Pandolfo III Malatesta

1 Biography
He was the second son of Galeotto I Malatesta. After the latters death, the Malatesta lands were divided:
he received Fano, while his brothers Carlo, Andrea
and Galeotto Novello inherited Rimini, Cesena and
Cervia, respectively. Galeottos sons were educated under humanists like Giacomo Allegretti and the famous
Francesco Filelfo.
Pandolfo began his career as condottiero at the age of 18,
leading a band of masnadieri to ravage Tuscany. In 1388
he accepted a condotta from Venice against the Carraresi
family of Padua. In 1393 he fought with Andrea against
the Ordela of Forl, but his occupation of Todi and
Narni, then part of the neighbouring Papal States, attracted him the excommunication of Pope Boniface IX.
Later pardoned, he fought against the Visconti of Milan
in a League supporting Francesco I Gonzaga of Mantua.

Medal of Pandolfo Malatesta (recto), Pisanello, National Gallery

of Art, Washington D.C.

Pandolfo then went on crusade in the Holy Land, returning in 1402. Hired by Gian Galeazzo Visconti together with his brother Andrea, he fought in the victorious battle of Casalecchio against Bologna, and was
subsequently named governor of that city. After Gian
Galeazzos death, he acted as advisor of his widow Caterina. He took advantage of that position, as well as of
other condottas for Italian states, to enlarge his small
seigniory and ravage the neighbouring states and cities
(like Trezzo and Como in 1403, followed by Brescia in
1404, which he received from the Visconti as payment of
his 200,000 ducati credit, and Bergamo in 1407).

In 1413 he was created capitano generale (commanderin-chief) of the Venetian armies, and fought against King
Sigismund of Hungary. A victory at Udine and a skillful retreat granted him a palace in Venice, and the title
of Duke of Crete, which he refused. However, his territories in Lombardy were soon attacked by Francesco
Bussone, condottiero of the new Visconti Duke Filippo
Maria and provided with a strong army. Pandolfo lost
Bergamo and Brescia by 1421. In 1424, in the course
of the First War in Lombardy, the Florentine army led
by the Malatesta brothers (with 10,000 cavalry and 3,000
Medal of Pandolfo Malatesta (versus), Pisanello, National infantry) was severely defeated at the battle of Zagonara.
Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Carlo was captured and Pandolfo ed to Cesena with a
few men-at-arms. He therefore lost Imola and Faenza to
the Visconti, but managed to keep Fano thank to the inPandolfo III Malatesta (c. 1369 October 3, 1427) tercession of Pope Martin V.
was an Italian condottiero and lord of Fano, a member of In the following years Malatesta devote to humanistic
the famous House of Malatesta.
studies and to embellish his city.
1

Pandolfo Malatesta died in Fano in 1427. He is buried

in the Church of St. Francesco in Fano. The grave was
built by his illegitimate son, Sigismondo Malatesta, one
of the most outstanding condottieri of the 15th century.
His other son Domenico was lord of Cesena from 1429
to 1456.

See also
Condottieri
House of Malatesta
Wars in Lombardy

Sources
Rendina, Claudio (1994). I capitani di ventura.
Rome: Newton Compton.

External links
Page at www.condottierieridiventura.it (Italian)

EXTERNAL LINKS

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