Ottobuono de' Terzi

Ottobuono de' Terzi (also known as Otto Buonterzo or Ottobono) was an Italian condottiero and nobleman born in Parma and died in Rubiera on 27 May 1409. A ruthless military leader with a notorious reputation, he gained experience under John Hawkwood and fought in the Kingdom of Naples for Antonio Acquaviva. He later served the Republic of Venice and Gian Galeazzo Visconti. Ottobuono was granted the title of Count of Tizzano Val Parma and Castelnuovo, and later the Marquisate of Borgo San Giovanni. He received lands in Montecchio Emilia, Brescello, Colorno, and Fiorenzuola d'Arda. In 1403, he established his lordship over Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Piacenza, which he held until spring 1409, when his enemies, led by the House of Este, allied against him and ultimately orchestrated his assassination.

Background During the late 14th and early 15th centuries, while much of Europe was dominated by large monarchies such as France, England, Spain, and Portugal, the Italian peninsula was fragmented into numerous city-states and factions. These were divided into two main groups: the Guelphs, allied with the Papal States, and the Ghibellines, aligned with the House of Hohenstaufen and the Holy Roman Empire. This period marked a transition in Italy from governance by communes to lordships. The office of podestà, once a temporary position, increasingly fell to members of prominent noble families. Notable examples include the Visconti in Milan, the Este in Ferrara, and the Scala in Verona. Over time, titles and powers became lifelong and hereditary, giving rise to dynasties that controlled multiple cities, forming regional states.

Biography Family Ottobuono belonged to the Terzi family of Parma. He was the eldest son of Niccolò Terzi il Vecchio and Margherita. After becoming a widower in August 1405, he married Francesca, daughter of Carlo da Fogliano, on 1 December 1405 in Parma. Ottobuono fathered six children: Jacopo, Niccolò (known as "the Warrior"), Giorgio, Niccolò Carlo, Margherita, and Caterina.

Early military career From 1393 to 1397, Ottobuono fought primarily in central Italy, including the Marche, where he was active in Offida and defended Fermo against Antonio Aceti. He also campaigned in Tuscany and Umbria. In Pisa, he fought alongside Alberico da Barbiano and Giovanni da Barbiano against Bernardo della Serra to counter Florentine forces. In 1397, after a failed attempt to capture San Miniato, he ravaged the regions of Lucca and the Florentine countryside, engaging in plunder, arson, and taking prisoners for ransom. Stopped at the Serchio River in San Quirico di Moriano, he withdrew with Paolo Orsini and Broglia. In August, he moved to the Mantua region and participated in the Battle of Governolo (1397) alongside his father, commanding the fifth line of 1,000 cavalry. Unhorsed by a lance from the Count da Carrara, he fought on foot with an axe until remounted by allies.

Personal ambitions

Following the death of Gian Galeazzo Visconti in 1402, many lords in the Parma region rebelled against centralized rule. Alliances, often fleeting, were formed among the Sanvitale, Rossi, Da Correggio, Terzi, and Pallavicino. Ottobuono, a Visconti condottiero, was appointed marshal (maniscalco) in 1405, granting him command of a small army. The strategic fortress of Montechiarugolo was captured in January 1404 but later retaken by Ottobuono due to its proximity to the Este state. Ottobuono assembled 2,500 infantry in Montechiarugolo and, with Guido, seized Reggio Emilia, becoming lord of Parma, Piacenza, and Reggio.

In January 1405, alongside Visconti and Venetian troops, Ottobuono joined Francesco I of Mantua in the siege of Verona, then held by Jacopo da Carrara. Guido was captured but freed after a local rebellion. In March 1405, Guido captured Porporano castle with bombards, 300 cavalry, and 700 infantry, later attacking Mamiano and conquering bastions in Lesignano, San Michele di Tiorre, and Castrignano, halted only by snowfall. In exchange for his release, his father, Marsilio, his wife, Orsina, and his son, Cristoforo, became hostages of Niccolò III and were taken to Mantua, while Guido was forced to collaborate with Este. He was tasked with conquering Pariano castle in Basilicanova, defended by 100 cavalry, to cut off aid to San Polo d’Enza. At Niccolò III’s request, Guido conquered Forlì and returned it to the Ordelaffi at the pope’s behest. Margherita Caterina