Ardinghelli, Bernardo di Lapo di Donato di Ardinghello di Barone
Description
The Priorista Mariani (fol. 37) reports that Bernardo di Lapo was sent to help with the building of the new town of Firenzuola in 1332, while in 1336 he was sent as ambassador to King Roberto of Naples, and in 1337 to Venice as well as Siena (1352), Pisa (1354) and other diplomatic posts. He also served in the Tre Maggiori fifteen times, including four stints as Gonfaloniere di Giustizia, the city's highest magistrate. He is likely the Bernardo Ardinghelli cited by George Bent (64 and 719) as one of many donors who requested anniversary masses from the Camaldolese monks at Santa Maria degli Angeli, in Bernardo's case on August 20, the feast day of his name saint.
Together with the <i>gonfaloniere di giustizia</i> the priors constituted the Signoria, Florence's principal executive magistracy. Legislation was initiated by the Signoria in consultation with the two advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>). Their number changed over time but was established at eight after 1343, with two representatives per quarter. The officeholders, collectively known as <i>signori</i>, were assisted by a notary (<i>notaio della Signoria</i>). Serving in the priorate was the highest honor a family could achieve in Republican Florence.
Online Tratte Code: 8
Tre Maggiori
December 15th, 1321 to February 14th, 1322
Gonfaloniere di Giustizia (Standard-bearer of Justice)
Established in 1293, the Standard-bearer of Justice was the highest-ranking magistrate in the Signoria. Like all officers in the Tre Maggiori, he had to be a guild member in good standing but could be elected from any <i>sestiere</i> or quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 1
Tre Maggiori
June 15th, 1327 to August 14th, 1327
buonuomo (good man (Twelve))
A member of one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) known as the Buonuomini. They discussed legislation in consultation with the Signoria, and after 1321 their number was standardized at twelve with two representatives from each <i>sestiere</i>; after 1343, three from each quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 12
Tre Maggiori
September 1329 to December 1329
gonfaloniere di Compagnia (company standard-bearer (Nineteen/Sixteen))
A standard-bearer of the urban militia who also served on one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) of the Signoria. From around 1304, nineteen <i>gonfalonieri di Compagnia</i> were drawn from the city’s six <i>sestieri</i>. Following the reorganization of 1343, their number was reduced to sixteen, one from each <i>gonfalone</i> of the four new quarters, and their <i>collegio</i> became known as the Sixteen (<i>Sedici</i>).
Online Tratte Code: 16
Tre Maggiori
December 1330 to March 1331
Gonfaloniere di Giustizia (Standard-bearer of Justice)
Established in 1293, the Standard-bearer of Justice was the highest-ranking magistrate in the Signoria. Like all officers in the Tre Maggiori, he had to be a guild member in good standing but could be elected from any <i>sestiere</i> or quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 1
Tre Maggiori
April 15th, 1332 to June 14th, 1332
buonuomo (good man (Twelve))
A member of one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) known as the Buonuomini. They discussed legislation in consultation with the Signoria, and after 1321 their number was standardized at twelve with two representatives from each <i>sestiere</i>; after 1343, three from each quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 12
Tre Maggiori
March 1333 to June 1333
gonfaloniere di Compagnia (company standard-bearer (Nineteen/Sixteen))
A standard-bearer of the urban militia who also served on one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) of the Signoria. From around 1304, nineteen <i>gonfalonieri di Compagnia</i> were drawn from the city’s six <i>sestieri</i>. Following the reorganization of 1343, their number was reduced to sixteen, one from each <i>gonfalone</i> of the four new quarters, and their <i>collegio</i> became known as the Sixteen (<i>Sedici</i>).
Online Tratte Code: 16
Tre Maggiori
April 1334 to August 1334
priore (prior)
Together with the <i>gonfaloniere di giustizia</i> the priors constituted the Signoria, Florence's principal executive magistracy. Legislation was initiated by the Signoria in consultation with the two advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>). Their number changed over time but was established at eight after 1343, with two representatives per quarter. The officeholders, collectively known as <i>signori</i>, were assisted by a notary (<i>notaio della Signoria</i>). Serving in the priorate was the highest honor a family could achieve in Republican Florence.
Online Tratte Code: 8
Tre Maggiori
April 15th, 1335 to June 14th, 1335
buonuomo (good man (Twelve))
A member of one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) known as the Buonuomini. They discussed legislation in consultation with the Signoria, and after 1321 their number was standardized at twelve with two representatives from each <i>sestiere</i>; after 1343, three from each quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 12
Tre Maggiori
September 1338 to December 1338
gonfaloniere di Compagnia (company standard-bearer (Nineteen/Sixteen))
A standard-bearer of the urban militia who also served on one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) of the Signoria. From around 1304, nineteen <i>gonfalonieri di Compagnia</i> were drawn from the city’s six <i>sestieri</i>. Following the reorganization of 1343, their number was reduced to sixteen, one from each <i>gonfalone</i> of the four new quarters, and their <i>collegio</i> became known as the Sixteen (<i>Sedici</i>).
Online Tratte Code: 16
Tre Maggiori
August 1340 to December 1340
priore (prior)
Together with the <i>gonfaloniere di giustizia</i> the priors constituted the Signoria, Florence's principal executive magistracy. Legislation was initiated by the Signoria in consultation with the two advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>). Their number changed over time but was established at eight after 1343, with two representatives per quarter. The officeholders, collectively known as <i>signori</i>, were assisted by a notary (<i>notaio della Signoria</i>). Serving in the priorate was the highest honor a family could achieve in Republican Florence.
Online Tratte Code: 8
Tre Maggiori
December 15th, 1341 to February 14th, 1342
gonfaloniere di Compagnia (company standard-bearer (Nineteen/Sixteen))
A standard-bearer of the urban militia who also served on one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) of the Signoria. From around 1304, nineteen <i>gonfalonieri di Compagnia</i> were drawn from the city’s six <i>sestieri</i>. Following the reorganization of 1343, their number was reduced to sixteen, one from each <i>gonfalone</i> of the four new quarters, and their <i>collegio</i> became known as the Sixteen (<i>Sedici</i>).
Online Tratte Code: 16
Tre Maggiori
September 7th, 1351 to January 5th, 1352
buonuomo (good man (Twelve))
A member of one of the two primary advisory colleges (<i>collegi</i>) known as the Buonuomini. They discussed legislation in consultation with the Signoria, and after 1321 their number was standardized at twelve with two representatives from each <i>sestiere</i>; after 1343, three from each quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 12
Tre Maggiori
September 15th, 1352 to December 14th, 1352
Gonfaloniere di Giustizia (Standard-bearer of Justice)
Established in 1293, the Standard-bearer of Justice was the highest-ranking magistrate in the Signoria. Like all officers in the Tre Maggiori, he had to be a guild member in good standing but could be elected from any <i>sestiere</i> or quarter.
Online Tratte Code: 1
Tre Maggiori
July 1st, 1353 to August 31st, 1353
Gonfaloniere di Giustizia (Standard-bearer of Justice)
Established in 1293, the Standard-bearer of Justice was the highest-ranking magistrate in the Signoria. Like all officers in the Tre Maggiori, he had to be a guild member in good standing but could be elected from any <i>sestiere</i> or quarter.
left money for masses and/or decoration of an altar, chapel, tomb, or other memorial
by December 28th, 1363
surmised
presumed role based on incomplete evidence; for burials, we know the burial is in this church, we think it is in this tomb; for patronage and other relationships, there is evidence to suggest the connection, but it has not been confirmed
Citizens of Florence could claim membership in a gonfalone other than where they lived for purposes of taxation and political sortition, usually that of their father or other ancestor and related to where the family traditionally held its highest-value properties. The 1427 catasto contains numerous examples of a declared residence (casa per abitazione) in a parish not physically located in the gonfalone from which the tax declaration was made. Residence is "surmised" when extrapolated from political service or tax records that do not indicate the parish of residence and "documented" when the physical location of a house is known.
circa 1321 (date is approximate) to August 10th, 1343
surmised
presumed role based on incomplete evidence; for burials, we know the burial is in this church, we think it is in this tomb; for patronage and other relationships, there is evidence to suggest the connection, but it has not been confirmed
Citizens of Florence could claim membership in a gonfalone other than where they lived for purposes of taxation and political sortition, usually that of their father or other ancestor and related to where the family traditionally held its highest-value properties. The 1427 catasto contains numerous examples of a declared residence (casa per abitazione) in a parish not physically located in the gonfalone from which the tax declaration was made. Residence is "surmised" when extrapolated from political service or tax records that do not indicate the parish of residence and "documented" when the physical location of a house is known.
August 11th, 1343 (year is approximate) to April 30th, 1362 (year is approximate)
surmised
presumed role based on incomplete evidence; for burials, we know the burial is in this church, we think it is in this tomb; for patronage and other relationships, there is evidence to suggest the connection, but it has not been confirmed
[a] Bernardo di Lapo Ardinghelli was registered as deceased when his name was drawn for the Twelve on December 28th, 1363 from a 1357 purse.
[b] A Bernardo Ardinghelli left funds for an annual mass for his soul on the feast of St. Bernard, August 20th. Unfortunately, Santa Maria degli Angeli records only give his first name and surname, but he was almost certainly the esteemed city magistrate and ambassador Bernardo di Lapo. Ardinghelli died sometime between April 30th, 1362 and December 27th, 1363, and his annual mass continued at least through 1402 when it was recorded in the monastery's Registro Nuovo among the required feasts and honorees for August. As the records also do not specify which altar was used, we assume it was at the high altar.
[c] Bernardo's name-slip was in the election bags managed by the sesto di Borgo (S. Trinita) from at least 1321.
[d] Bernardo's name was in the election purses kept by the Unicorno district, strongly suggesting that his residence was there.
