How the miniature “Crossbowman from Romagna” came about
Commemorative soldier of the victory gained at Cortona (AR) on the 16th September 2001 by the Compagnia Balestrieri San Michele di Mondaino (Crossbowmen Group) at the Primo Campionato di Tiro alla Balestra Manesca L.I.T.A.B. (First Championship in Crossbow Shooting), both in the individual competitions as well as the team competitions.
Master of Arms – Fabrizio Ciotti
The ambitious project led by Guido da Montefeltro and subsequently Maghinardo Pagani to transform, probably, Romagna into a territorial seignory in complete opposition to the ecclesiastical authorities, centred in Forli and the neighbouring cities, ended in 1302 with the death of the latter.
In the following years, Forli was the centre-stage for a harsh battle for seizure of power between the main local families: the Orgogliosi, the Calboli and the Ordelaffi. The latter were to prevail. Of an old Ghibelline tradition, perhaps originating in Trevigiano, they held in fact the seignory of Forli for several times between the XIVth and the end of the XVth centuries.
The initiator was Scarpetta Ordelaffi, remembered by Dante (inf. XXVII, 45) who showed all his charisma and personal fascination for the leadership of the Ghibelline alliance. His cousin Cecco I, with the title of captain for life, obtained legitimacy for the hegemony that the family already for some time practised in the citizens’ councils, leading the way for a long duel with the representatives of the Holy See. The protagonist for the definitive affirmation of the family was Francesco (Cecco II), grandsom of Cecco I. The repertory of public and private nefarious behaviour attributed to him in narrative sources leads one to think that even on the basis of this notoriety, it is mostly the ideological propaganda in the clerical circles. In fact, the only element that seems to vaguely distinguish Francesco Ordelaffi from the other lords of Romagna is the stubbornness with which he opposed himself, with other outcomes, to the demands of the cardinal legates. The vigorous legation of the Albornoz allowed the progressive recovery of the territorial positions. In 1357, in fact, Cesena which was defended by Cia degli Umbertini, wife of the Ordelaffi, fell. Then it was Forli (1359 and Forlimpopoli (1360), surrendered to Albornoz and recovered for about fifteen years by the Holy See. Francesco, coherently following his destiny as a very fierce enemy of the Papacy, for a few years enlisted in the services of the Visconti, with some very good results. In 1375, his son Sinibaldo, benefitting from the war between Florence and the Papal State, re-established the seignory of the Ordelaffi on Forli. Since it was not possible to impose himself with arms, the Pope, in 1379, had to acknowledge to the Ordelaffi the apostolic vicariate to Forli, Forlimpopoli and Sarsina. The lords of Forli kept these traditional characteristics of fighting spirit and autonomy until the death of their last representative, Pino III Ordelaffi, poisoned in 1480.