South of Siena, between the Arbia and the Merse, the bishop of Siena holds a block of castles and villages centred on Murlo, the 'Vescovado', as a fief of his church; his successors will keep it until 1778.
The bishops had feudal rights over this tract by about 1055, and Murlo is counted as the seat of the episcopal fief from 1189. The city itself belongs to its commune, whose consuls drove a 12th-century bishop, Ranieri, into exile.
Who holds it
- Name
- Bono
- Title
- Bishop of Siena
- Since
- 1189
- Confidence
- high
From the Italian Wikipedia list: Gunterone (1176-1188), Bono (1189 to 25 October 1215), Bonfiglio (1216-52).
What it holds
- Murlo and the episcopal castles and villages between the Arbia and the Merse (the Vescovado), held from 1189
How it was acquired
Feudal rights over the land between the Arbia and the Merse about 1055; Murlo the seat of the episcopal fief from 1189 to 1778.
How things stand that morning
Held by the bishop; Siena is a self-governing commune.
Wealth
Farms and woods of the hills south of Siena.
Threats
- The commune of Siena
Advocates and rivals
The commune of Siena.
Places of note
- Vescovado di Murlo: Bishop's palace and the church of San Fortunato
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The fief's dates are attested; its exact villages in 1200 are not.
On the map: Drawn as the modern municipality of Murlo, which matches the later episcopal fief.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.