History - The Italian Lakes - page 439

A New Law & Order
Medieval Italians described their comune (city-state) as if it were an earthly paradise,
where life was regulated by sublime statutes framed by learned lawyers. They were proud
of their appearances, too. Since things were constructed in their name they could take pro-
prietorial interest in the paving of streets, the layout of squares and the building of bridges.
Bonvesin de la Riva was a typical medieval citizen. A well-to-do Milanese, he belonged
to an order of monks called the Umilati. Thanks to his magnus opus, De Magnalibus Me-
diolani (The Marvels of Medieval Milan), which he penned in the spring of 1288, we have
quite an image of medieval Milan, the largest city of the peninsula in 13th century. Milan,
he tells us, is exalted among cities 'like the eagle above birds'. He goes on to enumerate its
admirable features: aside from its 'wondrous rotundity' it had 6km of city wall, six monas-
teries and 94 chapels, 80 farriers, 440 butchers and over 1000 tavern owners. The city Bon-
vesin loved had a population nearing 150,000. Florence and Venice were not far behind.
But left to itself the comune had a tendency to expand - to strengthen its borders, thwart
its rivals and acquire land from weaker neighbours. By the 14th century, Milan and Venice
controlled most of northern Italy and wars between the two rumbled on for decades. This
endless internecine conflict, coupled with the devastating effects of the Black Death
between 1348 and 1350, which killed more than 30,000 people in Milan, left people yearn-
ing for strong leadership even if losing some of their liberties was the price.
Comuni thus began inviting in strong men who could lead their cities out of crisis. The
most successful of these 'temporary' leaders often refused to retire and instead became si-
gnori , founding long-lasting dynasties. Among the strongest were the Visconti in Milan,
the Dalla Scala (or Scaliger) in Verona and the Gonzaga in Mantua. Under Azzone Visconti
(who ruled from 1330-37), Milan took control of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona,
Lodi, Novara, Piacenza and Sondrio, extending its influence from the Ticino and the Alps
in the north to the Po river in the south. In 1395 Milan annexed Verona and Vicenza, as
well as Bologna, Siena and Perugia.
Southeast along the Po valley were two small but vigorous principalities - the duchy of
Ferrara and the marquessate of Mantua - which by the 1400s even challenged the cultural
primacy of Florence. The success of Mantua's Gonzaga dynasty owed much to their skill in
choosing the winning side in regional wars. It owed even more to the political talents of
Isabella d'Este, a daughter of the Duke of Ferrara who became regent of Mantua in 1519
and so enhanced the prestige of her domain that her first son became a duke and her second
a cardinal.