DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55699#0277
RIMINI.
223
testa il Vecchio, displayed great talents, and was acknow-
ledged as chief of the Guelphs in that part of Italy.
He commanded the Guelphic League when they were
defeated by Guido da Montefeltro, the leader of the
Ghibellines ■, and eventually succeeded, after several vain
attempts, in making himself lord of Rimini, by trea-
cherously seizing and murdering Montagna de’ Parcita,
the head of the Ghibellines of that city.
Malatesta the old was thrice married. By his first
wife he had Malatesta dall’ Occhio, so named because
he had only one eye; by the second were born Giovanni
and Paolo; by the third he had one Ramberto, of whom we
have no need farther to speak. Giovanni was lame;
hence he was surnamed Ciotto, a word which being united
with his Christian name, pronounced in dialect Zan or
Gian, the name Zanciotto or Gianciotto was formed,
sometimes changed into Lanciotto. Paolo, on the con-
trary, must have been a fine-looking man, he being sur-
named Paul the Beautiful, or Paolo Bello. Giovanni was
the father of three sons, probably by his wife Francesca;
and it is to be concluded that Paolo was married, since
from him descended the counts of Ghiazzolo.
Guido da Polenta, the father of Francesca, was Lord of
Ravenna, and a Guelph. He contrived to render himself
master of that city, by driving from it the two powerful
Ghibelline families, Traversal’! and Atanagi. He suc-
ceeded, chiefly by the assistance of the Malatestas, with
whom he was strictly allied. After the murder of Fran-
cesca, the two houses continued to support each other,
but the persons more nearly connected with the two
victims seem never to have been afterwards on friendly
223
testa il Vecchio, displayed great talents, and was acknow-
ledged as chief of the Guelphs in that part of Italy.
He commanded the Guelphic League when they were
defeated by Guido da Montefeltro, the leader of the
Ghibellines ■, and eventually succeeded, after several vain
attempts, in making himself lord of Rimini, by trea-
cherously seizing and murdering Montagna de’ Parcita,
the head of the Ghibellines of that city.
Malatesta the old was thrice married. By his first
wife he had Malatesta dall’ Occhio, so named because
he had only one eye; by the second were born Giovanni
and Paolo; by the third he had one Ramberto, of whom we
have no need farther to speak. Giovanni was lame;
hence he was surnamed Ciotto, a word which being united
with his Christian name, pronounced in dialect Zan or
Gian, the name Zanciotto or Gianciotto was formed,
sometimes changed into Lanciotto. Paolo, on the con-
trary, must have been a fine-looking man, he being sur-
named Paul the Beautiful, or Paolo Bello. Giovanni was
the father of three sons, probably by his wife Francesca;
and it is to be concluded that Paolo was married, since
from him descended the counts of Ghiazzolo.
Guido da Polenta, the father of Francesca, was Lord of
Ravenna, and a Guelph. He contrived to render himself
master of that city, by driving from it the two powerful
Ghibelline families, Traversal’! and Atanagi. He suc-
ceeded, chiefly by the assistance of the Malatestas, with
whom he was strictly allied. After the murder of Fran-
cesca, the two houses continued to support each other,
but the persons more nearly connected with the two
victims seem never to have been afterwards on friendly