Malatesta (lived 13th – 16th century)

Italian family who ruled Rimini with intermissions between the 13th and the 16th century. After Rimini was defeated by Cesena, Giovanni Malatesta was appointed podestà of the town in 1237, following which the family's power was consolidated. During the struggles of the Guelphs and Ghibellines the Malatesta succeeded in becoming lords of Rimini and leaders of the Guelph cause. Giovanni died in 1247 and was succeeded by his son, Malatesta, surnamed Malatesta da Verruchio (1212–1312). Pope Boniface VIII, while conscious of the threatened rights of the Holy See, preferred to maintain good relations with a family which had restored the Guelphs in the Romagna, and conferred high honours on Malatesta (1299). His son, Giovanni the Lame, in return for his military help to Giovanni da Polenta of Ravenna, married the latter's daughter, Francesca da Rimini. In the 14 century the expansion of Rimini was halted by Pope Innocent VI and the Malatesta thereafter ruled in subordination to the papal see. During the early Renaissance period Rimini was ruled by Sigismondo Malatesta (c. 1417–1468), a patron of the arts and a soldier, who was excommunicated for waging war on Pope Pius II (1460). Sigismondo was eventually defeated by the papal forces and deprived of all his possessions apart from Rimini. After his power had been broken the sentence of excommunication was withdrawn. His descendant, Pandolfo (nicknamed Pandolfaccio because of his evil character), sold his rights in Rimini to Venice (1503). As a result Pope Julius II marched against and crushed the Venetians, and became master of Rimini (1509). Pandolfo made several failed attempts to regain his city and died in poverty (1534). From that time the Malatesta became citizens of Venice.