Re: V-shaped battlements

[Dana Scott <dfscott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks to Rene for previously pointing us to the Malaspina Castle in
Fosdinovo as a possible match for the castle in the VMS. I recall having
read somewhere that Frederick II introduced the dovetail Ghibelline
merlons to Italian castle architecture, from Germany I believe. I wonder
when and where this style of battlement was first used in castles? Both
political and architectural refereces to Ghibelline are appropriate for
Frederick II. I wonder if there is a political overtone (undertone?)
slightly hinted at in the VMS? I find it quite interesting that Dante
spent time in Fosdinovo with the Malaspina Family (I see hints of
references to Dante in the VMS).

Il Castello Malaspina di Fosdinovo:
http://www.lunigiana.com/castelli/fosdinovo.htm
http://castellitoscani.dadacasa.supereva.it/fosdinovo.htm?p
http://www.luna.it/comuni/fosdinovo/images/cast3.jpg

Dante in Fosdinovo:
http://www.massacarrara.net/lsgmarconi/danta1uk.htm

Dante:
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/dante.htm

Dante's Inferno Interpreted: (Ghibellines pro Frederick II and Guelphs
pro Papacy)
http://www.triton.cc.il.us/undergrad_ctr/files/inferno.html

Guelphs and Ghibellines:
http://www.dantealighieri.net/cambridge/guelphs.html

Frederick II:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06255a.htm

Regards,
Dana Scott

Rene Zandbergen wrote:

> Hello Dana,
>
> you should have a look at Dennis Stallings' precedents
> web page:
> http://www2.micro-net.com/~ixohoxi/voy/voynich.htm
> (first bullet under 'My Contributions')
> You will find much of interest there.
>
> You will be amused to hear that the two types of
> battlements (with
> or without the V-notch) are known in Italy as
> "ghibellini and guelfi"
> respectively.
>
> These battlements may be found in large parts of
> northern Italy,
> especially just South of the Alps. They are used in
> castles of which
> I particularly like Fenis, Marostica and Bellinzona
> (all well represented
> on the web) and on palaces, walls and bridges in many
> N.Italian cities
> (Padova, Mantua, Verona just to name a few).
> The  building most similar to the VMs drawing I found
> is a castle
> in Fosdinovo, in N. Tuscany. The tomb of Cecilia
> Metella along the
> Via Appia in Rome is another well-known building with
> these
> battlements.
>
> Cheers, Rene
>
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