126 LaCitadeSancta
Siena, after the Blessed Virgin had crushed the Florentines at Montaperti,
the city enshrined its carroccio before her altar in the duomo. On that altar,
two candles burned day and night at city expense, and a perpetual vigil lamp
hung above the carroccio itself.^167 Like Siena’s battle wagon, that of Parma
was a shrine to Saint Mary. The Parmese decorated their cart with images
of patron saints and mounted above it a banner bearing the image of the
Glorious Virgin.^168 The wagon concentrated municipal pride, religious devo-
tion, and hometown affection. Cities had pet names for their wagons: the
Parmese called theirs Agrola; at Cremona, the people named it Gargiardo;
at Vicenza, Martinello.^169 The chronicler Rolandino of Padua puts the fol-
lowing story into the mouth of a communal representative welcoming the
city militia and the papal legate after the defeat of the da Romano in 1256 :
If you would ask where [our carroccio] had its ancient origin, look
above the high altar of the cathedral of Padua; there you will see in
beautiful and finely wrought images Milone, then bishop of Padua
[ 1083 – 95 ], King Conrad, and his queen, Bertha by name. This
queen interceded before the king for the people of Padua, that he
grant them the grace of reconstructing their carroccio, which the
tyrant Attila once destroyed.... When this favor had been granted
to them—for through the queen’s intercession they received that
grace—they made a magnificent carroccio and, in memory and
honor of the queen, gave it the name Bertha, by which it is called
today and shall be called for all eternity.^170For Salimbene, the loss of Parma’s carroccio to Cremona was the greatest
disgrace his commune could suffer.^171 When captured in battle, the enemy
carroccio nella vita comunale,’’Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken 65 ( 1985 ):
1 – 104 , esp. 80 – 81 , on the sacral nature of the wagon.
167. Siena Stat.i( 1262 ), 1. 2 ,p. 26. In contrast with northern European practice, Italians never carried
the consecrated Host on their battle wagons: Tucci, ‘‘Carroccio,’’ 78. Perhaps the carroccio was already
holy enough. On the religious significance of Montaperti to the Sienese, see Webb, ‘‘Cities of God,’’
119 – 21. On the myths and realities of Montaperti, see ead.,Patrons, 251 – 75 , esp. chap. 6 , ‘‘The Virgin of
Montaperti.’’
168 .Chronicon Parmense( 1303 ), 85.
169 .Mem. Pot. Reg.( 1250 ), col. 1117 (for Parma);Chronicon Parmense( 1281 ), 38 (for Cremona);Liber
Regiminum Padue,ed. Antonio Bonardi ( 1198 ),RIS^28 : 1 : 298 (for Vicenza).
170. Rolandino of Padua,Cronica in Factis et circa Facta Marchie Trivixiane,ed. Antonio Bonardi ( 1256 ),
RIS^28 : 1 : 124 : ‘‘Si vero forte quereres, unde primitus originem habuit, respicies supra altari maiore ecclesie
paduane; ibi namque videre poteris in picturis pulcre et artificose protractis Milonem, tunc episcopum
paduanum, regem Conradum et reginam uxorem eius, Bertam nomine, que regina peciit pro populo
paduano a rege, ut Paduanis graciam faceret, ut hedificarent carrocium, quod eis olim Athilla tyranpus
destruxerat.... Hoc igitur munere eis dato, quoniam intercedente regina istam graciam habuerunt,
fulgentissimum fecerunt carrocium et ad ipsius regine memoriam et honorem imposuerunt carrocio
nomen Berta, quo quidem nomine vocatur hodie et vocabitur in eternam.’’ This story is somewhat
off—Bertha was the wife of Henry IV, not Conrad, but the altar painting did exist: ibid., 124 n. 3 .On
this story, see Tucci, ‘‘Carroccio,’’ 97 – 98.
171. Salimbene,Cronica( 1247 ), 305 , Baird trans., 203.