The Rampant Lion and the History of the Municipality of Sarteano
The rampant lion on a red field, granted on September 11, 1483, by the supreme Magistracy of the Republic of Siena, is the official symbol of the Municipality of Sarteano. This emblem is closely tied to the history of the Republic of Siena, alongside the city’s coat of arms, the “Balzana”, a shield divided into two parts with black and white colors. In the specific case of Sarteano, the town’s coat of arms represents a fusion of the Sienese symbol and that of the powerful local family of the Manenti, who added the rose, often replaced by a star, as a distinctive element.
The accomandigia perpetua of 1467 marks a crucial point in the history of Sarteano. This protection contract signed with the Sienese marked the political subjugation of the Municipality and was part of the final chapter of a long series of dominations. Since the early 1000s, the presence of the Lombard family of the Farolfi in Sarteano has been documented. Subsequently, the town came under the control of various local families, including the Peponi, and ultimately the Manenti.
In 1228, the troops from Orvieto, led by Pietro Monaldeschi (whose family symbol featured three golden, crenellated bands on a blue field), arrived in Sarteano. However, the Sienese reaction was swift. After capturing Chianciano, the Sienese imprisoned Pietro, the son of Monaldo. Following a series of alternating conflicts between Siena and Orvieto, by the end of the 13th century, Sarteano and Chianciano were listed in the Orvieto land registry as “domains with special obligations,” indicating their particular status under Orvieto’s control.
An important testament to this period is Porta Monalda, topped with the Monaldeschi coat of arms and inscribed with the date 1313 (MCCCXIII). This monument recalls the military leader Ermanno Monaldeschi, who, during his tenure, undertook significant public works, including the construction of a road linking Sarteano to Orvieto. This road was used to transport travertine from the Camporsevoli quarries for the construction of the Orvieto Cathedral, a project entrusted to the Sienese architect Lorenzo Maitani.
Upon Ermanno Monaldeschi’s death in 1337, control of Sarteano passed to the city of Perugia. However, 1467 marked a new chapter in Sarteano’s history, with the conclusion of the accomandigia perpetua with the Republic of Siena, which took on its political protection and subjugation.
Today, the rampant lion and the history of its dominations symbolically represent the important historical heritage of Sarteano, which has witnessed the passing of numerous governments and families over the centuries.
