Jump to content

Compagnia di San Giorgio: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Yobot (talk | contribs)
m Sources: WP:CHECKWIKI error 18 fixes + general fixes (BRFA 15) using AWB (7832)
Magiluke (talk | contribs)
top: Added image and caption #suggestededit-add-image-top
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile app edit Android app edit
 
(21 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{For|the Genoese banking firm that governed Corsica|Bank of Saint George}}
The '''Compagnia di San Giorgio''' was the name of several companies of mercenaries in [[Italy]] during the 14th century.
[[File:Albericodabarbiano.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Portrait of Alberico da Barbiano|Portrait of Alberico da Barbiano]]
The '''Compagnia di San Giorgio''' ("Company of [[Saint George]]") was the name of several [[Company (military unit)|companies]] of [[mercenaries]] in [[Italy]] during the 14th century.


A first company under this name was founded in 1339 by [[Lodrisio Visconti]], usurper of the title of lord of [[Seprio]] in northern [[Italy]].<ref name=Axelrod>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=EWQXBAAAQBAJ&q=Visconti&pg=PT61 | last = Axelrod | first = Alan | title = Mercenaries: A Guide to Private Armies and Private Military Companies | publisher = CQ Press | year = 2014 | isbn = 9781483364667 | page = 30}}</ref> It included some 6,500 men. Some were paid by [[Mastino II della Scala]], lord of [[Verona]] and hirer of Lodrisio. Others were foreign mercenaries – German knights, Swiss infantry, and men from [[Graubünden]] – under the leadership of Germans [[Konrad von Landau]] and [[Werner von Urslingen]]. Personnel were also sent by Visconti's allies: Calcino Tornielli, lord of [[Novara]]; Louis, son of [[Aymon, Count of Savoy|Aymon of Savoy]]; [[Obizzo III d'Este]] of [[Ferrara]]; [[Ludovico I Gonzaga]] of [[Mantua]]; [[Thomas II of Saluzzo]]; Taddeo Pepoli of [[Bologna]]; and [[Bertrand, Patriarch of Aquileia|Bertram, Patriarch of Aquileia]]. Lodrisio and his army were defeated in the [[Battle of Parabiago]]; some of the survivors ravaged the area until they were crushed by Lodrisio's victorious uncle, [[Luchino Visconti (died 1349)|Luchino Visconti]].
==History==
A first company under this name (meaning "Company of St. George") was founded by [[Lodrisio Visconti]], usurper of the title of lord of [[Seprio]] in northern [[Italy]], in 1339. It included some 6,500 men, of which some were paid by [[Mastino II della Scala]] (lord of [[Verona]] and hirer of Lodrisio), others were German mercenaries such as [[Konrad von Landau]] and [[Werner von Urslingen]], Swiss and men from [[Graubünden]], and other sent by allied such as Calcino Tornielli, lord of [[Novara]], Louis son of [[Aymon, Count of Savoy|Aymon of Savoy]], [[Obizzo III d'Este]] of [[Ferrara]], [[Ludovico I Gonzaga]] of [[Mantua]], [[Thomas II of Saluzzo]], Taddeo Pepoli of [[Bologna]] and [[Bertrand, Patriarch of Aquileia|Bertram, Patriarch of Aquileia]]. Lodrisio and his army were defeated in the [[Battle of Parabiago]]; some of the survivors ravaged the area until they were crushed by [[Luchino Visconti]].


In 1365 another Visconti, Ambrogio, an illegitimate son of [[Bernabò Visconti]], founded another company with the same name, but it soon vanished. He reformed it in 1372, but two years later it was destroyed in a riot in the [[Bergamo|Bargamasco]], in which Ambrogio himself was killed.
In 1365 another Visconti, Ambrogio, an illegitimate son of [[Bernabò Visconti]], founded another company with the same name, but it soon vanished. He reformed it in 1372, but two years later it was destroyed in a riot in the [[Bergamo|Bargamasco]], in which Ambrogio himself was killed.


In 1377 [[Alberico da Barbiano]], one the man Italian [[condottieri]], founded the most successful of the three ''Compagnie di San Giorgio''. The company included other famous condottieri, such as [[Muzio Attendolo]], [[Braccio da Montone]], [[Ugolotto Biancardo]], [[Jacopo dal Verme]], [[Facino Cane]], [[Ottobono Terzi]] and others. The company's members could be only Italians: a remarkable feature in a time in which most of the mercenaries in Italy were foreigners. The reason for this decision by Barbiano is not clear, but perhaps it came after he saw the atrocities of foreign mercenaries under [[John Hawkwood]] during the so-called Cesena Bloodbath of 1377.
In 1377 [[Alberico da Barbiano]],<ref name=Axelrod/> one of the main Italian [[condottieri]], founded the most successful of the three ''Compagnie di San Giorgio''. The company included other famous condottieri, such as [[Muzio Attendolo]], [[Braccio da Montone]], [[Ugolotto Biancardo]], [[Jacopo dal Verme]], [[Facino Cane]], and [[Ottobuono de' Terzi]]. The company's membership was restricted to Italians, a remarkable feature in a time in which most mercenaries in Italy were foreigners. The reason for this decision by Barbiano is not clear, but perhaps it came after he saw the atrocities of foreign mercenaries under [[John Hawkwood]] during the so-called [[War of the Eight Saints|Cesena Bloodbath]] of 1377. The company helped [[Pope Urban VI]] against [[Antipope Clement VII]], defeating a Breton mercenary army at [[Marino, Italy|Marino]] in 1379. Later it fought for [[Charles III of Naples|Charles of Durazzo]] in his conquest of the [[Kingdom of Naples]].


==References==
The company helped [[Pope Urban VI]] against [[Antipope Clement VII]], defeating a Breton mercenary army at [[Marino, Italy|Marino]] in 1379. Later it fought for [[Charles III of Naples|Charles of Durazzo]] in his conquest of the [[Kingdom of Naples]].
{{Reflist}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Ricotti |first=Ercole |title=Storia della compagnie di ventura in Italia |publication-place=Torino |publisher=Pomba |year=1844 |oclc=425800654 |language=it}}{{volume needed|date=April 2020}}{{Page needed|date=April 2020}}


{{Mercenary companies}}
==Sources==
[[Category:1339 establishments in Europe]]
*{{cite book|first=Ercole |last=Ricotti|title= Storia delle compagnie di ventura in Italia |publisher=Giuseppe Pompa|location=Turin|year=1847}}
[[Category:14th-century establishments in Italy]]

[[Category:Condottieri]]
[[Category:14th-century condottieri]]
[[Category:Mercenary units and formations of the Middle Ages]]

[[fr:Compagnia di San Giorgio]]
[[it:Compagnia di San Giorgio]]

Latest revision as of 04:38, 3 March 2024

Portrait of Alberico da Barbiano
Portrait of Alberico da Barbiano

The Compagnia di San Giorgio ("Company of Saint George") was the name of several companies of mercenaries in Italy during the 14th century.

A first company under this name was founded in 1339 by Lodrisio Visconti, usurper of the title of lord of Seprio in northern Italy.[1] It included some 6,500 men. Some were paid by Mastino II della Scala, lord of Verona and hirer of Lodrisio. Others were foreign mercenaries – German knights, Swiss infantry, and men from Graubünden – under the leadership of Germans Konrad von Landau and Werner von Urslingen. Personnel were also sent by Visconti's allies: Calcino Tornielli, lord of Novara; Louis, son of Aymon of Savoy; Obizzo III d'Este of Ferrara; Ludovico I Gonzaga of Mantua; Thomas II of Saluzzo; Taddeo Pepoli of Bologna; and Bertram, Patriarch of Aquileia. Lodrisio and his army were defeated in the Battle of Parabiago; some of the survivors ravaged the area until they were crushed by Lodrisio's victorious uncle, Luchino Visconti.

In 1365 another Visconti, Ambrogio, an illegitimate son of Bernabò Visconti, founded another company with the same name, but it soon vanished. He reformed it in 1372, but two years later it was destroyed in a riot in the Bargamasco, in which Ambrogio himself was killed.

In 1377 Alberico da Barbiano,[1] one of the main Italian condottieri, founded the most successful of the three Compagnie di San Giorgio. The company included other famous condottieri, such as Muzio Attendolo, Braccio da Montone, Ugolotto Biancardo, Jacopo dal Verme, Facino Cane, and Ottobuono de' Terzi. The company's membership was restricted to Italians, a remarkable feature in a time in which most mercenaries in Italy were foreigners. The reason for this decision by Barbiano is not clear, but perhaps it came after he saw the atrocities of foreign mercenaries under John Hawkwood during the so-called Cesena Bloodbath of 1377. The company helped Pope Urban VI against Antipope Clement VII, defeating a Breton mercenary army at Marino in 1379. Later it fought for Charles of Durazzo in his conquest of the Kingdom of Naples.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Axelrod, Alan (2014). Mercenaries: A Guide to Private Armies and Private Military Companies. CQ Press. p. 30. ISBN 9781483364667.

Further reading

[edit]