Angelo Viggiani del Montone

Imperial Captain of Acclaim

Friends, we found him! Not only did we find Angelo Viggiani dal Montone, we’ve found something that for all intents and purposes confirms a notion that has long been pondered in HEMA circles—that Angelo Viggiani was an Imperial Captain in the Service of Charles V. Without further ado:

The religious ceremonies at the onset of the new year were succeeded by various experiments and demonstrations of martial valor. In the grand square and beyond the walls of Bologna, the illustrious Dukes, either under the banner of Charles V or in the service of Clement VII, were frequently observed showcasing their bravery through vigorous combats and chivalric deeds. This provided a most captivating spectacle for the citizens of Bologna, who had always excelled in martial prowess. During this period, many of our men undoubtedly proved to be valiant soldiers, including Andrea Bovi, who served as lieutenant to Ferrante Gonzaga during the siege of Florence. Also fighting valiantly were Ercole Bentivoglio, son of Annibale II, who, during his country's exile, sought refuge in Ferrara and gained renown as a cultivator of letters and poetry. Teodoro Poeti was likewise a distinguished leader of the Emperor's cavalry and infantry in numerous military encounters, as were imperial captains Bartolomeo Campeggi, the knight Alberto Augelelli, Angel Vizzani del Montone, and Colonel Sforza Marescotti. A lengthy discourse could be dedicated to the illustrious Francesco de' Marchi, who, during those times of warfare, not only distinguished himself as a courageous captain but also earned acclaim in the mechanical arts and military architecture, surpassing the notable reputations of Lauro Gorgieri from Sant'Angelo in Vado, Francesco Luci from Castel Durante, Francesco Ferretti from Ancona, and Frauceschino Marchetti degli Angelini from Sinigaglia. Undoubtedly, the aforementioned warriors and others from our city who distinguished themselves during that era could be compared to many renowned figures from foreign lands, although they did not attain the level of fame that their glorious actions undoubtedly warranted.

—Giordani; pg. 64 (1530)

What does this mean for the context of Viggiani’s text? Well, a number of things stand out here. His peers in the Imperial retinue were Sforza Marescotti; the younger brother of Marozzo's student Emilio Marescotti, and Ercole Bentivoglio; the son of Annibale II Bentivoglio {though, an anti-war satirist}. This provides some fairly compelling contextual evidence that Viggiani’s text was an extension of the Bentivogleschi tradition.

Furthermore, it means that Viggiani’s dialogue is a reflection of his personal experience, this wasn't a hypothetical exercise or anecdotal, the subtext of the characters and setting were the based on a lived experience. The Guelf vs Ghibelline divide, the families, the reflection of various exemplars and their fencing styles, were all likely observed or acquired through contemporary observers.

Of course you'll find Boccadiferro and Rodomonte at the coronation as well. Conte d’Agomante is absent (dead in 1528) unless it's an 8 year old Lamoral, or even a pseudonym for Charles V; given that Charles held the honorific title of Count Egmont, which is wildly speculative.

This also calls into question the presumed date of birth for Viggiani. While we have a number of 13-14 year-olds, in military service in the 15th century, it's unlikely that he would've earned the honorific, “distinguished leader of the Emperor's cavalry and infantry.”

Contextually it seems that Angelo could have been a part of the Imperial army that besieged Florence in 1529 to install Alessandro de’ Medici, under the command of Ferrante Gonzaga.

Ferrante was called by Philibert de Chalon, Prince of Orange, to command the Imperial light cavalry, where he was instrumental in setting up artillery positions around Florence, and stopping any attempt to get supplies into city.¹ After the Prince of Orange’s death in 1530, Ferrante Gonzaga took full command of the Imperial forces, and was able to negotiate the city's surrender.²

Does this picture seem familiar? It was featured in our previous post, Kiss the Sword about a deadly duel during this same Siege of Florence in 1529-1530. We’ll have some more content about the campaign and combat of the siege coming soon.

If you want to keep following us on this journey to uncover the details of Angelo Viggiani dal Montone’s life, and make sure you subscribe!

Works Cited:

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1. Giordani, Gaetano. Della venuta e dimora in Bologna del sommo Pontifice Clemente VII. per la coronazione di Carlo V. Imperatore: celebrata l'anno 1800 cronaca. Italy, Alla Volpe, 1842.

2. Brunelli, Giampiero. GONZAGA, Ferrante; Biographical Dictionary of Italians - Volume 57 (2001). Treccani.it

1. Brunelli, Giampiero. GONZAGA, Ferrante; Biographical Dictionary of Italians - Volume 57 (2001). Treccani.it

Gonzaga contributed to setting up offensive positions, positioning artillery batteries and during the rare operations at the end of 1529 he distinguished himself by decisively opposing attempts to introduce food supplies into the city.

2. Brunelli, Giampiero. GONZAGA, Ferrante; Biographical Dictionary of Italians - Volume 57 (2001). Treccani.it

In the first half of 1530 the Imperials blockaded the city with ever greater rigor; the besieged could only attempt sorties, effectively contained by Gonzaga's troops. After a first attempt at an agreement was rejected, in the first days of August (in Gavinana) a relief expedition, which was supposed to break the lines of the besiegers, was annihilated. On this occasion, the Prince of Orange having died, G., who had succeeded him in the general command, negotiated with Malatesta Baglioni, general commander of the Florentines, obtaining the surrender of the city with apparently moderate conditions: the Medici would return to Florence, which would retain its freedom, and within four months Charles V would determine the new form of government. The ambiguity of the terms of the treaty did not hide the imminent end of the Republic; G. explicitly admitted that his aim had been "to do this honor" to Charles V and "to ensure that the satisfaction of Our Lord [Clement VII] follows under this cover" (letter to Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, 10 August 1530, in Sanuto, LIII, col. 462). Thus, having overcome residual internal opposition from Baglioni himself and from the Florentine aristocrats, the agreed terms were established on 10 August 1530.