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| Malatesta the one-eyed reigned in Rimini from 1312 - 1317 and died Ferrantino, his son became Signore of Rimini in 1326 after the death of his uncle Pandolfo abdicted 1333, lived till 1353 Malestino killed Rambert in 1330 had a short reignment in Rimini was captured in 1335 by his uncles Malatesta + Galeotto together with his son Guido both died in prison |
Giovanni the lame reigned in Pesaro killed his wife and his brother Rambert, his son is a rebel in 1326 murdered by his nephew Malatestino in 1330 Tino, his brother, has a son Giovanni |
Paolo the nice his descendants became Conte of Ghiazzolo murdered by brother Giovanni in 1284 His son, a Count of Ghiazzolo was murdered by Pandolfo, his uncle |
Pandolfo followed his brother reigned in Rimini 1317 - 1326 killed his nephew Malatesta + Galeotto Pandolfos sons were captured in 1433 but released captured and killed their nephew Maletestino in 1435 became together Signore in Rimini, also in Pesaro were sucessful condottieri Malatesta died 1364 Galeotto died 1384 Malatesta had two sons Pandolfo + Malatesta his descendants got Pesaro Pandolfo had six children his descendants got Rimini |
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MALATESTA (Pandolfo I), Lord of Rimini and of Cesena, was the fourth son of Malatesta de Verrucchio, and reigned from 1317 to 1326. The Guelfs of Rimini, desiring a leader capable of commanding them, preferred Pandolfo to his nephew Ferrantino and awared him the rulership. Pandolfo, in order to affirm his domination and the reputation of his house, wanted to be made a knight with all his cousins, who were then of a great number, and all full of bravery and daring. The plenary court which he held on this occasion, in the month of May, 1324, was one of the most brilliant ever seen in Italy. The Order of Knighthood was conferred not only on all the Malatesti, but also on a large number of princes and gentlemen who had gathered at Rimini for this feast. The House Malatesti and all the inhabitants of Romagna were no less celebrated in Italy for their perfidy than for their valour and magnificence. Pandolfo challenged the Count of Ghiazzolo, his nephew; he accused him of being involved in some conspiracy to seize Rimini. He invited him however to the Chateau of Roncofreddo for a feast was to be dedicated to their reconciliation; three bastards of the Malatesti house were hidden in the Chateau: when the Count of Ghiazzolo presented himself in the feast hall, they threw him down and killed him; they quickly put his body in a sack, and carried it to the field of Brandi, so that everyone could know to what vengeance he would be exposed if he attacked the Malatesti. Pandolfo I died in the month of April 1326. - His nephew, FERRANTINO Malatesta, was recognized as Lord by the people of Rimini. But each of the members of his family, no less ambitious than he, believed himself to have no less a right to reign. Rambert Malatesti, one of the sons of Giovanni the Lame, announced, in the month of July 1326, that he was going to throw a grand banquet for his entire family. All of his relatives came, except for Malatesta Malatesti, who, mistrusting all those of his blood, remained at Pesaro, of which he had usurped the rulership. Rambert, in the middle of the repast, got up from the table and went into another room where his guards were assembled: he brought them into the middle of the celebration, and put a stop to everything. Pollentesa, wife of Malatestino II, son of Ferrantino, tried in vain to move the people of Rimini to save her husband and father-in-law, who had been locked in the Chateau of Sant-Arcangelo; a drawn sword in hand, she coursed the streets, calling the citizens to arms and vengeance; but, as there was no doubt that Rambert had already made of everyone his prisoners, no one wanted to take up arms in favour of the victims. Malatesta of Pesaro, son of Pandolfo, the previous Lord, in his turn rushed to Rimini, less to deliver his relatives than to win their inheritance. Rambert did not find the force to fight with him; he was obliged to flee. Thus the inhabitants of Sant-Arcangelo released all their prisoners, and Ferrantino came into the Lordship with his son Malatestino. Rambert, refuged in his chateaux of Ciola and Castiglione, looked for any way to reconcile with his family; he had already employed the mediation of many mutual friends; he had sent presents to the Lord of Rimini; this one having received them, he sent more; at last, Rambert asked permission to meet with Ferrantino or his son on the hunt, and this was accorded him. He came in fact, in 1330, to wait for the latter in his chateau at Ponzano, and as Malatestino came into the room, Rambert, throwing himself on his knees, begged pardon for his past offense. While he was thus in supplication, Malatestino drew his hunting sword and he was stretched out dead at his feet. Yet Bertrand de Poiet, papal legat in Italy, had resolved to bring all the towns occupied by the petty princes under the direct domination of the Holy See. He summoned the Malatesti to render to him Rimini, Cesena, Pesaro and their numerous chateaux. Ferrantino and Malatestino II indeed gave over the towns to the legat; but they retired back into their mountain fortresses. At differing times for a little while, Ferrantino lived in the Frioul, at Porto-Buffoledo, at Biaquin de Carnino, his son-in-law, while Malatestino II was charged with defending the strong chateaux which had been given to him. All of the other gentlemen of this family submitted to the legat and even served in his armies. When he was defeated at Cousandoli by the Marquis d'Este, February 6 1333, Malatesta and Galeotto Malatesti were found among the prisoners to which the Marquis d'Este granted liberty, under condition that they would excite a revolution in Romagna. Indeed, these two Lords, after having recovered many chateaux occupied by the troops of the Church and after being reconciled with Ferrantino and Malatestino, surprised Rimini the 22nd September 1333 and scattered the garrison that the legat had left there. Malatesta and Galeotto, the one and the other sons of Pandolfo I, incited the defiance of Ferrantino and of his son; these were they who had made the revolution, and they would also win its fruits. The two lords of Rimini resolved at last to assassinate their relatives; but they were prevented: Malatesta and Galeotto took up arms with their partisans in the month of May 1335. They surprised Ferrantino with his son and his grandson; the two last died a little later in the prisons of Fossombrone, where they had been led. Ferrantino, who found a way to escape, continued the war for five more years, with the help of Ghibelines, the Count of Montefeltro and the Republic of Perusa; at last, having no more hope of defending his chateaux or to recover his principality, he went to the Holy Land in 1340 to fight the infidels. Nearly all those who had followed him were killed in a defeat before Smyrna. He returned following this to Rimini, where his relatives left him finish in peace his long career. He died at the age of 95 years, 12 November 1353. MALATESTI (Malatesta II and Galeotto), sons of Pandolfo I Malatesta, reigned cojointly at Rimini from 1335. These two brothers were proclaimed together by the people, after the expulsion of Ferrantino: they governed Rimini in concert, and they added to their small State Fossombrone, Fano and many other towns. The two had acquired a great enough military reputation, and were charged with diverse missions commanding Florentine troops. However they always accomplished badly the commissions given to them by Florence. Malatesta had not the slightest success in 1342 to lead into Lucques, beseiged by the Pisans, the help which he had been charged to bring. Galeotto was sent in 1363 with more blame still, after falling under suspicion of treason. But the two brothers had more success in their own wars than those they made in foreign service. They took Ancone in 1348. They constrained Gentile de Mogliano, Lord of Fermo, to surrender to them a part of his State; they were made afterwards masters of Ascoli. Already the greater part of Romagna depended on them, and, after the Visconti they could be considered as the most powerful rulers of Italy. At this time, Cardinal Albornos was sent to Rome by Innocent VI, with the commission to recover all the ecclesiastical estates occupied by the princes, which the Pope called tyrants. Albornos had been told to sow division among these sovereigns; the Malatesti, because of their fidelity to the Guelf party, flattered themselves by being better housed than the rest; they differed too long to reunite in a league formed for the common defense, and they lost courage from the time that Galeotto had been made prisoner by the Cardinal, in a combat fought near Recanati in 1355. They therefore hastened to conclude their peace with the Church in abandonning their confederates: they gave over nearly all their conquests; but, by the concession of Albornos, they retained the sovereignty of Rimini, Pesaro, Fano and Fossombrone, with their territories. Malatesta II, called Malatesti, died August 27, 1364, leaving two sons, Pandolfo II and Malatesta Unghero. This last had taken this name because in 1347 he had been armed knight by King Louis of Hungary, when this one had marched to the conquest of Naples. Pandolfo II, who commanded the Florentine armies in 1359, acquired enough glory by his beautiful defense against the Count of Lando and the company of German adventurers; but he tarnished his reputation in 1363. He forced the Florentines he commanded to battle, for the purpose of clearing a way to tyranny. He died in 1373. Malatesta Unghero, his brother, distinguished himself in the service of the Emperor Charles VI, whom he defended valiantly at Sienna. He died July 17, 1372. Galeotto survived his two nephews; by compromising he stayed out of the war that the Florentines started with the Church in 1375. He profited from it to augment his estates, to which he added the towns of Cesena and Cervia; he conquered the last in 1305 (sic), leaving two sons, Pandolfo III and Carlo, who succeeded him cojointly. |
Translated by Ross G. Caldwell |