A Duel Request between Malatesta and Montefeltro – by Eugenio Larosa
Historical letters and challenges between two of Italy’s fiercest 15th-century rivals.
We are in the Marche region, during the summer of 1444. Francesco Sforza is pressing forward with his conquest of the territory, opposed by a coalition formed by the Duke of Milan, Pope Eugene IV, and the King of Naples. Following a string of victories—including the most significant, the Battle of Montolmo, fought and won by Francesco Sforza on 19 August against the forces of Francesco Piccinino, the eldest son of Niccolò—Sforza regained control of almost the entire region of the Marche. Faced with such setbacks, the Pope found himself compelled to seek a compromise. This led to a truce that lasted seven months, formalised on 11 September 1444. A subsequent peace treaty was signed on 10 October, in which the Pope officially recognised Francesco Sforza’s rule over the Marche, with the exception of Osimo, Recanati, Fabriano, and Ancona.
Sigismondo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini—who had played a major role in Sforza’s victory at Monteluro—gained little from the agreement he had signed with Sforza. His ambitions to seize Pesaro had been thwarted, compensated only in a paltry manner by the award of a few castles near the border with Rimini, assigned to him through Sforza’s mediation. His attempts to conquer lands in the Montefeltro region at the expense of the Duchy of Urbino had also yielded only meagre territorial gains.
The situation became untenable for him in December 1444, when Francesco Sforza welcomed Federico da Montefeltro under his command. To Sigismondo, this was tantamount to betrayal—his fiercest rival now in the service of his father-in-law. In response, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta began negotiations for a military contract with the anti-Sforza alliance. This agreement was signed on 14 March 1445, by which time he had already learned of what he considered a deep personal insult: the acquisition of Pesaro and Fossombrone by the Count of Montefeltro and the Marquis of the Marche.
In early February, the rivalry between the two condottieri took a decidedly personal turn. Outraged by the slander spread by Montefeltro’s envoys in Rome and unable to confront Federico militarily due to his alliance with Sforza, Sigismondo opted for a direct approach.
He first sent a letter challenging Federico to a duel and reaffirming his own honour. Later, he dispatched a representative to Urbino to formally restate the challenge.
ORIGINAL LETTER
La V. S. sa le differenze sono state un pezzo fra noi ; e se in quelle avesse buono giudizio, intenderia molto bene, la colpa essere dal canto suo, e non dal mio.
La pazienza non mi giova, nè pare siate disposto ad emendarvi; anzi ogni dì moltiplicate errori.
Nuovamente avete scritto in mia calunnia in corte di Roma, e fatto dire male di me: delibero non lo comportare; anzi mostrare della persona mia alla vostra, che son più valente uomo che non siete voi , anzi siete uno cattivo, fate male ad oltraggiarmi.
Al Sig. V. S., sono consapevole che le divergenze sono state un ostacolo tra di noi; e se aveste buon senso riguardo a esse, comprendereste chiaramente che la colpa è dalla vostra parte, non dalla mia. La mia pazienza è giunta al limite, e sembra che non siate incline a correggervi; anzi, ogni giorno aumentate gli errori.
Avete nuovamente diffamato il mio nome presso la corte di Roma, diffondendo false voci su di me. Ho deciso di non tollerarlo più e di dimostrare che, rispetto a voi, sono un uomo di gran lunga più valoroso, mentre voi siete solo un individuo malvagio che si macchia ingiustamente di oltraggi nei miei confronti.
Perciò mando là Signor Giovanni da Sassoferrato, mio cancelliero, con pieno mandato a richiedere di duello; il quale già per vostra lettera avete accettato: e non ostante che il detto ser Giovanni abbia l’istrumento publico di procura, ho voluto scrivere questa lettera per maggior fede, pregandovi che vogliate accettare ; e accettando , come son certo che farete, essendo quel valente uomo che dovete e dite, piacciavi mandare un vostro famiglio intendente, informato di vostra intenzione, del modo, tempo e loco che abbiamo a combattere, acciocché si venga a conclusione; e dissi intendente, perché sia idoneo.
Insieme con quello manderò a chiedere quello tale loco che insieme rimarremo d’accordo; e detto vostro che manderete, voglio che venga sicuro con quattro cavalli; e questa mia lettera sia pieno e valido salvacondotto per lo suo venire, stare e tornare liberamente: ed in caso che non lo accettaste, che non lo credo, vi ne avviso che procederò contro di voi si come richiede il mestiero, e più e meno, secondo mì parerà.
Rimini, die xxi feb. 1445. Sigismundus Pandolfus de Malatestis,
illustrissimi Comitis Franc. Sfortic capitaneus generalis -Fuoris- R. Domino Fe.Monteferet.
Arch. Gener. di stato, Carte d’Urbino ; Lettere, filza 404.
TRANSCRIPTION
To Your Lordship,
I am fully aware that discord has stood between us. And were you possessed of reason, you would plainly see that the fault lies with you, not with me.
My patience has reached its end, and you show no sign of correction; on the contrary, your behaviour grows worse by the day.
Once again, you have tarnished my name at the Roman court, spreading lies and falsehoods against me.
>I can no longer tolerate this and have resolved to prove myself to be, in all respects, the more valiant man—while you, by contrast, are naught but a malicious soul who sullies himself unjustly with affronts against me.
Therefore, I am sending to you Signor Giovanni da Sassoferrato, my chancellor, who is fully empowered to request a duel—a challenge you have already accepted in writing. Though Signor Giovanni carries with him a notarised power of attorney, I have nonetheless chosen to write this letter to serve as further confirmation, asking that you acknowledge it. And since I trust you shall, being the valiant man you purport to be, I request that you dispatch a representative—one who is informed of your intentions—to determine the manner, time, and place of our combat, so that we may bring this matter to resolution. I specify “informed” because your envoy must be suitably qualified for the task.
With him, I propose to agree upon a suitable site for the duel; and when you send your representative, I ask that he travel in safety with four horses. This letter shall serve as a full and valid safe-conduct for his journey, his stay, and his return, free from hindrance.
>Should you decline—though I doubt you shall—I give you fair warning that I will proceed against you as the situation demands, with whatever severity or mercy I deem appropriate.
EPILOGUE
Despite the gravity of the challenge and the fiery tone of the correspondence, the duel between Sigismondo Malatesta and Federico da Montefeltro never took place.
Nevertheless, their bitter rivalry endured, and more letters were exchanged in the months to follow—one of which will soon be published here.
A Duel Request between Malatesta and Montefeltro – by Eugenio Larosa
