Carroccio
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A carroccio (; ) was a large four-wheeled
wagon A wagon (or waggon) is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by Working animal#Draft animals, draft animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are i ...
bearing the city signs around which the
militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
of the
medieval commune Medieval communes in the European Middle Ages had sworn allegiances of mutual defense (both physical defense and of traditional freedoms) among the citizens of a town or city. These took many forms and varied widely in organization and makeup. C ...
s gathered and fought. It was particularly common among the Lombard, Tuscan and, more generally,
northern Italian Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...
municipalities. Later its use spread even outside
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It was the symbol of municipal autonomy. Priests celebrated
Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
at the altar before the battle, and the trumpeters beside them encouraged the fighters to the fray. Defended by selected troops, paved with the colors of the municipality, it was generally pulled by oxen and carried an
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
, a
bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
(called ''martinella''), the heraldic signs of the city and a mast surmounted by a
Christian cross The Christian cross, seen as representing the crucifixion of Jesus, is a religious symbol, symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix, a cross that includes a ''corpus'' (a representation of Jesus' body, usually three-dimensional) a ...
. In peace time it was kept in the main
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
of the city to which it belonged. In battle the carroccio was surrounded by the bravest warriors in the army as the carroccio guard, and it served both as a rallying point and as the
palladium Palladium is a chemical element; it has symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1802 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas (formally 2 Pallas), ...
of the city's honour; its capture by the enemy was regarded as an irretrievable defeat and humiliation.


History


Origins

The carroccio, which has Lombard origins, was initially used by Arimannia as a war chariot. Its function became purely symbolic,D'Ilario, 1976, p. 190. with the addition of the cross, of the city signs, of the altar and with its preservation in the main church of the cityD'Ilario, 1976, p. 189. between 1037 and 1039 due to the
Archbishop of Milan The Archdiocese of Milan (; ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Italy which covers the areas of Milan, Monza, Lecco and Varese. It has long maintained its own Latin liturgical rite usage, the Amb ...
Aribert's use in one of the sieges that
Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II (, – 4 June 1039), also known as and , was the Holy Roman Emperor, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian dynasty, Salian emperors, who reigned for one century ...
did on several occasions in Milan. The carroccio therefore, from a military means, became a purely political instrument. From Milan its use spread in many municipalities of
northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...
, in
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
and outside Italy, until the decline in the 14th century. Medieval documents show the carroccio called ''carochium'', ''carozulum'', ''carrocerum'' or ''carrocelum'', while in the
Milanese dialect Milanese (endonym in traditional orthography , ) is the central variety of the Western dialect of the Lombard language spoken in Milan, the rest of its metropolitan city, and the northernmost part of the province of Pavia. Milanese, due to t ...
of the time it was probably called ''caròcc'' or ''caròz''.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 196. The carroccio was introduced by Heribert (Ariberto) for use as the military insignia of Milan. His many supporters adopted and spread the use of the insignia. It was soon adopted in Lombardy, Tuscany and Rome where it signified a militia aligned toward a defence of the Church.PABST, De Ariberto. Berlin, 1864. "II Mediol primisque medii œvi motibus popularibus"Archivio storico Lombardo. Anno XXIX. Its diffusion extended to other Lombard cities, but this cannot be explained as a pure reproduction of the Milanese carroccio. Moreover, the descendants of the Arimannia, still at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries had maintained, in the medieval society of northern Italy, a certain autonomy and were recognizable for various specific prerogatives, although the Lombard domination had ended after a few centuries.


12th century

Documents of 1158 and 1201 confirm the presence of the Milanese carroccio, in peacetime, in the church of
San Giorgio al Palazzo San Giorgio al Palazzo is a Baroque architecture, baroque-style, Roman Catholic church in central Milan, region of Lombardy, Italy. History The church was founded around 750 by archbishop Natalis (bishop of Milan), Natalis, and was modernized in ...
, while others are still inside the Palazzo della Ragione. The first document cited contains information on the need to make an iron shield to be placed in the
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
of the church, which was located near the carroccio, with the lighting of a votive fire fed by a pound of oil. The 1201 document contains similar information in that the archbishop of the San Giorgio al Palazzo church in Milan should have lighted votive lamps around the carroccio. In 1159 the municipal troops of
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
conquered the carroccio of the Cremona area during a battle. The cart was then carried in triumph between the streets of Brescia and was placed in the community church, with the "martinella" which was positioned on the civic tower of the city.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 197. The carroccio was the protagonist in the
battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
on 29 May 1176, during which it was defended, according to legend, by the Company of Death led by
Alberto da Giussano Alberto da Giussano (in Lombard ''Albert de Giussan'', in Latin ''Albertus de Gluxano'') is a legendary character of the 12th century who would have participated, as a protagonist, in the battle of Legnano on 29 May 1176. In reality, according ...
, a fictional character who actually appeared only in literary works of the following century. According to the legend, during the fight, three
dove Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...
s, out of the burials of the saints Sisinnio, Martirio and Alessandro at the
basilica of San Simpliciano The Basilica of San Simpliciano is an ancient Roman Catholic church in the centre of Milan, region of Lombardy, Italy: the church, commissioned by the 4th century bishop St Ambrose, is the second-oldest known Christian church with a Latin cross l ...
in Milan,D'Ilario, 1976, p. 80. rested on the carroccio causing the flight of
Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...
.Marinoni, p. 37. Instead, according to the real historical facts, the municipal
infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
arranged a decisive resistance around the carroccio which allowed the remaining part of the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
army led by
Guido da Landriano Guido da Landriano, or Landriani (; before 1159 - after 1190), was an Italian condottiero and politician. He held the position of consul of the city of Milan and was the military leader of the troops of the Lombard League during the battle of Legn ...
,Agnoletto, p. 39. to arrive from Milan and defeat Frederick Barbarossa in the famous clash of Legnano. Today it is difficult to establish precisely the exact location of this carroccio to the current topography of Legnano. One of the chronicles of the clash, the ''Cologne Annals'', contain important information: This would suggest that the carroccio was located on the edge of a steep slope flanking the river
Olona The Olona (''Olona'' in Italian; ''Ulona'', ''Urona'' or ''Uòna'' in Western Lombard) is an Italian river belonging to the Po Basin, long, that runs through the Province of Varese and Metropolitan City of Milan whose course is developed entire ...
, so that the imperial
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
, whose arrival was planned by
Castellanza Castellanza is a town and ''comune'' located in the province of Varese, along the boundary of the province of Milan, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Overview The toponym refers to the ''castellanze'' (plural form, singular ''castellanza' ...
along the river, would have been forced to attack the centre of the army of the Lombard League going up the escarpment.Agnoletto, p. 39. This decision later proved to be strategically incorrect, given that Frederick Barbarossa came instead from Borsano, or from the opposite side, which forced the municipal troops to resist around the carroccio with the escape road blocked by the Olona. Considering the evolution of the clash, this could mean that the crucial phases in defence of the carroccio had been fought on the territory of the San Martino ''contrada'' (more precisely, near the 15th-century church of the same name, which in fact dominates a slope that descends towards the OlonaD'Ilario, 1984, p. 233.) or of the Legnanese quarter of "Costa di San Giorgio", since in another part of the neighbouring areas it is not possible to identify another depression with the characteristics suitable for its defence.Percivaldi, p. 8. Considering the last hypothesis, the final clash could also have taken place on part of the territory now belonging to the ''contrade'' of Sant'Ambrogio and San Magno (between the quartier of "Costa di San Giorgio" and the Olona, a steep slope was later included in the Castello park) and to the municipality of San Giorgio su Legnano.


13th century

The carroccio was afterwards adopted by other cities and first appears, after Legnano, on a Florentine battlefield in 1228. The Florentine carroccio was usually followed by a smaller cart bearing the "martinella", a bell to ring out military signals. When war was regarded as likely, the "martinell" was attached to the door of the Church of Santa Maria in the Mercato Nuovo in Florence and rung to warn both citizens and enemies. In times of peace, the carroccio was in the keeping of a great family which had distinguished itself by signal services to the republic. The Florentine carroccio was captured by the
Ghibelline The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centu ...
forces of Castruccio Castracani in the 1325 Battle of Altopascio, after which it was displayed by the victors in a triumph held in the streets of
Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
. The ''carro della guerra'' of Milan was described in detail in 1288 by Bonvesin de la Riva in his book on the "Marvels of Milan". Wrapped in scarlet cloth and drawn by three
yoke A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, used in dif ...
of oxen that were
caparison A caparison is a cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration. In modern times, they are used mainly in parades and for historical reenactments. A similar term is horse-trapper. The word is derived from the Lat ...
ed in the white with the red crosses of
Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
, the city's patron, it carried a crucifix so massive it took four men to put it in place, like a ship's mast. The carroccio of the Lombard League was captured by the imperials in 1237 during the
battle of Cortenuova The Battle of Cortenuova (sometimes spelled Cortenova) was fought on 27 November 1237 in the course of the Guelphs and Ghibellines Wars: in it, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II defeated the Second Lombard League. Background In 1235 Emperor Fr ...
, donated to
Pope Gregory IX Pope Gregory IX (; born Ugolino di Conti; 1145 – 22 August 1241) was head of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the '' Decretales'' and instituting the Pa ...
by the emperor
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (, , , ; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusalem from 1225. He was the son of Emperor Henry VI, Holy Roman ...
, and transported to the ''Palazzo Senatorio'' in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
in what is still called the ''Sala del carroccio'' ("Room of carroccio"), where the commemorative inscription of the gift is kept made by the emperor to the Roman people. The inscription reads:D'Ilario, 1976, p. 193. Rome, in addition to being the seat of the
papacy The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
, was also the capital of a vast empire, and therefore the sending of the carroccio to the city by the emperor had a strong symbolic meaning. In 1237 however, the Lega Lombarda lost the carroccio in battle because of the muddy roads. In 1275, it was the carroccio of the Bolognese (who were
Guelphs The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were Political faction, factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th ...
) to be captured in the battle of San Procolo by the Forlivese, who were instead
Ghibellines The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centurie ...
, and to be brought in triumph to
Forlì Forlì ( ; ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and city in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, and is, together with Cesena, the capital of the Province of Forlì-Cesena.The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the east of the Montone river, ...
. In the mid-13th century the carroccio di
Cremona Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city a ...
was instead captured in battle by the municipal militias of
Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...
. Accounts of the carroccio will be found in most histories of the Italian republics.


14th century: decline and disappearance

The decline of the carroccio occurred due to the evolution of war tactics. When larger and more manoeuvrable armies began to appear, the municipal infantry were replaced by soldiers of "ventura", who, being
mercenaries A mercenary is a private individual who joins an War, armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rath ...
, lacked emotional ties and belonging to the city. The symbolic value of the carroccio, in this historical context, was therefore less. Moreover, from a logistical point of view, the carroccio, being a very slow vehicle drawn by oxen, was not very mobile, and often created obstacles to the actions of war, which were becoming faster and faster. For these reasons, the carroccio, in the 14th century, went inexorably towards a phase of decline which then led to its disappearance from battlefields.


The use of the carroccio outside Italy

Similar cart-mounted standards were also found elsewhere in Europe, at the
Battle of the Standard The Battle of the Standard, sometimes called the Battle of Northallerton, took place on 22 August 1138 on Cowton Moor near Northallerton in Yorkshire, England. English forces under William of Aumale repelled a Scottish army led by King Davi ...
in 1138, employed by the English, and at the Battle of Sirmium in 1167, employed by the Hungarians. In addition, the carroccio was also used in the
Battle of Bouvines The Battle of Bouvines took place on 27 July 1214 near the town of Bouvines in the County of Flanders. It was the concluding battle of the Anglo-French War (1213–14), Anglo-French War of 1213–1214. Although estimates on the number of troo ...
in 1214.


Function

In addition to the symbolic value, the carroccio had an important military tactical function.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 192. It began to gain military value, especially after the battle of Legnano, where, between the first times in history, the infantry, which was gathered around the carroccio, held the
chivalry Chivalry, or the chivalric language, is an informal and varying code of conduct that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood, with knights being members of ...
head. Until then, the latter was in fact considered clearly superior to soldiers on foot. Since the infantry gathered around the carroccio, the latter, besides having a strong symbolic value, therefore had an important tactical function. If the carroccio was ever captured, for the municipal militias, defeat was almost certain. Also, for this reason, the carroccio, in addition to being considered the most coveted in war, was kept in cathedrals, which were the most important churches of the municipalities, and was the protagonist, always in times of peace, of the most important ceremonies and events that took place in the cities. In addition to the war purpose, the carroccio had other functions, which could also be carried out in times of peace. The leaders of the municipalities, on the carroccio, could make important decisions concerning the city, while the judges could use it as a mobile
tribunal A tribunal, generally, is any person or institution with authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title. For example, an advocate who appears before a court with a singl ...
to issue their
sentences The ''Sentences'' (. ) is a compendium of Christian theology written by Peter Lombard around 1150. It was the most important religious textbook of the Middle Ages. Background The sentence genre emerged from works like Prosper of Aquitaine's ...
. The Lombard Lega infantry, during the battle of Legnano, managed to resist the various attacks perpetrated by the imperial cavalry due to the tactics of the latter, which foresaw assaults on small disorganized groups. Only after the clash of Legnano did the cavalry begin to change strategy, attacking the infantry in defence of the carroccio in conspicuous organized forces, thus succeeding in breaking its resistance. This change in war strategy also contributed to the decline and disappearance of the carroccio from battlefields.


Description


The remains that survived

In
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
, there is a cross that probably belonged to the
flagpole A flagpole, flagmast, flagstaff, or staff is a pole designed to support a flag. If it is taller than can be easily reached to raise the flag, a cord is used, looping around a pulley at the top of the pole with the ends tied at the bottom. The fla ...
of the carroccio from
Cremona Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city a ...
, conquered in 1191 at the battle of the Malamorte. Inside the
Siena Cathedral Siena Cathedral () is a medieval church in Siena, Italy, dedicated from its earliest days as a Roman Catholic Marian church, and now dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. Since the early 13th-century the Siena Cathedral has been an important pa ...
, on the other hand, two large 10–15 m spars are preserved, which traditionally refers to the carroccio, victorious from the
battle of Montaperti The Battle of Montaperti was fought on 4 September 1260 between Republic of Florence, Florence and Republic of Siena, Siena in Tuscany as part of the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Florentines were routed. It was the blood ...
. In Cremona, at the civic museum, there is a wooden platform that is thought to have belonged to the cart of the wagon taken from the Milanese in 1213 in Castelleone.


In the chronicles

Since there are very few surviving remains from medieval times, information on the shape of the carroccio is fragmentary. Alessandro Visconti, in a book from 1945, referring to the chronicler
Arnulf of Milan Arnulf of Milan, or Arnulfus Mediolanensis ( 1018–1077) was a medieval chronicler of events in Northern Italy. He was the great-nephew of Archbishop Arnulf I of Milan. Arnulf was born in the late 10th or early 11th century. He gives eyewitness ...
, reports this description: Two depictions of the carroccio in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
reached the 21st-century ichnographically. The first is present in the ''Montauri Chronicles'' of Siena, and the second in the ''Chronicle of
Giovanni Villani Giovanni Villani (; 1276 or 1280 – 1348)Bartlett (1992), 35. was an Italian banker, official, diplomat and chronicler from Florence who wrote the ''Nuova Cronica'' (''New Chronicles'') on the history of Florence. He was a leading statesman of ...
''. The two representations are the result of stories by non-ocular chroniclers, being the authors of the 14th and 15th centuries, therefore of an era where the presence of the carroccio in everyday life had by then disappeared. The first representation shows only two movable flagpoles, one with the help of the other, while in the second image, where there is a four-wheeled cart with a flag, the subject is shown in more detail. The same image of the carroccio is present in a fresco by Stradanus dedicated to the
House of Medici The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo de' Medici, Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first h ...
, which depicts
Piazza della Signoria () is a w-shaped Town Square, square in front of the in Florence, Central Italy. It was named after the Palazzo della Signoria, also called . It is the main point of the origin and history of the Florentine Republic and still maintains its reput ...
during the feast of
John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
. It is therefore probable that three types of carroccio existed. The first "classic" on the Milanese model, the Tuscan one with two flagpoles (with the carroccio of
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
that presented a bell), and the one widespread in
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
and
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, which was a simple cart with a central flagpole. From the description, made by
Salimbene di Adam Salimbene di Adam (or Salimbene of Parma) (9 October 1221 – 1290) was an Italian Franciscan friar, theologian, and chronicler. Salimbene was one of the most celebrated Franciscan chroniclers of the High Middle Ages. His ''Cronica'' is a fundam ...
, of the dismantling of the one captured by the Parmesans to the Cremonese during the Battle of Parma in 1248, it can be deduced that there were five parts of the carroccio: four wheels, a platform, the flagpole, the flag and various decorations. The wheels were very large, and were usually painted red in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
and Florence, white in Parma, and in precious colours not specified in
Siena Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
and
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
. The flagpole, according to the description of
Bonvesin da la Riva Bonvesin da la Riva (; sometimes Italianized in spelling Bonvesino or Buonvicino; ) was an Italian Medieval writer and poet. Bonvesin was a notable Lombardy, Lombard poet and writer, giving one of the List of languages by first written accounts, fi ...
, weighed as much as four men and was usually supported by ropes (certainly that of Milan). In the Chigi codex, the Florentine carroccio presents two flagpoles and the flag, which very often was not fixed to a sidebar, was in precious fabric usually divided into two halved colours, or it was decorated with a cross motif. Unlike in
Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...
, the representation of the patron saint did not appear on Italian wagons, where it was often depicted as decoration of the front body. The tow of the carroccio was usually executed by oxen or — very rarely — by horses.


The "martinella"

The use of the bell (the "martinella") is still controversial. It is not clear whether he was directly on the carroccio or else he followed on another vehicle. The function of recall of the soldiers around the carroccio was carried out by the "martinella", while the trumpeters imparted the orders and, very often, incited the troop to the combat.D'Ilario, 1976, p. 192. In 2000, the original "martinella" of the
Battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
was identified. It was kept on the bell tower of the hermitage of Sant'Alberto di Butrio of
Ponte Nizza Ponte Nizza is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italy, Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km south of Milan and about 35 km south of Pavia. Ponte Nizza borders the following municipalities: Bagnaria, Cec ...
, in the
province of Pavia The province of Pavia () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is Pavia. , the province has a population of 548,722 inhabitants and an area of ; the town of Pavia has a population of 72,205. History T ...
. In the same year of the discovery, it was paraded during the historical procession of the
Palio di Legnano The Palio di Legnano (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio'') is a traditional event generally held on the last Sunday of May in the city of Legnano, Italy, to recall the Battle of Legnano held on 29 May 1176 by the Lombard League and the Holy R ...
.Ferrarini, p. 188.


The ''specialis magister''

The ''specialis magister'', who took care of the maintenance of the carroccio, was paid by the municipality, for his service, 8 '' soldi'' a day. In addition to checking the functionality of the wagon, the ''specialis magister'' participated in the war actions in which the carroccio was involved by dressing armor and carrying a
sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...
. On the carroccio, a
chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...
was also present, whose function was to celebrate
Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
on the altar placed on the carroccio. Also this religious figure, together with that of the
cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
, was paid by the municipality.


In literature

The first literary trace of the carroccio appears in the poem by
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras __NOTOC__ Raimbaut de Vaqueiras or Vaqueyras (fl. 1180 – 1207) was a Provençal troubadour and, later in his life, knight. His life was spent mainly in Italian courtsAmelia E. Van Vleck, ''The Lyric Texts'' p. 33, in ''Handbook of the Troub ...
, a French
troubadour A troubadour (, ; ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female equivalent is usually called a ''trobairitz''. The tr ...
of the 12th century, entitled "''Il Carros''", where the man of letters, turning his flattery to Beatrice, daughter of
Boniface I, Marquess of Montferrat Boniface I, usually known as Boniface of Montferrat (; ; c. 1150 – 4 September 1207), was the ninth Marquis of Montferrat (from 1192), a leader of the Fourth Crusade (1201–04) and the king of Thessalonica (from 1205). Early life Boniface ...
, states that the Lombard women rivals in the beauty of the girl they use a carroccio and other chariots to "fight" the growing fame of the girl.Voltmer, p. 6.
Giacomo da Lentini Giacomo da Lentini, also known as Jacopo da Lentini or with the appellative Il Notaro, was an Italian poet and inventor of the 13th century. He was a senior poet of the Sicilian School and was a notary at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Fred ...
, an imperial official of
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (, , , ; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusalem from 1225. He was the son of Emperor Henry VI, Holy Roman ...
, dealt with the carroccio in the song ''Ben m'è venuto'', which is a poetic piece of love inspired by the poems of the troubadours and probably composed before the
battle of Cortenuova The Battle of Cortenuova (sometimes spelled Cortenova) was fought on 27 November 1237 in the course of the Guelphs and Ghibellines Wars: in it, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II defeated the Second Lombard League. Background In 1235 Emperor Fr ...
(between 1233 and 1237).


The carroccio in the modern era


Posthumous meaning

Since the carroccio is a '' signum'', in modern times it has become a symbol of ideas, hopes and different meanings, very often as anti- tyrannical propaganda during the period of the
Signoria A ''signoria'' () was the governing authority in many of the Italian city-states during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The word ''signoria'' comes from ''signore'' (), or "lord", an abstract noun meaning (roughly) "government", "governi ...
s, up to
Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...
and the
Risorgimento The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
, where it became the symbol of the struggle against the foreign occupation. Important promoters of these ideas were Massimo d'Azeglio,
Giovanni Berchet Giovanni Berchet (; 23 December 1783 – 23 December 1851) was an Italian poet and patriot. He wrote an influential manifesto on Italian Romanticism, ''Lettera semiseria di Grisostomo'', which appeared in 1816, and contributed to ''Il Conciliat ...
, Amos Cassioli,
Francesco Hayez Francesco Hayez (; 10 February 1791 – 12 February 1882) was an Italian painter. He is considered one of the leading artists of Romanticism in mid-19th-century Milan, and is renowned for his grand historical paintings, political allegories, and ...
.
Giosuè Carducci Giosuè Alessandro Giuseppe Carducci (27 July 1835 – 16 February 1907) was an Italian poet, writer, literary critic and teacher. He was noticeably influential, and was regarded as the official national poet of modern Italy. In 1906, he became ...
and
Giovanni Pascoli Giovanni Placido Agostino Pascoli (; 31 December 1855 – 6 April 1912) was an Italian poet, classical scholar and an emblematic figure of Italian literature in the late nineteenth century. Alongside Gabriele D'Annunzio, he was one of the grea ...
recalled, with the ''Canzone di Legnano'' and ''Canzone del carroccio'', the splendors of medieval Italian
comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
s, a concept that was later taken up also by the writings of Gabriele D'Annunzio.


Commemorations

In festivals and historical re-enactments, very often, the pivotal figure is represented by the carroccio: *In the
Palio di Siena The Palio di Siena (; known locally simply as ; from Latin ) is a horse race held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback (the horses, not the riders) and dressed in the appropriate colours, re ...
(2 July – 16 August) the carroccio, which parades with the black-and-white sock of the municipality, carries the Palio (also known as "''cencio''"), or a painted silk drapery, prize of the horse race (called also "''carriera''") which closes the event. The bell and the
herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen ...
s represent the final moment of the '' Corteo Storico'', before the ''carriera'' for the conquest of the rag. *In the
Palio di Legnano The Palio di Legnano (; known locally simply as ''Il Palio'') is a traditional event generally held on the last Sunday of May in the city of Legnano, Italy, to recall the Battle of Legnano held on 29 May 1176 by the Lombard League and the Holy R ...
(last Sunday of May), the carroccio parades through the streets of
Legnano Legnano (; or ''Lignàn'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan, province of Milan, about from central Milan. With 60,259, it is the thirteenth-most populous township in Lombardy. Legnano is located in the ...
pulled by oxen. This wagon, which concludes the historical procession, carries the Cross of Aribert, the coveted prize of the
horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
in which the eight ''contrade'' in which Legnano is divided compete in the
stadio Giovanni Mari Stadio Giovanni Mari is a multi-use stadium in Legnano, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of A.C. Legnano. The stadium holds 5,000 people. It is also used for the horse race of Palio di Legnano. Hist ...
. The carroccio, during the historical procession, which closes at the Giovanni Mari stadium, is escorted by some figurants who impersonate
Alberto da Giussano Alberto da Giussano (in Lombard ''Albert de Giussan'', in Latin ''Albertus de Gluxano'') is a legendary character of the 12th century who would have participated, as a protagonist, in the battle of Legnano on 29 May 1176. In reality, according ...
and the Company of Death. The latter, before the horse race, recall the
charge Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * '' Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...
made, according to legend, by the Company of Death and Alberto da Giussano during the battle of Legnano. *In the
Palio di Asti The Palio di Asti (or ''Palio Astese'' in its most archaic nomenclature) is a traditional Italy, Italian festival of Middle Ages, medieval origin that culminates with a bareback horse race. The race has been run each year since the 13th century. ...
(third Sunday of September), the carroccio is pulled by three pairs of oxen and brings, as tradition dictates, the insignia of the city (a white cross on a red field), a wrought iron rooster (symbol of municipal freedom), and the Palio di Asti, the coveted prize of the winner of the horse race. It is a historical reconstruction of the medieval
Asti Asti ( , ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 74,348 inhabitants (1–1–2021) located in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, about east of Turin, in the plain of the Tanaro, Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and ...
carroccio and bears the altar with a reproduction of Secundus of Asti, present in the Gothic choir of the Asti Cathedral. On the carroccio di Asti there is also the "martinella", or the bell that once served to call the municipal troops to pray before the battle. It is kept in the Collegiate Church of San Secondo, from which it comes out only once a year, on the occasion of the Palio race, on the third Sunday of September.


Modern uses of the term

The political party of the is historically known as ''il carroccio'', in reference to the
Battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
to which the Lega Nord symbolism refers.


See also

*
Alberto da Giussano Alberto da Giussano (in Lombard ''Albert de Giussan'', in Latin ''Albertus de Gluxano'') is a legendary character of the 12th century who would have participated, as a protagonist, in the battle of Legnano on 29 May 1176. In reality, according ...
*
Battle of Legnano The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was al ...
* Company of Death *
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...


Citations


References

* * (In Italian) Giorgio D'Ilario, Egidio Gianazza, Augusto Marinoni, ''Legnano e la battaglia'', Edizioni Landoni, 1976. * (In Italian) Gabriella Ferrarini, Marco Stadiotti, ''Legnano una città, la sua storia, la sua anima'', Telesio editore, 2001. * (In Italian) Chiara Frugoni, ''Il Villani illustrato : Firenze e l'Italia medievale nelle 253 immagini del ms. Chigiano L VIII 296 della Biblioteca Vaticana'', texts by Alessandro Barbero, Alessandro Savorelli to others, Firenze, Le lettere, 2005. * (In Italian) Paolo Grillo, ''Legnano 1176. Una battaglia per la libertà'', Laterza, 2010. * (In Latin) Alphonse Huillard-Bréholles, ''Tomus 5, pars 1'', part of ''Historia diplomatica Friderici secundi'', Anastatic reprint. of edition: Parisiis Henricus Plon, Torino, Bottega d'Erasmo, 1963 857 * (In Italian) Augusto Marinoni, ''La battaglia di Legnano è avvenuta nel territorio sangiorgese?'', in Attilio Agnoletto, ''San Giorgio su Legnano - storia, società, ambiente'', Edizioni Landoni, 1992. * (In Italian) Cesare Paoli, ''Il libro di Montaperti : (an. 1260)'', Firenze, G. P. Vieusseux, 1889. * (In German) H. Zug Tucci, ''Il carroccio'', in ''Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Bibliotheken und Archiven'', vol. 65, 1985, pp. 1–104. * (In Italian) Guglielmo Ventura, ''Memoriale'', by Ludovico Antonio Muratori, Milano, 1727. * (In Italian) Ernst Voltmer, ''Il carroccio'', translation of Giuseppe Albertoni, Torino, Einaudi, 1994.


External links

{{Commons category Carts * Chariots