ABSTRACT
At the beginning of the fourteenth century northern Italy was going through a delicate political period marked by manifold conflicts and the rise of the first signorie. The military orders, which had a solid footing in the area thanks to a wide network of houses and significant connections with aristocracy and lay and ecclesiastical institutions, were also more or less affected by political upheavals. This situation would already make an analysis of the trial of the Templars in this area an interesting case for study. However, it was the role played in this inquiry by a leading contemporary figure, Rinaldo, archbishop of Ravenna, that most significantly marked the development of the trial in northern Italy and gave it its distinguishing features. This article aims to Investigate Rinaldo’s action in the trial, taking into account his personal background and the complex political situation of northern Italy in this period.
