THE RENAISSANCE
THE VITELLI DOMINATION

The revolution of 1375 ended the Brancaleone Guelfucci supremacy and was supported by Florence. The Commune regained its freedom but its Government had already degenerated into a sort of oligarchy. After other many internal turnovers and conflicts with powerful neighbours, Braccio Fortebraccio subdued Città di Castello (1422/1424). There then came a long series of vicious fights between the main important "tifernate" family's (from Città di Castello) for the town's domination. For a while it was ruled under the Montefeltro Family and then under the protection of Florence, the Vitelli Family emerged the stongest. The Vitelli Family reached the absolute supremacy with Vitellozzo and Niccolò beating off the repeated attacks.
In 1474 Niccolò Vitelli defended the town from the Pope's Army assault during unforgettable 80 days siege. Pope Sisto IV from Urbino defeated and exiled Niccolo, but eight years later he set the town free with the aid of the Medici Family and the Montefeltro Family and so he deserved the name of "Native land's father". Paolo and Vitellozzo Vitelli succeeded him.
The Vitelli family brought not only political stability, but also artistic improvements to the town. Their Maecenatism transformed Città di Castello on a new artistic strategic point. It became a small part of Tuscany in Umbria regarding the villas and buildings archetectural design, using techniques that clearly mirrored the styles seen in Florence.
Between the XV and XVI century some of the most important artists in Italy received commissions for their work from wealthy clients in Città di Castello
Namely: Raffaello, Luca Signorelli, Vasari, Parmigianino, Gentile da Fabriano, Rosso Fiorentino, Doceno, Ghirlandaio.
The town became place of pleasant contentment, where not only nobles and warriors lived, but also the ""infiniti letterati et valentissimi dottori" (important cultured people and excellent doctors). Around the same period (1538) the new-born "press art" was established by Magister Mazzocchi.
Frequent earthquakes, outbreaks of disease ( with high mortality rates in 1347 and 1400) and the Tiber floods (causing widespread damage particularly in 1557) were recurrent scourges, yet, these were events that created important time periods to allow for a calming of the internal wars and for fostering periods of truce. These calmer times contributed towards making the town a very pleasant place and to create for its inhabitants, fame as a hosting and generous people with the "Solennità Floridiane", a feast with tournaments, carousels, and performances, often characteristic of this age.
After Duca Valentin's brief domination, who, during the bloody "Senigallia meeting" (1502) killed Vitellozzo Vitelli, the town gradually lost its influence and permanently fell under Church State domination, even if Vitelli Family's government continued during all the 1500 long. During this time emerged Alessandro, one of the most valorous leaders of his age.