#ghibellines

The Battle of Campaldino, 1289

We all love stories of spies and double agents. James Bond and the numerous films charting the lives of spies during the world wars never fail to entertain or fascinate.

Video of the Battle of Montaperti

Dante put a character called Bocca degli Abati into the 9th circle of Hell for political treachery.

While he was fighting on the side of the Florentine Guelphs at the battle of Montaperti in 1260, he sensed that the tide was turning at the hand of King Manfred (who was regarded as the chief of the Ghibellines) and his German cavalry, and treacherously cut off the hand of the Florentine standard-bearer, throwing the Florentines into a panic and losing them this important battle.

Masterlist

Guelphs v Ghibellines: Battle of Montecatini (1315)

A battle fought fought between combined Florentine and Neapolitan army (Guelphs) and Pisanese forces (Ghibellines). The latter led by Uguccione della Faggiuola - condottiero and Podesta of Pisa - emerged victorious despite being outnumbered. Uguccione is depicted on the left and Guelph commander Philip I of I Taranto on the left Philip was a younger son of king of Naples and had a rather  colourful titles: among other things he was Latin Emperor of Constantinople, Despot of Romania, king of Albania, prince of Achaea and Vicar-General of Kingdom of Sicily. I guess that at least some of these titles were just nominal. And btw, Uguccio’s protege, Cstruccio Castracani also participated in this battle.

(Nuova Cronica,14th century)

Castruccio Castracani (1281-1328)

Succesful Italian Condottiero and a staunch Ghibelline. Ruler of Lucca between 1316 and 1328 and also an imperial vicar of Pisa 1326-28.  Macchiavelli has written a short biographical account of his life.

(Fresco: Campo santo cemetery, Pisa)

Meet our new red:  Velenosi Lacrima di Morro d'Alba

The Grape:  Lacrima di Morro d’Alba is a black grape that is low in tannins, and that has a striking aroma.  Redolent of roses and violets, this bouquet produces strong positive responses, but can also be a touch overwhelming.  The black grape has good acid and tends to make wines that are drunk young.  This variation of the Lacrima grape is particularly found in the Morro d’Alba region of Ancona in the Marche, Italy’s gastrocnemius calf-muscle.  It is used in – and is eponymous for- one of Marche’s thirteen wine DOC, the two most well-known of which are probably Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, and Rosso Piceno.

  The Wine:  Velenosi Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, Italy 

Velenosi was founded in 1984, at the nadir of the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba grape.  It is situated south of Ancona, near the Adriatic sea.   The wine is made with 100% Lacrima grapes grown in clay soils, from  vines averaging 25 years of age.  It is fermented in stainless steel.  The result is a wine with a floral and fruity nose of cherries, violets, and roses.  The body is medium, with light/medium acid and light tannins. 

  Fun Fact:

Lacrima di Morro d’Alba comes from Ancona in Italy’s Marche.  The Marche is separated from Rome and parts East by the Apennines.  The Apennine mountain range was a major impediment to travel between ancient Rome and many of its provinces, but particularly those to the Northeast – which lie directly opposite those mountains.  In ca 220 BC, Gaius Flaminius constructed the Via Flaminia as the main pass across the Apennines, which directly linked Rome and Rimini (and later Ravenna), but with a fork leading to Ancona.  This road also linked Rome with the Po Valley, to the North.  Ancona, with its port, remained a Byzantine stronghold – along with the entire Pentapolis with its capital at Ravenna -during the Lombard invasions of the 6thc AD.  In fact the Byzantine holdings in the North closely followed the Via Flaminia, which became known as the Byzantine Corridor.  Ancona was also a Guelph stronghold, and thus an ally of the Pope.  Nonetheless, the Ghibelline-supported Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV made the region of the entire Pentapolis the Marche of Ancona – which designated the area as a militarized frontier zone and lends its name to the modern region of the Marche.  Before falling back into papal hands, the Marche was under the rule of the emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa), purportedly a fan of the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba grape.