The Traversari (or ''domus Traversariorum'', according to medieval chroniclers) are a noble Italian family. The dynasty's history was mostly connected to Ravenna, which it ruled between the 12th and 13th centuries. St. Romuald was the son of

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

Sergio degli Onesti of

Ravenna Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...

and of Traversara Traversari, daughter of Teodoro Traversari, son of Paolo I Traversari.

Legendary origins

According to the legend, the family's origins date back to the 5th century. The progenitor was one Teodoro, a general of the

Heruli The Heruli (also Eluri, Eruli, Herules, Herulians) were one of the smaller Germanic peoples of Late Antiquity, known from records in the third to sixth centuries AD. The best recorded group of Heruli established a kingdom north of the Middle Danu ...

, the people led by King

Odoacer Odoacer ( – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar, was a barbarian soldier and statesman from the Middle Danube who deposed the Western Roman child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became the ruler of Italy (476–493). Odoacer' ...

, who in 476 took control of Italy. This Teodoro allegedly founded a castle in the middle of the plain created by the river Lamone, called Traversara Castle, from which his descendants would later take their surname. After the death of

(around 490), Teodoro Traversari went into the service of the new conqueror,

Theodoric Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. Overview The name w ...

, King of the

Goths The Goths were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Europe. They were first reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 3rd century AD, living north of the Danube in what is ...

, being named Duke, which title would be passed to his descendants. Teodoro was appointed the

Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect' ...

of Ravenna; later he became a Patrician, then he was elected

Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

. After the death of Theodoric, Italy began a rapid decline. In 553 the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

completed the conquest of the Italian peninsula, establishing their capital in

. During the period of Byzantine domination, the Traversari occupied several important positions.

History

Middle Ages

Girolamo Rossi sketched a family tree of the house in the book ''Historiarum ravennatum books'' (1572). He wrote that the first to use the designation of "Traversaria" was one Duke Paul, who died in 947. A branch of the family, about the year 1000, moved to

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

, where they obtained the patrician status. From here they took a new surname, as the noble Venetian family called " Lezze". The main branch of the family remained in

Romagna Romagna () is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy. Etymology The name ''Romagna'' originates from the Latin name ''Romania'', which originally ...

. The Traversari family held possessions in

and in the countryside, exercising a dominant role in the city. The Traversari extended their influence over much of the northern

Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

. In 1024 Rustico Traversari had properties in

Adria Adria is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po River, Po. The remains of the Etruria, Etruscan city of Atria or Hatria are to be found below ...

, Comacchio, Ravenna,

Cervia Cervia () is a seaside resort town in the province of Ravenna, located in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Cervia is a major seaside resort in Emilia-Romagna, North Italy. Its population was 28,983 at the 2023 census. It is mainly ...

Imola Imola (; or ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, located on the river Santerno, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The city is traditionally considered the western entrance to the historical region Romagna ...

Faenza Faenza (, ; ; or ; ) is an Italian city and comune of 59,063 inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated southeast of Bologna. Faenza is home to a historical manufacture of majolica-ware glazed earthenware pottery, known ...

Rimini Rimini ( , ; or ; ) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. Sprawling along the Adriatic Sea, Rimini is situated at a strategically-important north-south passage along the coast at the southern tip of the Po Valley. It is ...

Jesi Jesi () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Ancona, in the Italian region of Marche. It is an important industrial and artistic center in the floodplain on the left (north) bank of the Esino river, before its mouth on the Adria ...

and

Ancona Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...

. Alberto Traversari (1060–1137) served under the flags of emperor Lothair II. His brother John Traversari died in 1158 during the siege of

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 ...

, fighting under emperor

Frederick I 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 am Main, Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aa ...

. Their sister Sophia was married to Peter, Duke of the Onesti, while the other brother, William, increased the power of their rule, marrying Marseilles, niece of Countess Matilda of Canossa. In 1180 Peter Traversari II (son of William) accompanied the Frederick in his meeting at Venice with

Pope Alexander III Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181. A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a Papal election, ...

, and later hosted the emperor in his palace at Ravenna. the following year Peter was the first of the family to be appointed ''

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 ...

'' of

. Under the Traversari family, Ravenna became a major city of the Ghibelline faction in Romagna. Despite Peter had married Emilia Guidi, the Traversari and Guidi families took arms during the 1190s for the possession of

Dovadola Dovadola () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Forlì-Cesena in the Italy, Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about southwest of Forlì, on the road leading to Florence. Dovadola borders the foll ...

and some castles in the area of Faenza. Pietro III Traversari (son of Peter II) was, like his father, a protector of poets and artists. Born in 1145, he was ''podestà'' of Ravenna from 1218 to 1225. Before Peter III, a Traversari is documented as ''podestà'' of the city in 1181, 1182, 1188, 1189, 1196, 1200, 1202, 1213 and 1216. In 1226 Peter received the visit of the emperor Frederick II and helped him in the fight against 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 ...

. Paul was again ''podestà'' in 1229 and 1233. He also obtained the title of Count of

by Frederick II. At the age of 14, Paolo II Traversari (son of Pietro II) married Beatrice of Nontivoglia. Paolo II and Beatrice had twelve children, including Catherine who was the grandmother of Francesca da Rimini. Catherine married Lamberto da Polenta and she had a son named Guido Magno, who was the father of Francesca, whose murder is recorded by

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

in his

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poetry, narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of ...

(Canto V of '' Inferno'').

Exile from Ravenna

the power of Traversari was opposed by the counts of Bagnacavallo and Cunio and, in Ravenna, by the Dusdei family, headed by Guido, who was succeeded by his son Ubertino. This led to open warfare in the 1218. On 2 October 1218, the Traversari attacked the Dusdei and their allies, forcing them to leave the city. In November the exiles retaliated by destroying the Traversari properties at Bertinoro. In 1239, after having been a Ghibelline supporter of the emperor, the family sided for the pro-papal Guelphs. The emperor's reaction was immediate. Frederick II, after three days of siege, conquered Ravenna and drove the Traversari out (August 15, 1240). Among the exiles, Traversara Traversari married Tommaso Fogliani of Reggio, Count of Romagna and nephew of Pope

Innocent IV Pope Innocent IV (; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254. Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universities of Parma and Bolo ...

, who was able to return to Ravenna. At his death, Traversara married to Stephen, son of Andrew, Duke of Calabria. The last will of Frederick II (who died in 1250) allowed Ayca Traversari (daughter of Paolo II Traversari) to return to Ravenna and, after several disputes, to regain possession of the family properties. Between 1253 and 1270 there was a period of relative calm in Ravenna, thanks to the control of Archbishop Philip, but after his death the feuds resumed, involving the Traversari, the

da Polenta The da Polenta family () or Polentani () was an old Italian noble family whose name derives from the Castle of Polenta near Bertinoro in Romagna. History The founder of the house is said to have been Guido, surnamed "l'Antico" (the Elder), wh ...

, the Malatesta and the

Montefeltro Montefeltro is a historical and geographical region in northern Italy. It gave its name to the House of Montefeltro, Montefeltro family, who ruled in the area during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The mountainous region includes San Marino ...

Fall of Ravenna

In 1275, Teodoro Traversari (son of Anastasio) lost the position of ''podestà'' of Ravenna, which was thenceforth ruled by the da Polenta. The family mostly settled in

, though some members moved to the

Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...

, to Portico di Romagna and to the Montone Valley. The da Polenta and their successors did not allow the Traversari to return to Ravenna. Teodoro Traversari went into exile in

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

along with his son Giovanni. Taddeo Traversari with his sons Pietro e Tommaso were mercenary captains under the banner of the German emperor Louis IV of Bavaria. The lineage was continued by Giacomo Traversari, son of Pietro VI, and by his son Loth, grandfather of St. Ambrose Traversari. In 1431 Ambrose became

Prior General Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be lowe ...

of the Camaldolese Order. At Portico di Romagna, threatened by the Manfredi Faenza, the Traversari swore obedience to the

Republic of Florence The Republic of Florence (; Old Italian: ), known officially as the Florentine Republic, was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany, Italy. The republic originated in 1115, when the Flor ...

. Some Traversari took the last name of Fabbri, continuing to use this surname for a long time, as appears in Florentine municipal documents. There are also records of Traversari in

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...

, probably having arrived from Venice. Among the descendants were humanist Luigi Traversari, professor at the

University of Padua The University of Padua (, UNIPD) is an Italian public research university in Padua, Italy. It was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from the University of Bologna, who previously settled in Vicenza; thus, it is the second-oldest ...

in 1443.

The Traversari and the arts

The names of Pietro Traversari and of other family members are mentioned in the poems of

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 ...

s such as William de la Tor, of Alberto from Sisteron, of Amerigo from Peguilhan. In the Italian literature, the Traversari family was mentioned by

(''in

''). He mentions Pietro III (c. 1145 - 1225) as an example of

's people of his time, who had lost the good qualities of their ancestors (Canto XIV of ''

Purgatory In Christianity, Purgatory (, borrowed into English language, English via Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman and Old French) is a passing Intermediate state (Christianity), intermediate state after physical death for purifying or purging a soul ...

''). Paolo II Traversari (Pietro II's son) is quoted in a story of '' Novellino'' by

Giovanni Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio ( , ; ; 16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375) was an Italian people, Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanism, Renaissance humanist. Born in the town of Certaldo, he became so ...

('' Decameron'', day V). This story has been illustrated by

Sandro Botticelli Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), better known as Sandro Botticelli ( ; ) or simply known as Botticelli, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 1 ...

in 1483.

References

External links

*
Official website
{{in lang, it
History of the Traversara's town, founded by the Traversari's family
Italian noble families