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RIMINI
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RIMINI , a See also:town and See also:bishop's see of See also:Italy, in the See also:province of Forli, See also:Emilia, on the Adriatic See also:coast, 69 m. S.E. of See also:Bologna by See also:rail. Pop. (1901) town, 18,022; See also:commune, 46,801. The See also:city is bounded on three sides by See also:water. It faces the Adriatic to the See also:north, has the torrent Aprusa, now called Ausa, on the See also:east, and the See also:river Marecchia on the See also:west. It stands in a fertile See also:plain, which on the See also:southern See also:side soon swells into pleasant slopes backed by the jagged peaks of the Umbrian See also:Apennines. The foremost foothill of the range is the steep See also:crag of See also:Mons Titanus, crowned by the towers of the See also:republic of See also:San See also:Marino. Rimini attracts numerous visitors for the See also:sea-bathing at Porta Marina. It has See also:mineral springs, and the See also:industries comprise See also:fisheries, ironworks and foundries, See also:sulphur furnaces, See also:silk-See also:mills, rope walks, match factories, brickworks, flourmills and See also:furniture. Its See also:main See also:interest, however, is See also:historical. Apart from the See also:ancient buildings, &c., referred to below, Rimini can boast of a See also:good public library, founded by the jurist Gambalunza, in 1619, a municipal picture See also:gallery, an archaeological museum, a technical school (1882) and a See also:bronze statue' of See also:Pope See also:Paul V. The ancient See also:castle of Sigismondo Malatesta, now dilapidated, has in See also:recent years been used as a See also:prison, See also:History.-Rimini is the ancient See also:Ariminum (q.v. for its See also:early history and, remains). During the See also:middle ages the history of Rimini ,has no importance. Alternately captured by Byzantines and Goths, it was rigorously besieged by the latter in A.D. 538. They were, however, compelled to See also:retreat before the reinforcements sent by See also:Belisarius and See also:Narses; thus the Byzantines, after various vicissitudes, became masters of the town, appointed a dyke as its See also:governor, and included it in the exarchate of See also:Ravenna. It afterwards See also:fell into the See also:power of the Longo-bards, and then of the See also:Franks, who yielded it to the pope, for whom it was governed by See also:counts to the end of the loth See also:century. Soon after this See also:period the imperial power became dominant in Rimini. In 1157 See also:Frederick I. gave it, by imperial patent, the See also:privilege of coining See also:money and the right of self-See also:government; and in the 13th century we find Rimini an See also:independent commune waging See also:war on the neighbouring cities. In the See also:year 1216, Rimini, being worsted by See also:Cesena, adopted the' desperate See also:plan of granting citizenship to two members of the powerful Malatesta tribe, Giovanni and Malatesta, for the See also:sake of their aid and that of their vassals in the See also:defence of the See also:state and, the conduct of the war. This See also:family quickly struck See also:root in the town' and gave See also:birth to future tyrants; for in 1237 Giovanni was named See also:podesta, and this See also:office was the first step towards the See also:sovereign power afterwards assumed by his descendants. Meanwhile, Rimini was torn by the feuds of Guelf- and Ghibelline. The latter were the dominant party in the days of Frederick II., although very unpopular on See also:account of the grievous taxes 'imposed by the See also:empire. Accordingly, the See also:majority of the See also:urban nobles joined the Guelfs and were driven into See also:exile. But before See also:long, as the Swabian power declined in Italy, the Guelf party was again predominant. Then followed a long period of confusion, in which, by means of conspiracies and crimes of every See also:kind, the Malatesta succeeded in becoming masters and tyrants of Rimini. Giovanni Malatesta had died in 1249 and' been succeeded by his son Malatesta, See also:born in 12l2, and surnamed Malatesta da Verrucchio. This chieftain, who Iived to be a See also:hundred years old, had ample See also:time to mature his ambitious designs, and was the real founder of his See also:house. Seizing the first suitable moment, he placed `himself at the See also:head of the exiled Guelfs, and restored them to Rimini. Then, as the empire acquired fresh strength in Italy, he quietly bided his time and, on the descent of the Angevins, again assumed the leadership of the Guelfs who now had the upper See also:hand for a Icing time. Being repeatedly elected podesta for lengthy terms of :office, he at last became the virtual See also:master of Rimini. Nor was he checked by See also:Rome. Pope See also:Boniface VIII. was fully aware of the rights and traditional pretensions of the See also:Holy See, but preferred to keep on good terms with one who had so largely contributed to the See also:triumph of the Guelfs in Romagna. Accordingly he not only See also:left Malatesta unmolested, but in 1299 conferred on him fresh honours and estates; so that his power went on increasing to the See also:day of his See also:death in 1312. Four sons had been born to Malatesta—Malatestino, Giovanni the Lame, See also:Paolo the Handsome, and Pandolfo;. but only the See also:oldest and youngest survived him: Giovanni the Lame (Sciancato), a See also:man of a daring impetuosity only equalled by his ugliness, had proved so useful a See also:general to Giovanni da See also:Polenta of Ravenna as to win in See also:reward the hand of that potentate's beautiful daughter, known to history as Francesca da Rimini. But her See also:heart had been won by the handsome Paolo, her See also:brother-in-See also:law; and the two lovers, being surprised by Giovanni, were murdered by him on the spot (1285). This See also:episode of the See also:story of the Malatesta has been immortalized in See also:Dante's Inferno. Giovanni died in 1304. Thus in 1312 Malatestino became See also:lord of Rimini, and on his decease in 1317 bequeathed the power to his brother Pandolfo. Pandolfo died in 1326, leaving two heirs, Malatesta and Galeotto. The former was nicknamed Guastafamiglia, because, although at first willing to let his brother See also:share his power, he rid himself by violence and treachery of other kinsmen who claimed their just rights to a portion of the state. His See also:intent was to become See also:sole lord and to aggrandize his tiny principality. But the reigning pope, See also:Innocent VI., despatched the terrible See also:Cardinal See also:Albornoz to Romagna, and it was speedily reduced by See also:fire and See also:sword. In 1355 the Malatesta shared the See also:fate of the other potentates of the See also:land. Nevertheless, it was the cardinal's policy to let existing governments stand, provided they promised to See also:act in subordination to the papal see. Thus he granted the Malatesta See also:brothers the See also:investiture of Rimini, See also:Pesaro, See also:Fano and See also:Fossombrone, and they arranged a See also:division of the state. Guastafamiglia took Pesaro, which was held by his descendants down to the brothers. Carlo and Galeazzo. The former of these, who died in 1439, was See also:father to the Parisina beheaded in See also:Ferrara, whose tragic love story has been sung by See also:Byron. The latter won the See also:title of " 1'Inetto " (the In-capable) by the foolish See also:sale of his rights over Pesaro to the See also:Sforza in 1447.
Galeotto, on the other hand, retained the lordship of Rimini, ruling tranquilly and on good terms with the popes, who allowed him to add Cervia, Cesena and See also:Bertinoro to his states; Dying in 1385 at the See also:age of eighty, he left two sons—Carlo, who became lord of Rimini, and Pandolfo, who had Fano for his share. Carlo (1364-1429) was energetic, valiant and a friend of the popes, who named him See also:vicar of the See also: He was born in Brescia, and when called to the See also:succession, at the age of fifteen, had already given proofs of valour in the See also: The See also:lady succeeded ; in gaining an See also:absolute ascendancy over him, which increased with time. She bore him several children, but this did not prevent his having others by different concubines. Such being the nature of the man, it is not astonishing that, as his ardour for Isotta increased, he should have little See also:scruple in See also:ridding himself of his second wife. On the 1st See also:June 1450 Polissena died by strangling, and on the 30th of the same See also:month Isotta's offspring were legitimated by See also:Nicholas V. It is only just to See also:record that, although Malatesta's intrigue with Isotta had long been notorious to all, and he had never sought to conceal it, no one ever accused her of either See also:direct or indirect complicity in her lover's crimes. Isotta's history, however, is a strange one, and opens up many curious questions. She was of See also:noble birth and seems to have attracted Sigismondo's See also:notice as early as 1438, for at the age of twenty he produced verses of some merit in praise of her charms. She was indeed widely celebrated for her beauty and See also:intellect, culture, firmness and prudence; and even Pope Pius II. proclaimed her worthy to be greatly loved. When Sigismondo was absent she governed Rimini wisely and well, and proved herself a match for the statesmen with whom she had to See also:deal. The leading poets of the court dedicated to her a collection of verses entitled Isottaei, styled her their See also:mistress and the chosen of See also:Apollo. Artists of renown perpetuated her features on See also:canvas, on See also:marble and on many exquisite medals, one of which has a closed See also:book graven on the See also:reverse, with the inscription " Elegiae " in allusion to poems she was said to have written. Nevertheless, Yriarte, in his book on the Malatesta and Rimini, asserted that there was documentary See also:evidence to prove that Isotta was unable to sign her own name. But it is not at all surprising that Isotta should have her letters written and signed by another hand, when such was by no means an uncommon practice among the princes and nobilities of her day. Lucrezia See also:Borgia, for instance, frequently did the same. It is besides simply incredible that a woman of the See also:Italian Renaissance of Isotta's birth, See also:standing and reputation should have been unable to write.
Her See also:marriage with Malatesta did not take See also:place until 1456; but of the ardent See also:affection that had long See also:bound them together there are stronger proofs than the lover's juvenile verses, or than even, the children Isotta had See also:borne to him. For, more than all else, the temple of St Francis has served to transmit to posterity the history of their loves. Malatesta decided on See also:building , this remarkable church as a thankoffering for his safety during a dangerous See also:campaign undertaken for Pope See also:Eugenius IV. about the year 1445.
The first See also: But it is much to be deplored that he should have left the upper part of the See also:facade unfinished. Alberti came to Rimini, made his See also:design, saw the work begun and then left it to be carried out by very skilful artists, on whom he impressed the See also:necessity of faithfully preserving its general See also:character so as " not to spoil that See also:music." The See also:internal decorations, especially the enormous quantity of See also:wall ornaments, consisting chiefly of scrolls and bas-reliefs, were executed by different sculptors under the personal direction of Malatesta, who, even when engaged in war, sent continual instructions about their work. It is difficult to give an exact See also:idea of this extraordinary church to those who have no personal acquaintance with it. The vault was never finished, and still shows its rough beams and rafters. The eight side chapels alone are See also:complete, and their pointed arches See also:spring from Renaissance pilasters planted on See also:black marble elephants, the Malatesta emblems, or on baskets of, See also:fruit held by children. The See also:surface of the pilasters is divided into compartments encrusted with bas-reliefs of various subjects and styles. Everywhere—on the balustrades closing the chapels, See also:round the See also:base of the pilasters, along the walls, beneath the See also:cornice of both the exterior and the interior of the church—there is one See also:ornament that is perpetually repeated, the interwoven See also:initials of Sigismondo and Isotta. This See also:monogram is alternated with the portrait and arms of Malatesta; and these designs are en-wreathed by festoons linked together by the See also:tyrant's second See also:emblem, the See also:rose. The most singular and characteristic feature of this edifice is the almost See also:total See also:absence of every sacred emblem. Rather than to St Francis and the See also:God of the Christians it was dedicated—and that while Sigismondo's second wife still lived—to the glorification of an unhallowed See also:attachment. Nature, See also:science and antiquity were summoned to celebrate the tyrant's love for Isotta. The bas-reliefs of one of the chapels represent See also:Jupiter, See also:Venus, See also:Saturn, See also:Mars and See also:Diana, together with the signs of the See also:zodiac. And these subjects are derived, it appears, from a poem in which Sigismondo had invoked the gods and the signs of the zodiac to soften Isotta's heart and win her to his arms. The pageants of Mars and Diana seem to have been suggested by the Trionfi of See also:Petrarch. Elsewhere we see prophets and sibyls, personifications of the theological virtues and of the sciences. The delicate bas-reliefs of See also:botany and See also:medicine, history and See also:astronomy, have been judged by some writers to be Grecian, on account of the ancient See also:appearance of their marble, their See also:inscriptions in See also:Greek and Latin, and others that have never been deciphered. But a moment's examination of the sculptures is enough to destroy this See also:hypothesis. Besides, some of the inscriptions are very easily read and record " Apollo Ariminaeus " and " Jupiter Ariminaeus." In the first See also:chapel on the left is the family See also:tomb of the Malatesta, with sculptured records of their triumphs and of their alleged descent from Scipio See also:Africanus. Better worthy of notice is the third chapel to the right, known as that of the Angels, on account of the angels and children carved on its pillars. It is nominally dedicated to the See also:archangel See also:Michael, whose statue is enshrined in it; but the figure has the See also:face of Isotta, the ruling deity of this portion of the church. For here is the splendid and fantastic tomb erected to this lady, during her life and previous to the death of Sigismondo's second wife. No See also:monument, be it remarked, is raised over the See also:burial-place of Ginevra and Polissena. The See also:urn of Isotta's See also:sarcophagus is supported by two elephants, and bears the inscription, " D. Isottae Ariminensi B. M. Sacrum, MCCCCL." The "D." has been generally interpreted as " Divae " and the "B. M." as " Beatae Memoriae." But some, unwilling to See also:credit such See also:profanity, allege that the letters stand for " Bonae Memoriae." Nevertheless, all who have seen the church must admit the improbability of similar scruples.
The numerous artists employed on the interior of the church were under the direction of the proto-See also:maestro Matteo de Pasti the celebrated medallist. And indeed the See also:peculiar and fantastic character of the sculptures in this chapel frequently recalls the designs of his famous works. All this decoration is in strange contrast with the grandly austere simplicity of the facade and See also:outer walls of the church. There no ornament disturbs the See also:harmony of the lines. The See also:frieze beneath the cornice, re-producing the lovers' initials and the Malatestian ensigns, is in such very See also:low See also:relief that it only enhances the perfection of " that music " produced by the marvellous skill of Alberti. Also the See also:colour of the stone, a soft creamy See also: This well-known See also:Byzantine philosopher was the diffuser of See also:Platonism in See also:Florence during the time of Cosimo de' See also:Medici, and had faith in the revival of paganism. Returning to his own See also:people, he had died in the Morea. Sigismondo, having gone there in command of the Venetian expedition against the See also:Turks, exhumed the philosopher's bones as holy See also:relics, and brought them to Rimini for worthy sepulture in his Christian See also:pantheon. All,this is solemnly recorded in the inscription,which is dated r465. The See also:fourth sarcophagus was that of Roberto Valturio (d. 1489), the engineer, author of De Re Militari, who had been Sigismondo's See also:minister and had aided him in the construction of the castle of Rimini. The other urns on this side were placed by Malatesta's successors, and the arches on the left wall remained untenanted. Sigismondo understood the science of fortification. He was also the first to discard the use of wooden See also:bomb-shells, and substitute others See also:cast in bronze. As a soldier his numerous See also:campaigns had shown him to be possessed of all the best qualities and worst defects of the See also:free captains of his time. He began his military career in 1432 in the service of Eugenius IV.; but, when this pope doubted his good faith and transferred the command to another, he sided with the Venetians against him, though at a later date he again served under him. On the decease of Filippo Maria Visconti in 1441 he joined the Aragonese against See also:Venice and Florence; but, presently changing his See also:flag, fought valiantly against See also:Alphonso of See also:Aragon and forced him to raise the See also:siege of See also:Piombino. In 1454 he accepted a command from the Sienese; but suddenly, after his usual See also:fashion, he made See also:peace with the enemies of the republic, and had to See also:save himself by See also:flight from See also:arrest for his perfidy. It was then that the letters from Isotta were confiscated. After this he began scheming to hasten the coming of the Angevins, and took part in new and more hazardous campaigns against adversaries such as the duke of See also:Urbino, Sforza of See also:Milan, See also:Piccinino, and, worst of all, the Sienese pope, Pius II., his declared and mortal foe. This time Sigismondo had blundered; for the cause of See also:Anjou was hopelessly ruined in Italy. He was therefore driven to make his submission to the pope, but, again rebelling, was summoned to trial in Rome (146o) before a tribunal of hostile cardinals. All the old charges against him were now revived and eagerly confirmed. He was pronounced guilty of rapine, See also:incendiarism, See also:incest, assassination and See also:heresy. Consequently he was sentenced to the deprivation of his state (which was probably the main See also:object of the trial), and to be burnt alive as a heretic. This See also:sentence, however, could not easily be executed, and Sigismondo was only burnt in effigy. But the pope marked the intensity of his hatred by causing the dummy to be carved and dressed with such lifelike resemblance that he was almost able to persuade himself that his hated enemy was really consumed in the flames. Malatesta could afford to laugh at this See also:farce, but he nevertheless prepared in haste for a desperate defence (1462). He knew that the bishop Vitelleschi, together with the duke of Urbino and his own brother Novello Malatesta, lord of Cesena, were advancing against him in force; and, being defeated by them at Pian di Marotta, he was driven to Rome in 1463 to again make submission to the pope. This time he was stripped of all his possessions excepting the city of Rimini and a neighbouring castle, but the sentence of See also:excommunication was withdrawn. The once mighty tyrant of Rimini found himself reduced to penury with a state chiefly composed of a single town. He therefore took service with the Venetians, and in 1464 had the command of an expedition to the Morea. Here his movements were so hampered by the interference of the commissioners of the republic that, with all his valour, he could achieve no decisive success. In 1466 he was able to return to Rimini, for Pius II. was dead, and the new pope, Paul II., was less hostile to him. Indeed, the latter offered to give him See also:Spoleto and See also:Foligno, taking Rimini in See also:exchange; but Malatesta was so enraged by the proposal that he went to Rome with a See also:dagger concealed on his See also:person, on purpose to kill the pope. But, being forewarned, Paul received him with See also:great ceremony, and surrounded by cardinals prepared for defence; whereupon Sigismondo changed his mind, fell on his knees and implored forgiveness. His See also:star had now set for ever. For sheer subsistence he had to hire his sword to the pope and quell See also:petty rebellions with a handful of men. At last, his See also:health failing, he returned to his family, and died in Rimini on the 7th of See also:October 1468, aged fifty-one years. He was succeeded, according to his See also:desire, by Isotta and his son Sallustio. But there was an illegitimate See also:elder son by another mother, named Roberto Malatesta, a valiant and unscrupulous soldier. Befriended by the pope, this man undertook to conquer Rimini for the Holy See, but came there to further his own ends instead (loth October 1469), and, while feigning a desire to share the government with Isotta and her son, resolved, sooner or later, to seize it for himself. This aroused the pope's wrath, and Roberto instantly prepared for defence. Finding an ally in the duke of Urbino, whose eyes were now opened to the aggressive policy of the church, he was able to repulse its forces. Paul II. died soon after, and was succeeded by See also:Sixtus IV. Roberto's position was now more secure, and in See also:order to strengthen his recent affiance he betrothed himself to the daughter of the duke of Urbino. The next step was to dispose of his See also:rival kindred. On the 8th of See also:August 1470 Isotta's son was found murdered in a well belonging to the Marcheselli family; and a bloodstained sword, placed in their courtyard by Roberto, made it appear as though they had been guilty of the See also:crime. Towards the end of the same year Isotta died also, apparently of a slow See also:fever, but really, it was believed, by poison. Another of her sons, Valerio, born in 1453, still lived, but he was openly put to death by Roberto on a trumped-up See also:charge of See also:treason. In 1475 the new tyrant celebrated his nuptials with the duke of Urbino's daughter, and, being again taken into favour by the pope, valiantly defended him in Rome against the attacks of the duke of See also:Calabria, and died there in 1482 of the hardships endured in the war. His widow was left See also:regent during the minority of his son Pandolfo, who was nicknamed Pandolfaccio on account of his evil nature. Directly he was of age, he seized the reins of government by killing some relations who had plotted against him, and crushed another See also:conspiracy in the same way. Adaring soldier, he distinguished himself at the See also:battle of the Taro against the See also:French; but his tyranny made him hated by his subjects. In 1500, when Cesare Borgia fell on Romagna with violence and See also:fraud, this Malatesta shared the fate of other petty tyrants and' had to See also:fly for his life. After the fall of the Borgia he returned, but, being bitterly detested by his people, decided to sell his rights to the Venetians, who had long desired to possess Rimini, and who gave him in exchange the town of See also:Cittadella, some ready money, and a See also:pension for life. This arrangement was naturally disapproved by Rome, and especially by See also:Julius II.; he therefore contrived the See also:league of Cambray on purpose to ruin the Venetians, who were crushingly defeated in 1509. Thereupon the pope, having accomplished his own ends, made alliance with the Venetians, who were now prostrate at his feet, and, with them, the Spaniards and the Swiss, fought against the French at Ravenna in 1512. Here the French were victors, but owing to their heavy losses and the death of their renowned leader, Gaston de See also:Foix, were compelled to retreat. Thus Julius became master of Rimini and the other coveted lands. Malatesta made more than one See also:attempt to win back his city, but always in vain, for his subjects preferred the papal rule, and in 1528 Pope See also:Clement VII. became definite master of the town. Thus, after two hundred and. fifty years, the sway of the Malatesta came to an end, and Pandolfo was reduced to beggary. He died in 1534, leaving a daughter and two sons in great poverty. The elder, Sigismondo, after various military adventures, died at Reggio d'Emilia in 1543; and Malatesta, the younger, went to fight in the Scotch and See also:English wars, and was never heard of again. Sigismondo had left male heirs who made another attempt to regain Rimini in 1555, but Pope Paul IV. declared them deposed in See also:perpetuity in See also:punishment of Pandolfaccio's misdeeds. From that time the Malatesta became citizens of Venice; their names were inscribed in the See also:Golden Book, and they were admitted to the See also:grand See also:council. With the death, in 1716, of See also:Christina Malatesta, the wife of Niccolo Boldu, the Rimini See also:branch of the family became See also:extinct. The descendants of Giovanni, brother of Malatesta da Verrucchio, who married one of the Sogliano, were known as the Sogliano-Malatesta. The representatives of this branch settled in Rome. The history of Rimini practically ends with its See also:independence. It fell into obscurity under the rule of the popes, and was not again mentioned in history until, in 1831 and 1845, it began taking a prominent part in the revolutionary movements against papal despotism and in favour of Italian independence. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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