ABOUT THE ARCHIDADO JOUST
The Archidado Joust traces its origins back to the Middle Ages and was officially created in 1397 to celebrate the wedding of Francesco Casali, the Lord of Cortona, and Antonia Salimbeni, a noble woman from Siena. In the city of Cortona, this historical event is recalled every year on the second Sunday of June, when people are lead back to the ancient medieval splendor of the city. The streets are decorated in medieval style, ladies, knights, flag flyers, crossbow shooters, soldiers, pages, civil and religious authorities, all dressed with fine costumes, liven up the city center, which is rich in history and artistic beauties of every time.
Historical origin
The Archidado Joust traces its origins back to the Middle Ages and was officially created in 1397 to celebrate the wedding of Francesco Casali, the Lord of Cortona, and Antonia Salimbeni, a noble woman from Siena. In the city of Cortona, this historical event is recalled every year on the second Sunday of June, when people are lead back to the ancient medieval splendor of the city. The streets are decorated in medieval style, ladies, knights, flag flyers, crossbow shooters, soldiers, pages, civil and religious authorities, all dressed with fine costumes, liven up the city center, which is rich in history and artistic beauties of every time. The Council of Terzieri is really proud of recreating this joyful atmosphere and hopes that the striving competition for winning the golden arrow called “verretta” will emotionally involve not only the five quarters but the whole city, for a moment of genuine joy and funny craziness that makes us coming back to the past.
The wedding
The well documented historical work “CORTONA NEL MEDIOEVO” (Cortona in the Middle Ages) by our illustrious fellow citizen Girolamo MANCINI is of primary importance for this topic. From chapter XXVI “Francesco Casali marries Antonia Salimbeni” (year 1397, pages 248-249).
… “The beautiful young woman arrived in Cortona on 8th January 1397, escorted by Uguccio and the bridegroom. Attending the nuptials were guests from Florence, Castello and M. Niccolò Castracani, each followed by ten horses, Ottavio Ubaldini and his wife and twenty horses, the landlord of Baschi and other gentlemen with smaller escorts, a large number of trumpets, pipes, players of several instruments, fencers and performers.
The Malatestas from Rimini, as well as Castiglione Aretino, Isola Maggiore, and the lodgers from Lake Trasimene sent gifts. The rectors of the Guilds In the city, the heads of villas in the county, all the families of the Comune, even the modest ones, offered sweets, poultry, birds, and hay for the horses. A precious girdle made of pearls costing 100 florins donated by Castello, a piece of vermillion velvet offered by Florence, a horse and two pieces of cloth interwoven in silk and gold sent by the Marquise Malatesta Malatesti, and 200 florins chest jewel sent by Carlo Malatesti were especially admired among all the gifts. In order to furnish Palazzo Casali, which had been slowly depredated by courtesans, the citizens loaned beds, tables, linens, basins, silverware and other household goods. During the days of the splendid celebrations, jousts and dances followed one another…”.
Offert of candles to Saint Margaret
From the “Cortona Statute” of the year 1325: The festivities of Saint Mark and Saint Margaret were particularly solemn. A few days before their recurrence, the Council of the Hundred would decide on how to celebrate them. Three gentlemen nominated by the vicar decided on the weight of the wax that guilds and villas had to offer: every rural household would pay 6 deniers for the oblation to Saint Mark and 4 for the one to Saint Margaret. These compulsory offers were received and guarded by three other gentlemen, who would get fined 20 pennies, like the offers, if the wax being offered and accepted was less than the established weight.
Then the Council would order and the vicar would approve to use part of the wax and sell part of it to the benefit of the two churches.
“A huge number of worshippers would come from out of town to the celebration of Saint Margaret, so the Council would always deliberate on how to guard the city and order extra guards. Male visitors were hosted by citizens, whereas women were hosted in churches. The City would provide 20 measures of straw for their bedding in homes and churches, as well as 25 measures of thinly-cut wood to be donated to visitors who asked for it.
The vicar watched over the supply of bread, the increase in food prices and kept one of his notaries near Saint Basilio to guard the city, to check on the guests and to allow only guards to linger overnight around the church of Saint Margaret. The penalty for all crimes committed was doubled.
Twelve jousters chosen by the vicar would joust with weapons and flags provided by the City and donated to the Church at the end of the festivity”. Around the time of vesper, the vicar and the officials, together with the city councillors, rectors and council members of the guilds, the clergy and friars would go on a procession from the square of the town hall to the Church of Saint Margaret to offer two candles of 4 pounds each (from chapter XX pages 48 and 49 of “The Cortona Statute of the Year 1325” Cortona city library, Mancini publisher 1963, “Cortona nel Medio Evo”, Florence 1894).
