Rodolfo II da Varano

Rodolfo II da Varano (died 1384) was an Italian condottiero.

The son of Berardo da Camerino and nephew of Rodolfo I da Varano, in 1360 he fought in a crusade for Pope Clement VI. Later he was hired by the Angevines of Naples, for whom he was governor of Abruzzo. Later, again on the Papal side, he fought for Cardinal Albornoz against Malatesta and Ordelaffi. In 1355 he captured Recanati and, at Castelfidardo, made Galeotto I Malatesta as prisoner. Subsequently he was created Papal gonfaloniere and reconquered Rimini, Fano, Pesaro, Fossombrone, Ascoli Piceno and Forlì. His rise as papal commander was however halted when, due to strife with Albornoz, the latter had him imprisoned. After being freed, Rodolfo moved to the Republic of Florence, for which he took part in the conquest of Pisa in 1362.

The following year he warred for Perugia. In the same period, with the consent of Pope Urban V, he had his uncle killed and therefore he became lord of Camerino. In 1370 he victoriously warred for Florence against Barnabò Visconti. In 1375 he was the leader of a league against Pope Gregory XI and, the following year, he defended Bologna against the Papal troops. He became also lord of Macerata. In a reverse typical of the times, in 1377 he was made commander-in-chief by Gregory XI, and was sent to fight against Florence. Rodolfo suffered however two defeats at Montemilone and Fabriano.

He died at Tolentino in 1384.

References

*cite book|first=Ammirato |last=Scipione|title=Storie fiorentine|location=Florence|year=1647