The commune of the Savio valley, free of the archbishop of Ravenna since about 1180.
Henry VI held court here in November 1186. With Forlì it was the last Romagna town to stay with Markward of Annweiler in 1198. Its old enemy is Rimini, which took its castle of Bulgaria in 1181 with the help of Count Montefeltrano.
Who holds it
- Title
- Consuls or podestà of Cesena for 1199
- Since
- not pinned
- Confidence
- low
Cesena freed itself from the archbishop of Ravenna's lordship and became a free commune about 1180; no officers for 1199-1200 found.
Lord in 1200
The commune of Cesena.
How things stand that morning
Self-governing; imperial in sympathy; at enmity with Rimini.
Charter
Not pinned; the commune's freedom from the archbishop dates from about 1180.
Council
Consuls or podestà (not pinned).
Communities
Not documented.
Militia
Citizen militia.
Walls and castle
Walled town below the Garampo hill; the later Malatesta rocca is fifteenth-century.
Trade and crafts
Market of the Via Emilia and the Savio valley road; the coast at the later Cesenatico, where the port canal is dug only in 1302.
Places of note
- Bulgaria: Cesena's castle lost to Rimini in 1181 (site near Cesena, not located)
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: General history only.
On the map: The contado is drawn as the Savio valley and its plain from the Savio to the Pisciatello; Sarsina and its bishop, and the upper valley, are left out.
Sources and studies
- Storia di Cesena (it.wikipedia)
- Storia di Ravenna (it.wikipedia)
- MONTEFELTRANO, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
- Arrigo Mainardi (Enciclopedia Dantesca)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.