Bonconte da Montefeltro (died 1289)
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Bonconte da Montefeltro (died 11 June 1289) was an Italian Ghibelline general. He led Ghibelline forces in several engagements until his battlefield death. Dante Alighieri featured Montefeltro as a character in the Divine Comedy.
Bonconte was born in the 1250s to the Ghibelline leader Guido I da Montefeltro and Manentessa, the daughter of Guido, count of Giaggiolo.[1] He had a wife, Giovanna, and a daughter, Manentissa. Bonconte helped remove the Guelphs from Arezzo in June 1287 with the Ghibellines and in 1288 he was in command of the Aretines. While in command of the Aretines, Bonconte defeated the Guelphs of Siena at the Battle of Pieve al Toppo. In 1289, Bonconte became the captain of the Aretines when he led them into battle with, and were defeated by, the Guelphs of Florence. The Aretines were ultimately defeated by the Guelphs of Florence in the Battle of Campaldino and that was where, in 1289, Bonconte was killed. Bonconte's body was never found at the battleground of Campaldino.[2]
Prior to the battle, Bonconte advised the Aretines not to engage in open battle with the Florentines. He was sent by the Bishop of Arezzo find the enemy position before the battle with Guelphs of Florence. Bonconte returned and told the bishop that it would not be wise to go into battle with the Guelphs, to which the Bishop reportedly responded by saying that Bonconte was undeserving of his family name. The bishop sent the forces into battle where both he and Bonconte died.
