between the Gonzaga and Malatesta families was sealed in 1393 when Francesco I. Gonzaga married Margherita Malatesta (* 1370 - February 28, 1399), a sister of Andrea Malatesta, in his second marriage.
Andrea Malatesta remained engaged in the fight against the expanding Duchy of Milan and in 1398 joined the Condottiere Braccio Fortebraccio called Braccio da Montone (* 1368 in Perugia; † June 5, 1424 in L´Aquila) to conquer Mantua together meanwhile was occupied by the Condottiere Biordo dei Michelotti (* 1352 in Perugia; † March 10, 1398). Although this attempt was in vain, Mantua was soon liberated again with the support of his eldest brother Carlo I. Malatesta.
Andrea Malatesta received a special award from Pope Boniface IX. (1389–1404), who appointed him Senator of Rome in 1398 . An office that Andrea held for a year, including a campaign against the Colonna house on behalf of the Pope together with the Orsini .
In the following year he again had to fear for his own possessions, as the local party of the Ghibellines loyal to the emperor tried to drive him out of his rule. He succeeded in suppressing the conspiracy, taking the opportunity to confiscate the ringleaders' property in order to expand his own property in Cesena and Verucchio .
In the service of the 1st Duke of Milan
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His older brother Carlo I. Malatesta caused Andrea Malatesta to take a political turnaround in 1402, through which he gave up his previous policy, which was directed against the expansion of the Duchy of Milan, and became an ally of Milan. Carlo I. Malatesta had been captain general of the league against the Duke of Milan since 1397, but tried to balance the differences with Florence, which enabled him to reach an armistice between Florence and Milan in 1398 and a peace treaty in 1399. After this success, Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti offered him to change sides and join his service. Carlo I accepted, was appointed governor of Milan in 1401 and also induced his brother to enter service in Milan.
At the same time they faced an important task: to take up the fight against Ruprecht von der Pfalz (* 1352; † 1410) Roman-German King (1400–1410). After the deposition of King Wenceslaus of Luxembourg and his own coronation as Roman-German King in 1401, he set out on an Italian campaign . In Italy he wanted to collect the money necessary for a successful imperial policy, to punish the Duke of Milan for the support of his opponent Wenceslaus of Luxembourg and to gain recognition as king and finally the imperial coronation from the Pope . The fact that this ambitious plan failed was due not least to King Ruprecht's brothers Carlo I and Andrea Malatesta. King Ruprecht already had difficulties in Florence in getting the financial and military support he had hoped for; however, his plan to punish the Duchy of Milan for supporting his opponent turned into a disaster. Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti had good reason to support King Wenceslaus, because he had made him Duke of Milan in 1395 - for a lot of money. In order to forestall a siege of Milan, the Milanese army, under the command of Carlo Malatesta and Andrea Malatesta, advanced as far as Brescia, where there was battle under the city walls - and the victory of the Milanese troops. King Ruprecht therefore had to return to Germany without punishment from Milan - and without the imperial crown. Andrea Malatesta remained in the service of Milan, took part as a general in the military expedition against Bologna and distinguished himself in the battle of Casalecchio di Reno .
Another political turning point occurred with the death of Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti on September 3, 1402, as his plans to unite the whole of northern Italy under his control were invalid. The house of Malatesta remained connected to Milan, however, as two of Andrea's brothers, Carlo I and Pandolfo Malatesta, were members of the Regency Council, which advised the regent, the duchess-widow Caterina Visconti (* 1360 - October 17, 1404). She was a Visconti herself, as she was a daughter of Bernabò Visconti (* 1323; † 1385), Lord of Milan etc. and Beatrice (Regina) della Scala (* 1361; † October 17, 1404), a daughter of Mastino II della Scala , who was Lord of Verona. The death of the duke led to the formation of a league against Milan of the city-states subjugated by the Visconti, as these saw a chance to recapture their territories lost to the Visconti after the death of the belligerent and power-hungry duke and the minority of the heir. Pope Boniface IX initially joined this league. on. Carlo Malatesta, who was a member of the Regency Council of the Duchy of Milan and at the same time papal vicar and thus papal feudal man, succeeded in persuading Pope Boniface IV to leave the league through important concessions - such as the return of the cities of Bologna , Perugia and Assisi and thus to weaken them decisively.
In the service of the Pope
This diplomatic success of his brother also had an impact on Andrea, because in April 1403 Carlo I Malatesta appeared accompanied by the apostolic legate, Cardinal Baldassare Cossa (* around 1370, † December 22, 1419 in Florence), who later became the antipope John XXIII. was chosen. The aim of the intervention was, Andrea on behalf of Pope Boniface IX. (1389-1404) to participate in the reconquest of the parts of Romagna that had been withdrawn from the church by the Visconti and returned, but which were still controlled by local lords. Andrea accepted the offer and participated in the military operations from 1404 to 1406, which took place under the direction of the battle-hardened cardinal - who was said to have been a pirate in his youth. In the course of these campaigns Andrea conquered a number of forts (such as Sarsina, Tuirrito, Pozzo, Finocchio, Cerfoglio, Linaro, Ciola, Musella, Montepetra, Perticara, Ugrigno, Ranchio, Casalbono, Caminate), then pushed forward to Parma - where it was him managed to get a great booty - and crowned his efforts by finally marching victoriously into Bologna .
In 1404 Andrea Malatesta achieved the surrender of Faenza , to which Astorre I. Manfredi (* around 1345 in Faenza; † November 28, 1405 there) was forced after Bologna, allied with him, had already fallen under the control of the Papal States. Astorre Manfredi was not ready to give up the rule over Faenza, which had been exercised by his family since 1313, so in October 1405 he organized an uprising against the cardinal legate Baldassare Cossa. However, this uprising was put down by Andrea, whose forces captured Astorre Manfredi. By order of the cardinal, Astorre was beheaded on November 28, 1405 in the main square of Faenza.
Malatesta remained loyal to the Roman popes, therefore took part under Pope Innocent VII (1404-1406) in the war against the condottiere Alberico da Barbiano (* 1348; † 1409), who tried to create an independent territory and conquered a number of them of cities including Sarsina , Ranchio and 1406 Forlì .
Ally and father-in-law of the 2nd Duke of Milan
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A new development arose for Antonio through successful negotiations about the marriage of his daughter Antonia Malatesta with Giovanni Maria Visconti (* 1389; † murdered May 16, 1412), the 2nd Duke of Milan (1402-1415). The marriage was successfully arranged by his older brother Carlo Malatesta, who as governor of Milan had great influence on the young duke. This wedding took place on July 1, 1408 with great pomp in Milan Cathedral , whereby not only the numerous high-ranking guests in the city palace of Milan, now known as Castello Sforzesco , but also the people had the opportunity to extensive celebrations.
Through this marriage Andrea became the father-in-law of the second Duke of Milan, which prompted him to re-enter the service of Milan as a general. He was then appointed commander of a Milanese force in Lombardy. His military task was now to take action against those Kondottieri of the Visconti who, after the death of Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti in 1402, had raised themselves to be independent masters of the areas assigned to them merely for administration. He therefore prepared a campaign against the condottiere Facino Cane (* 1360 Casale Monferrato; † May 16, 1412 in Pavia), who had usurped large areas of the duchy such as Novara , Varese , Tortona , Biandrate , Piacenza , Pavia and the population cruelly suppressed.
Then he fought - together with the Margrave Niccolò III. d'Este , the Lords of Ferrara and Modena , his future son-in-law - against the tyrannical mercenary leader Ottobono Terzi († 1409), who had administered Piacenza , Parma and Reggio nell'Emilia on behalf of the Visconti , but de facto became more independent from 1402 Signed Lord of these Territories. Together with Muzio Attendolo Sforza (* 1369 in Cotignola; † 1424 at L'Aquila ) - the ancestor of the later dukes of Milan from the House of Sforza - Andrea Malatesta succeeded in defeating Ottobono Terzi in a field battle outside the walls of the city of Modena. The tyrant later fell into the hands of Sforza by a ruse, who had him killed. As a result, Andrea Malatesta experienced a break in his military actions and withdrew to Cesena.
Support for Pope Gregory XII.
In the meantime the existing schism between the Popes in Rome and Avignon had intensified:
After the death of Pope Innocent VII in 1406, the Malatesta family supported his successor Pope Gregory XII. (1406–1409 / 15) in the dispute with the antipope Benedict XIII. (1394–1409 / 23), who resided in Avignon. This went so far that Carlo I Malatesta, Andrew's brother, accepted the Pope in his residence in Rimini in November 1408 to give him protection. In 1409, however, both popes were deposed by a council to Pisa and Petros Philargis de Candia elected Pope, the name of Alexander V. accepted. Since neither of the two deposed popes resigned, there were three popes at the same time.
. The - Stepped - Pope Gregory XII, who was in the protection of the Malatesta family, then left Rimini and sought protection from a powerful gentlemen at Ladislaus of Anjou-Durazzo , King of Naples (1386-1414), of him in Gaeta recorded . Andrea and his brother Carlo stayed on the side of Pope Gregory XII despite the deposition. and continued to support this, whereby they came into closer relations with his new protector - King Ladislaus of Naples.
In the service of King Ladislaus of Naples
The third marriage of the now widowed Andrea Malatesta, who married Polissena Sanseverino in 1409, resulted from these political relations with the Kingdom of Naples . This came from one of the noblest families of Naples and was also a cousin of King Ladislaus (his paternal grandmother was Margherita Sanseverino from the house of the Counts of Corigliano).
Andrea returned with his wife from Naples to Cesena that autumn, where Pope Gregory XII gave him. awarded the Golden Rose in recognition of his services as a badge of honor .
The "sisterhood" to King Ladislaus of Naples, however, had the consequence that Andrea Malatesta was very quickly included in his military plans. This was because King Ladislaus dreamed of a united kingdom of Italy under his rule, which he wanted to realize with the help of the Pope, who was under his control, and therefore pursued an expansive policy of conquest. This, however, had the consequence that a threatening alliance was formed against the king: The republics of Siena and Florence allied with Cardinal Baldassare Cossa and with the antipope Alexander V (1409–1410). This excommunicated King Ladislaus in the same year and at the same time called Duke Ludwig II of Anjou (* 1377, † 1417), who had already been awarded the title of King of Naples (formally: of Sicily) and Jerusalem by the antipope Clement VII in 1389 - to Italy to drive King Ladislaus out of Naples. Ludwig II of Anjou then marched with his troops to Italy in July 1409, pushed through the Papal States to Rome and occupied the Vatican and the Trastevere district there. This resulted in a command function for Andrea Malatesta in the army of King Ladislaus, who succeeded in conquering Rome on January 2, 1410, King Ludwig and the antipope John XXIII supported by him. to expel from Rome and Pope Gregory XII. to sit back on the papal chair.
In the same year (counter) Pope Alexander V died, whereupon Baldassare Cossa - the papal legate, on whose behalf Andrea Malatesta had conquered Bologna years earlier - as John XXIII. was elected to his successor. The new (counter) Pope John XXIII. followed the policy of his predecessor directed against King Ladislaus and was supported by Florence, among others, which hoped to gain access to the Adriatic. Andrea Malatesta then received the order from King Ladislaus to prevent this plan, whereby he succeeded in cooperation with Giorgio Ordelaffi, who was related to him by marriage, to conquer Forlimpopoli in 1410 and Forli in 1411, where Ordelaffi became vicar of the rightful Pope Gregory XII. exclaimed.
Ludwig II of Anjou hoped, with the support of (counter) Pope John XXIII., To be able to take possession of the Kingdom of Naples and again sent an army to Italy, where his troops under the command of Mucio Sforza succeeded to defeat the army of King Ladislaus - where Andrea Malatesta served as one of the generals - on May 19, 1411 in a field battle near Roccasecca and to defeat John XXIII. to be installed as Pope in Rome. However, his plan to conquer Naples failed because he could not break through the Neapolitan line of defense at San Germano. So he returned to France disappointed.
Andrea Malatesta, who was still in the service of King Ladislaus, began another series of campaigns in support of Pope Gregory XII in 1413. He was initially given the task of fighting Rome against the attacks of the troops of the antipope John XXIII. To defend. After this was successfully completed, Malatesta undertook a counter-offensive with which he tried to conquer Bologna, where John XXIII was headed. had withdrawn. However, this attempt was in vain, since John XXIII. the defense - and the government - of the city of Bologna in 1413 had transferred to the famous Condottiere Braccio da Montone (* 1368, † 1424), who was able to repel the attack. King Ladislaus then marched to Rome in May 1413, had his troops plundered there and advanced on Florence, which, however, was able to buy itself free from a siege by recognizing its conquests.
In the same year, however, there was a political turning point. King Ladislaus began to look at the future prospects of Pope Gregory XII, whom he supported. to doubt. He therefore took up confidential contacts with the antipope John XXIII. that led to a mutual peace agreement. King Ladislaus recognized John XXIII. as the rightful Pope and was officially enfeoffed with the Kingdom of Naples against payment of 75,000 florines and appointed Gonfaloniere of the Church. At the same time, King Ladislaus left the powerless Pope Gregory XII, who was in his dependency. who was expelled from Gaeta and - again - found protection and acceptance with the Malatesta family in Rimini.
For Andrea Malatesta, this resulted in a conflict of conscience, whether the King of Naples, who was related to him by marriage, should follow in his turn or the previously supported Pope Gregory XII. should keep faithful. Andrea decided despite the turn of King Ladislaus, Pope Grego XII. to remain loyal, which naturally led to a cooling of relations with King Ladislaus. Andrea Malatesta's next military action was therefore directed against the antipope John XXIII, who had appointed Lodovico Migliorati, the Marquis of Fermo , rector of the Papal States. Andrea Malatesta therefore undertook several campaigns against this until 1415 to give him in the name of Pope Gregory XII. To wrest lordships and fortresses, with particular success in the Fermo area. He continued this campaign even after the death of King Ladislaus in 1414. Not only to weaken the opposing side, but also to gain possession of new territories. However, these military undertakings required considerable resources, which Malatesta had to raise from the increasingly reluctant population of his domain.
However, the other side did not remain idle, so that there was a direct threat to the rule of Andrea Malatesta in 1415, since the in the service of John XXIII. standing condottiere Braccio da Montone attacked the possessions of Malatesta in the summer of 1415, advanced with his troops as far as Cesena, and destroyed houses and crops in the area. This forced Malatesta to conclude an armistice with Lodovico Migliorati in order to be able to defend his own property with his troops. At the same time he asked the Republic of Florence for help, which, however, was not ready to intervene. He then turned to Perugia, who was also threatened by Braccio da Montone. There they were more open-minded and sent help. Soon after he defended his possessions, Pope Gregory XII awarded him. the vicariate for ten years over the manors and castles which he had brought under the control of the rightful Pope in the Ravenna district. Perugia then chose Malatesta as captain general and gave him the task of defending the city against Braccio da Montone. However, Malatesta was seriously ill in the meantime and could no longer effectively exercise the command assigned to him, which is why his brother Carlo I. Malatesta with the title: "Difenditore dei Perugini per la Santa Chiesa" (For example: Defender of the Perugins in the name of the Holy Church) took over. Andrea Malatesta died a little later on September 20, 1416 in his palazzo in Cesena.
Marriages and offspring
Andrea Malatesta was married three times.
In his first marriage Andrea married Rengarda Alidosi († September 1401), a daughter of Bertrando Alidosi († before 1391), the fourth lord of Imola of his house and Elisa Tarlati.
In his second marriage he married Lucreza Ordelaffi (* 1389; † 1404) in 1403. She was a daughter of Francesco (Cecco) III. Ordelaffi († 1405), Lord of Forlì (in the province of Forlì-Cesena ) and Caterina Gonzaga († 1438), a daughter of Guido II Gonzaga (* 1340, † 1399), Lord of Novellara (in the province of Reggio Emilia ) and the Ginevra Malatesta (a daughter of Malatesta III. Malatesta). Andrea and his second wife Lucretia were therefore related to each other.
In her third marriage, Andrea married on November 7, 1408 Polissena Sanseverino († after 1430), a daughter of Venzeslao Sanseverino Duca (Duke) di Amalfi (1398-1405), from 1391 1st Duca di Venosa 3rd Conte (Count) di Tricarico e di Chiaromonte (all three in the Basilicata region in southern Italy) (* around 1355; † 1403/05) and the Margherita di Sangineto (* around 1360; † 1430) Contessa (Countess) di Altomonte (in the Calabria region ).
Andrea Malatesta only had children from the first and second marriage:
From 1st marriage:
- Galeotto Malatesta (* 1395 - † December 2, 1414)
- Elisabetta Malatesta († January 3, 1434 in Rimini) ⚭ October 27, 1414 Obizzo da Polenta († January 25, 1431), Lord of Ravenna , a son of Guido da Polenta († 1389/90) and Lisa Ne († 1402) (no children from this marriage)
- Antonia Malatesta ⚭ on July 1, 1408 Giovanni Maria Visconti (* 1388; † murdered May 16, 1412 in Milan, buried in the Church of San Gottardo), 2nd Duke of Milan (1402–1412) (no children from this marriage)
From 2nd marriage:
-
Parisina Malatesta (also called Laura) (* 1404; † executed May 21, 1425 in Ferrara) ⚭ 1418 Margrave Niccolò III. d'Este (born November 9, 1383; † murdered December 26, 1441 in Milan) Lord of Ferrara , Modena and Reggio nell'Emilia However, she committed adultery with her stepson Ugo d'Este and was beheaded with him on the orders of her husband. Her tragic fate was the subject of poems (including by Lord Byron) and operas by Gaetano Donizetti (* 1797, † 1848) and Pietro Mascagni (* 1863, † 1945).
- Lucia d'Este (March 24, 1419; † June 28, 1437) ⚭ Carlo Gonzaga (* 1417; † December 21, 1456 in Ferrara), a son of Gianfrancesco I. Gonzaga (* 1395; † 1444) and Paola Malatesta († 1449). (no children from this marriage)
- Ginevra d'Este (March 24, 1419 - June 28, 1437) ⚭ 1436 Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (June 19, 1417 - October 9, 1468) Lord of Rimini. (no children from this marriage)
- Alberto Carlo d'Este (* and † 1421)
Despite the four children, Andrea Malatesta did not leave any permanent offspring.
literature
- Pier Giovanni Fabbri: MALATESTA (de Malatestis), Andrea, detto Malatesta. In: Mario Caravale (ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 68: Malatacca-Mangelli. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 2007.
- Pompeo Conte Litta: Famiglie celebre Italiane. Malatesta, Tavola X.
- Trevor Dean: Malatesta. In: Volker Reinhardt (ed.): The great families of Italy (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 485). Kröner, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-520-48501-X , p. 324 f.
- Aldo Francesco Massera: Note Malatestiane. Galileiana, Florence 1911.
- Raimond Zazzerio: Storia di Cesena. Tipografia Vignuzzi, Cesena 1891.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Pier Giovanni Fabbri: in Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Volume 68 (2007) [1]
- ↑ See the wiki article “Crociata contro i Forlivesi” in Italian
- ↑ See Wiki article in Italian: "Duomo di Cesena"
- ↑ See Wiki article in Italian: "Andrea Malatesta"
- ↑ See wiki article on Faenza
- ↑ Family table of the Visconti
- ↑ Pier Giovanni Fabbri "MALATESTA (de Malatestis), Andrea, ditto Malatesta" in: Dictionnaire Biografico degli Italiani. Volume 68 (2007) ( Online )
- ↑ [2]
- ^ Pompeo Conte Litta, Malatesta, Tav. X
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Malatesta, Andrea |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Condottiere, Lord of Cesena |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 30, 1373 |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 24, 1416 |
| Place of death | Cesena |