According to the Treccani encyclopedia online, the Milizia della beata Vergine Maria was started by Loderengo degli Andalò and other nobles in Bologna and approved by pope Urban IV in 1261). Their mission was to reconcile the Guelph and Ghibelline factions among magnates and protect the peace of the city, widows and children. Divided into conventual knights, married men, and clerics, they spread to many cities, including Florence and Pisa. The unofficial name of Fratres or Milites gaudentes (due to their social pre-eminence) was used in an ironic sense by their opponents, including Dante.
| Group Type | |
|---|---|
| Gender | male |
| Affiliation | confraternity |
| Database ID | 3156 |
| S. Michele in Borgo 1 Benegrande Giachini | April 10th, 1384 to circa 1800s (date is approximate) |
