The Castle of the Knights of Malta
The Castle of the Knights of Malta in Magione, an ancient fortified complex whose history is linked to the Hospitaller Knights and the 1502 Diet of Magione, houses Renaissance frescoes and re-enacts historical conspiracies.
An ancient mansion of knights and conspiracies The fortified complex visible today is the result of various constructions layered over the centuries. The original building dates back to 1150/1170: indeed, the oldest document mentioning it dates from 1171 and informs us that a hospital structure of the Knights Hospitaller existed here. The chivalric order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem – this is the full name – was founded in the mid-11th century for the care and assistance of pilgrims in the Holy Land. When the Crusader Kingdoms fell, the Knights first moved to Cyprus, then to Rhodes, and finally to Malta in 1530, where they became known as the Knights of Malta. Raymond du Puy de Provence, Grand Master of the Order between 1120 and 1160, gave them their own Rule. Over the centuries, the Order experienced various challenges; the Catholic branch still exists today, headquartered in Rome and named the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, with some state-like privileges but no territory. It remains the owner of the Castle of Magione. The original building had two structures arranged in an L-shape, with a bell tower above, today the only surviving part of the ancient structure. During the Middle Ages, it was fortified and transformed into a square-plan manor with corner towers, developed around a central courtyard. In the 15th century, it underwent its last and final transformation by the Bolognese architect Fioravante Fioravanti, who was active at the same time in Umbria, working on the Rocca di Montone (Fortress of Montone), the Braccesque loggias of the Perugia Cathedral, and important hydraulic works near Lake Trasimeno. The building increasingly took on the appearance of a castle, with circular towers, battlements, and a beautiful three-tiered loggia in the inner courtyard. A terracotta plaque in the loggia wall may assign the commission of the cloister's work to Cardinal Marco Barbo, commendator of the Roman priory of the Sovereign Order of Malta from 1466 to 1471.
The 15th-century renovation also involved the pre-existing Romanesque chapel, obviously dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the Order's protector. In the early 16th century, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Orsini, commendator of the abbey, commissioned two frescoes from unknown painters of Pinturicchio’s workshop to decorate it: a Nativity and a Madonna with Child between Saints John the Baptist and James. The latter is depicted with his typical pilgrim attributes: staff, sack, and a hat adorned with shells, emphasizing the building's purpose. Additionally, the saint's pouch bears the coat of arms of the patron's family. In 1502, the castle hosted the Diet of Magione, also described by Niccolò Machiavelli in The Prince: a conspiracy against Cesare Borgia, Duke of Valentinois and illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, who harbored expansionist ambitions over central Italy. The outcome is well known: in Senigallia, Borgia had all those responsible for the conspiracy strangled. Every summer, an interesting re-enactment takes place at the castle, retracing the entire episode. The “ Badia”, as locals call it, has always been a significant place of hospitality and rest. In 1746, Pope Benedict XIV stayed there, followed by Pope Pius VII in 1805. During the summer, it remains the residence of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, who signals his presence by flying his flag from the tower: a white octagonal cross on a blue background.