16-09-2021, 07:59 PM
Anyone mentioned the 15th century You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.?
![[Image: 300px-Castello_di_Fenis-16.jpg]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Castello_di_Fenis-16.jpg/300px-Castello_di_Fenis-16.jpg)
OK, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Italian guelfi versus ghibellini struggle, which saw two powerful bands supporting the Germanic houses of Bavaria versus Hohenstaufen in their eternal 13th century struggle to be the Holy Roman Empire.
The struggle developed into architecture : the ghibellini's started to build swallowtail merlons on their castles to symbolise their allegiance (some complicated Italian pun on their word for swallows).
That's why you get all these swallowtail merlons on Italian castles of the period.
OK, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Italian guelfi versus ghibellini struggle, which saw two powerful bands supporting the Germanic houses of Bavaria versus Hohenstaufen in their eternal 13th century struggle to be the Holy Roman Empire.
The struggle developed into architecture : the ghibellini's started to build swallowtail merlons on their castles to symbolise their allegiance (some complicated Italian pun on their word for swallows).
That's why you get all these swallowtail merlons on Italian castles of the period.