Maestro Wars, Episode 1: The Papal Menace

On New Years Eve 1516 Count Guido Rangoni fought Count Ugo Pepoli in a duel on a field prepared for them by the Marquis of Mantua, Francesco Gonzaga. The duel was fought with sword and bronze guantlet. 

These two men feature prominantly throughout the fencing treatises of the Bolognese tradition. Both Ugo Pepoli and Guido Rangoni are hailed by Angelo Viggiani as paragons of the the art in his treatise Lo Schermo, Achille Marozzo dedicated his work, Opera Nova, to Guido Rangoni in 1536, and Giovanni dall'Aggochie dedicated his corpus, Dell'Arte di Scrima Libri Tre, to a later relative of Ugo Peopli, Fabio Pepoli in 1572. 

Part one of this seven part series initiates the exploration of these two men's lives, and the rivalry that inspired them to stake their lives in the barriers. 

 

After Episode Discussion:

• Mancino da Bologna
• Debate on the legacy of Pope Julius II
• Sword and Small Buckler: Anonimo and Manciolino