March of Ancona Marca Anconitana
1100–1798
Flag
The march in a map of 1564 by Vincenzo Luchino.
Status	March of the Kingdom of Italy (1100–1198) Territory of the Papal States (1198–1798)
Capital	Ancona (until 1210) Fermo (1210–15th century) Macerata (15th century–1798)
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Spoleto Republic of Ancona Anconine Republic Roman Republic (18th century)

The March of Ancona (Italian: Marca Anconitana or Anconetana) was a frontier march centred on the city of Ancona and later Fermo then Macerata in the Middle Ages.^[1] Its name is preserved as an Italian region today, the Marche, and it corresponds to almost the entire modern region and not just the Province of Ancona.

History

Originally part of Imperial Italy, the march was constituted around 1100 from the March of Fermo and a southern portion of the Byzantine Pentapolis.^[2] Initially the new march took the name of its first ruler: marca Guarnerii or march of Werner.^[3] There were disputes between the Empire and the Church over rights and jurisdiction in the March. In 1173, an imperial army under Christian of Mainz invaded the March against pro-papal resistance led by Countess Boltruda Frangipani. In 1177, Pope Alexander III referred to it as "partly belonging to the empire but largely to the church".^[4]

The march was definitely acquired by the Papal States during the pontificate of Innocent III in the year 1198. It was initially governed by a papal nominee called a rector. The rector of Ancona, like the rectors of other papal provinces, was under the authority of a general rector reporting directly to the pope. Under the papacy, the March had three towns of over 10,000 people: Ancona, Ascoli Piceno and Fermo.^[5]

The province was reorganized by the Constitutiones Sanctæ Matris Ecclesiæ in 1357. The march followed the Adriatic as far north as Urbino and contained the cities of Loreto, Camerino, Fermo, Macerata, Osimo, San Severino, and Tolentino

According to Paul Sabatier's biography of St. Francis of Assisi, "The Road to Assisi", the March of Ancona became the home of the spiritual Franciscans after Francis' death.

Rulers

• Werner (1093–1109)
• Conrad of Lützelhard (1177– )
• Markward von Annweiler (1184–1202)

Marquess

House of Este

The line of "Marquesses of Este"("Marchesi d'Este") rises in 1039 with Albert Azzo II, Margrave of Milan. The name "Este" is related to the city where the family came from, Este. The family was founded by Adalbert the Margrave. who might have been the true first Margrave of Milan of this family. In 1209 Azzo VI is named the first "Marquess of Ferrara", and the title passed to his descendants, and Este Marquisate's was delegated to a cadet branch of the family. Later, were also created the Marquisates of Modena and Reggio.

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Consort	Notes
Azzo VI		c.1170	1209-1212	November 1212	Sofia Aldobrandini 1189 two children Sophia (Eleonora) of Savoy before 1192 one child Alix of Châtillon 22 February 1204 two children	Son of Azzo V. In 1209 was made the first Marquess of Ferrara.
Aldobrandino I		c.1190	1212-1215	10 October 1215	Unknown Before 1215 three children	Son of Azzo VI and Sofia
Azzo VII Novello		c.1205	1212-1264	16 February 1264	Giovanna of Puglia 1225 five children Mabilia Pallavicini 1238 no/two children	Son of Azzo VI and Alix
Obizzo II		1247 or 1252	1264-1293	20 January or 13 February[6] 1293	Jacopina (Fieschi) of Lavagna 1263 three children Constance (della Scala) of Verona 1289 two children	Grandson of Azzo VII, as bastard son of Azzo's son, Rinaldo.
Azzo VIII		After 1263	1293-1308	31 January 1308	Giovanna Orsini September 1282 three children Beatrice of Sicily April 1305 no children	Son of Obizzo II.
Francesco I		c. or after 1289	1293-1312	23 August 1312	Orsina Orsini four children	Son of Obizzo II.
Aldobrandino II		?	1293-1326	26 July 1326	Alda Rangoni 1289 four children	Co-ruled with his sons and nephews, following a pro-Este revolt in Ferrara.
Rinaldo		?	1326-1335	31 December 1335	Lucrezia di Barbiano one child	Co-ruled with his brothers and cousins, following a pro-Este revolt in Ferrara.
Niccolò I		?	1326-1344	1 May 1344	Beatrice of Mantua 21 April 1335 no children	Co-ruled with his brothers and cousins, following a pro-Este revolt in Ferrara.
Obizzo III		14 July 1294	1326-1352	20 March 1352	Jacopa Pepoli May 1317 no children Filippa Ariosti (lover until 1347) 27 November 1347 ten children (legitimated 1347)	Co-ruled with his brothers and cousins, following a pro-Este revolt in Ferrara.

References

Bibliography