Toynbee "Provenzàn Salvani"
prominent Ghibelline of Siena, b. c. 1220. His family, the Salvani were descendants of the Cacciaconti, feudal lords of Scialenga. P.'s father, Ildebrando, and his paternal grandfather, Salvano (who gave his name to his descendants), were both prominent Ghibellines. P. himself begins to appear in the records in 1247, when he was named 'Provveditore alla Biccherna', and from 1249 his political activities can be followed fairly well. After the Battle of Montaperti (Sept. 4, 1260) [Montaperti] he was virtual dictator of Siena, and it was he who at the Council of Empoli after the battle advocated the destruction of Florence, which was averted by the firmness and patriotism of Farinata ([Inf. x. 91]) [Farinata]. He was podestà of Montepulciano in 1261 and was elected podestà of Arezzo in 1262-1263, but did not serve; but after the Battle of Benevento (Feb. 1265/6) his power, along with that of the Ghibellines generally, was on the wane. He met his death in an engagement with the Florentines at Colle, in Valdelsa, June 11, 1269, when he was taken prisoner and beheaded by one Cavolino de' Tolomei [Colle]. [See F. Tempesti, 'Provenzan Salvani', Bull. senese stor. patria, xiv (1936), 1-63; and G. Rondoni, Tradizioni popolari e leggende di un comune medievale (Firenze, 1886).]

D. places him among the Proud in Circle I of Purgatory, [Purg. xi. 121]; colui, [Purg. xi. 109] [Superbi]; he is pointed out to D. by Oderisi, who mentions him as an instance of the hollowness of worldly renown, for at one time the whole of Tuscany resounded with his fame, whereas at the present his name is hardly mentioned even in Siena where he was captain at the time of their great triumph over Florence ([Purg. xi. 109-117]); in response to D.'s inquiries O. explains who he was, and that he is now being punished for his presumption in trying to make himself all-powerful in Siena ([Purg. xi. 118-126]); 0. further explainsthat Provenzano was admitted into Purgatory before his due time on account of his noble humility on one occasion during the height of his power, when he seated himself in the market-place at Siena and begged from the passers-by, until he had raised sufficient money to ransom a friend (probably one Bartolomeo Saracini) who had been taken prisoner by Charles d'Anjou ([Purg. xi. 127-138]).

The incident here alluded to by Oderisi is thus related by the Ottimo (the name of the friend being, according to Buti, Vinea or Vinca):

. . . avendo il re Carlo in prigione uno suo amico caro, puosegli di taglia fiorini dieci mila d'oro (chè era stato contra lui con Curradino nella sconfitta a Tagliacozzo), ed assegnogli brieve termine a pagare, o a morire. Quelli ne scrisse a messer Provenzano. Dicesi che messer Provenzano fece porre uno desco, susovi uno tappeto, nel campo di Siena, e puosevisi suso a sedere in quello abito, che richiedea la bisogna; domandava alli Sanesi vergognosamente che lo dovessono aiutare a quella sua bisogna di moneta, non sforzando alcuno, ma umilmente domandando aiuto; d'onde li Sanesi vedendo costui, che solea essere loro signore e tanto superbo domandare così pietosamente, furono commossi a pietade, e ciascuno, secondo sua facultade, diede aiuto; sicchè, anzi che 'l termine spirasse, fu ricomperato l'amico.

Villani gives the following account of Provenzano and of his death at the Battle of Colle:

. . . messere Provenzano Salvani signore e guidatore dell'oste de' Sanesi fu preso, e tagliatogli il capo, e per tutto il campo portato fitto in su una lancia. E bene s'adempiè la profezia e revelazione che gli avea fatta il diavolo per via d'incantesimo, ma non la intese; che avendolo fatto costrignere per sapere come capiterebbe in quella oste, mendacemente rispuose, e disse: anderai e combatterai, vincerai no morrai alla battaglia, e la tua testa fia la più alta del campo; e egli credendo avere la vittoria per quelle parole, e credendo rimanere signore sopra tutti, non fece il punto alla fallacie, ove disse: vincerai no, morrai ec. E però è grande follia a credere a sì fatto consiglio come quello del diavolo. Questo messere Provenzano fu grande uomo in Siena al suo tempo dopo la vittoria ch'ebbe a Montaperti, e guidava tutta la città, e tutta parte ghibellina di Toscana facea capo di lui, e era molto presuntuoso di sua volontà. ({Villani. vii. 31.})

©Oxford University Press 1968. From A Dictionary of Proper Names and Notable Matters in the Works of Dante by Paget Toynbee (1968) by permission of Oxford University Press