Pietro Farnese
Encyclopedia
Pietro Farnese, also called Piero de Farneto or Petruccio di Cola (c. 1310 – 20 giugno 1363) was an Italian condottiero. He was co-lord of Farnese
, Canino
, Ischia
and Cellere, Captain General of the Papal Army and Capitain General of the Florentine Army.
, together with his father Nicola, he sided for the Monaldeschi
della Vipera against the Monaldeschi della Cervara and was declared rebel. In 1345 he returned in Orvieto and was appointed as commander of the communal army, commanding 5,000 men at the siege of Castiglion Fiorentino
. In February 1352 he was able to reconquer Orvieto, which had surrendered to Perugia
, but was pushed back by Pepo Monaldeschi del Cane.
In 1354 he entered the service of cardinal Gil de Albornoz at Milan
, to fight against the Ghibelline leader
Bernabò Visconti
. In November of the following year he became Capitain General of the Papal Army, receiving half the fief of Onano
in the Marche
. In 1359, always for Albornoz, he directed the military operations against Forlì
and Forlimpopoli, which were stormed in July. The following year Giovanni Visconti da Oleggio, lord of Bologna
, declared war to Bernabò Visconti, but was forced to ask (in exchange of the lordship over his city) the help of Albornoz, who sent Pietro Farnese to take possession of it.
In 1361 he recovered Lugo, Bagnacavallo and Solarolo, but in June he had to return to the defence of Bologna, menaced by Visconti. The latter was defeated the following month. In 1362 he was appointed as Commander of the Florentine Army in the war against Pisa
. Farnese obtained a decisive victory, for which he was rewarded with a monument executed by Orcagna, still visible in Florence Cathedral. In 1363 he fell ill of plague and died at Castelfiorentino
.
Farnese (VT)
Farnese is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about 100 km northwest of Rome and about 35 km northwest of Viterbo.-Geography:...
, Canino
Canino
Canino is a town and comune of Italy, in the province of Viterbo in the internal part of Maremma Laziale. It is 15 km W of Valentano and 44 km NW of Viterbo....
, Ischia
Ischia di Castro
Ischia di Castro is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about 90 km northwest of Rome and about 30 km northwest of Viterbo....
and Cellere, Captain General of the Papal Army and Capitain General of the Florentine Army.
Biography
Little is known of his youth. In 1338, at OrvietoOrvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
, together with his father Nicola, he sided for the Monaldeschi
Monaldeschi
The Monaldeschi were one of the powerful noble families of Orvieto, central Italy, members of the Guelph party who contested with murders and violence the Ghibelline Filippeschi for control of the commune of Orvieto and the castelli of Umbria....
della Vipera against the Monaldeschi della Cervara and was declared rebel. In 1345 he returned in Orvieto and was appointed as commander of the communal army, commanding 5,000 men at the siege of Castiglion Fiorentino
Castiglion Fiorentino
Castiglion Fiorentino is a small, walled city in eastern Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Arezzo, between the cities of Arezzo and Cortona. It is well known for its annual festivals and Etruscan archeological site.-Geography:...
. In February 1352 he was able to reconquer Orvieto, which had surrendered to Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
, but was pushed back by Pepo Monaldeschi del Cane.
In 1354 he entered the service of cardinal Gil de Albornoz at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, to fight against the Ghibelline leader
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
Bernabò Visconti
Bernabo Visconti
Bernabò Visconti was an Italian soldier and statesman, who was Lord of Milan.-Life:He was born in Milan, the son of Stefano Visconti and Valentina Doria. From 1346 to 1349 he lived in exile, until he was called back by his uncle Giovanni Visconti...
. In November of the following year he became Capitain General of the Papal Army, receiving half the fief of Onano
Onano
Onano is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about 100 km northwest of Rome and about 40 km northwest of Viterbo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,096 and an area of 24.6 km².Onano borders the following municipalities:...
in the Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
. In 1359, always for Albornoz, he directed the military operations against Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
and Forlimpopoli, which were stormed in July. The following year Giovanni Visconti da Oleggio, lord of Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, declared war to Bernabò Visconti, but was forced to ask (in exchange of the lordship over his city) the help of Albornoz, who sent Pietro Farnese to take possession of it.
In 1361 he recovered Lugo, Bagnacavallo and Solarolo, but in June he had to return to the defence of Bologna, menaced by Visconti. The latter was defeated the following month. In 1362 he was appointed as Commander of the Florentine Army in the war against Pisa
Republic of Pisa
The Republic of Pisa was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late tenth and eleventh centuries. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and...
. Farnese obtained a decisive victory, for which he was rewarded with a monument executed by Orcagna, still visible in Florence Cathedral. In 1363 he fell ill of plague and died at Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 30 km southwest of Florence.The population is approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
.