Bonacolsi
Encyclopedia
The Bonacolsi were a noble family of Mantua
who ruled Mantua in the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th.
Pinamonte Bonacolsi was appointed one of two rectors of the commune on 12 July 1272, at first for a period of two months, internal strife among the extended kinship groups of the commune having reached excessive violence and murder. Within a few months Pinamonte was able to accuse and exile his co-rector Federico da Marcaria and the podestà
, and gather power into his own hands. A communal reform in 1274 gave him a new position, capitano del popolo, which Pinamopnte soon assumed for life. Pinamonte pacified the city by exiling the most troublesome of the families, confiscating their goods, made peace among his neighbors, declared allegiance to the distant Emperor as a Ghibelline city; Mantua entered on a prosperious period.
His son Bardellone staged a successful coup that essentially unseated Pinamonte, on 29 September 1291; he was co-governor with his father, of whom nothing further is heard, however: Pinamonte died officially unnoticed, 7 October 1293. Bardellone's brother Tagino was exiled to Ferrara
, where he formed lasting ties with the Este
. Bardellone replaced the commune's consiglio maggiore with a consiglio del signore, 2 July 1294.
Tagino's pardon and return from Ferrara in 1298 began a shift in Mantuan alliance from Verona
to the Este in Ferrara, cemented by accords signed in Ferrara, 24 June 1299. Alberto I della Scala
, lord of Verona, who favoured his own Bonacolsi, Bardellone's nephew Guido, took immediate action; he entered Mantua at the head of a troop and deposed and exiled Bardellone and Tagino in favour of Guido, who married Alberto's recently widowed daughter Costanza at the beginning of September.
The statute of 1303, that made Guido Bonacolsi captain-general of the city and comune
of Mantua gave him unlimited powers, combining the executive, legislative, fiscal and judiciary, to "impose bans, absolve and convict... make war, enter truces, concords and peace, acquire friends, contract alliances, receive and rehabilitate exiles,appoint, install, dismiss, acquit and convict the podestà
, rectors, judges, assessors, and all other officials and administrators, grant or remove their salaries,, convene councils and assemblies such that no councils, assemblies or meetings may be held without his special license..." Guido died 24 January 1309, and was succeeded by his brother Rinaldo "Passerino", who had been an ally of Cangrande I della Scala
.
On 16 August 1328, Rinaldo, the last Bonacolsi, was overthrown in a revolt backed by the Gonzaga
, who seized power. Palazzo Bonacolsi
(now Palazzo Castiglioni) that stands in piazza Sordello was commenced by Guido Bonacolsi as the Palazzo del Capitano. It was continuied as the Palazzo Ducale by the Gonzaga.
A lesser member of the clan, the sculptor Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi
(c. 1460–1528), was nicknamed "L'Antico" by his contemporaries for his refined interpretation of the Antique.
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
who ruled Mantua in the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th.
Pinamonte Bonacolsi was appointed one of two rectors of the commune on 12 July 1272, at first for a period of two months, internal strife among the extended kinship groups of the commune having reached excessive violence and murder. Within a few months Pinamonte was able to accuse and exile his co-rector Federico da Marcaria and the podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
, and gather power into his own hands. A communal reform in 1274 gave him a new position, capitano del popolo, which Pinamopnte soon assumed for life. Pinamonte pacified the city by exiling the most troublesome of the families, confiscating their goods, made peace among his neighbors, declared allegiance to the distant Emperor as a Ghibelline city; Mantua entered on a prosperious period.
His son Bardellone staged a successful coup that essentially unseated Pinamonte, on 29 September 1291; he was co-governor with his father, of whom nothing further is heard, however: Pinamonte died officially unnoticed, 7 October 1293. Bardellone's brother Tagino was exiled to Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, where he formed lasting ties with the Este
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
. Bardellone replaced the commune's consiglio maggiore with a consiglio del signore, 2 July 1294.
Tagino's pardon and return from Ferrara in 1298 began a shift in Mantuan alliance from Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
to the Este in Ferrara, cemented by accords signed in Ferrara, 24 June 1299. Alberto I della Scala
Alberto I della Scala
Alberto I della Scala was lord of Verona from 1277, a member of the Scaliger family.The son of Jacopino della Scala, he was podestà of Mantua in 1272 and 1275. In 1277, after the assassination of his brother Mastino, inherited the seigniory of Verona.Alberto died in Verona in 1301. His son...
, lord of Verona, who favoured his own Bonacolsi, Bardellone's nephew Guido, took immediate action; he entered Mantua at the head of a troop and deposed and exiled Bardellone and Tagino in favour of Guido, who married Alberto's recently widowed daughter Costanza at the beginning of September.
The statute of 1303, that made Guido Bonacolsi captain-general of the city and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Mantua gave him unlimited powers, combining the executive, legislative, fiscal and judiciary, to "impose bans, absolve and convict... make war, enter truces, concords and peace, acquire friends, contract alliances, receive and rehabilitate exiles,appoint, install, dismiss, acquit and convict the podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
, rectors, judges, assessors, and all other officials and administrators, grant or remove their salaries,, convene councils and assemblies such that no councils, assemblies or meetings may be held without his special license..." Guido died 24 January 1309, and was succeeded by his brother Rinaldo "Passerino", who had been an ally of Cangrande I della Scala
Cangrande I della Scala
Cangrande della Scala was an Italian nobleman, the most celebrated of the della Scala family which ruled Verona from 1277 until 1387. Now perhaps best known as the leading patron of the poet Dante Alighieri, Cangrande was in his own day chiefly acclaimed as a successful warrior and autocrat...
.
On 16 August 1328, Rinaldo, the last Bonacolsi, was overthrown in a revolt backed by the Gonzaga
House of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
, who seized power. Palazzo Bonacolsi
Palazzo Bonacolsi
Palazzo Castiglioni/Bonacolsi is a building in Mantua, northern Italy, located in Piazza Sordello in front of the Ducal Palace. The Bonacolsi family ruled Mantua during the thirteenth century, until on August 16, 1328, the last Bonacolsi, Rinaldo, was overthrown in a revolt backed by the Gonzaga,...
(now Palazzo Castiglioni) that stands in piazza Sordello was commenced by Guido Bonacolsi as the Palazzo del Capitano. It was continuied as the Palazzo Ducale by the Gonzaga.
A lesser member of the clan, the sculptor Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi
Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi
Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi , called "L'Antico" by his contemporaries for the refined interpretation of the Antique they recognized in his work, was a 16th century North Italian sculptor, known for his finely detailed small bronzes all'Antica—coolly classicizing, often with gilded details,...
(c. 1460–1528), was nicknamed "L'Antico" by his contemporaries for his refined interpretation of the Antique.