The Gonfalonier (Italian: ''Gonfaloniere'') was the holder of a highly prestigious
communal office in
medieval
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 World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
and
Renaissance Italy
The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...
, notably in Florence and the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
. The name derives from ''
gonfalone'' (English: "gonfalon"), the term used for the banners of such communes.
The title originated from Florence in the 1250s. The holders were known as the head of 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 ...
. A similar office known as
Gonfaloniere of Justice (''Gonfaloniere di Giustizia'') was made to protect the interests of the people. They became part of the city's government, or
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 ...
.
Other central and northern Italian communes, from
Spoleto
Spoleto (, also , , ; ) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is south of Trevi, north of Terni, southeast of Perugia; southeast of Florence; and north of Rome.
H ...
to the
County of Savoy, elected or appointed ''gonfalonieri.'' The
Bentivoglio family of
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
aspired to this office during the sixteenth century. However, by 1622, when
Artemisia Gentileschi
Artemisia Lomi Gentileschi ( ; ; 8 July 1593) was an Italian Baroque painter. Gentileschi is considered among the most accomplished 17th century, 17th-century artists, initially working in the style of Caravaggio. She was producing professional ...
painted a portrait of
Pietro Gentile as a gonfaloniere of
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
, with the ''gonfalone'' in the background, the office had merely symbolic value.
See also
*
Capitano del popolo
Captain of the people () was an administrative title used in Italy during the Middle Ages, established essentially to balance the power and authority of the noble families of the Italian city-states.Najemy, John M. 2006. ''A History of Florence 1 ...
*
Condottieri
Condottieri (; singular: ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian military leaders active during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The term originally referred specifically to commanders of mercenary companies, derived from the ...
*
Gonfalonier of the Church
*
Podestà
(), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Portrait of Pietro Gentile as a gonfaloniere of Bolognaby
Artemisia Gentileschi
Artemisia Lomi Gentileschi ( ; ; 8 July 1593) was an Italian Baroque painter. Gentileschi is considered among the most accomplished 17th century, 17th-century artists, initially working in the style of Caravaggio. She was producing professional ...
, 1622.
Heraldry
*
Italian Renaissance
Positions of authority
Political titles