Noble Blood: "More Malatesta Murders"

Host: Dana Schwartz
Date: September 23, 2025
Podcast: Noble Blood (iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild)

Overview

In this episode of Noble Blood, Dana Schwartz delves into the famously murderous Malatesta family of medieval Italy. Picking up from their earlier escapades, the episode explores the tangled web of political intrigue, familial betrayal, and cycles of revenge that marked the family's rule over the city of Rimini through the 13th and 14th centuries. Schwartz focuses on the ambitions and ultimate downfalls of key figures like Ramberto and Umberto Malatesta, the infamous banquet murders, and the endless retributions that followed. Listeners are taken through a bloody saga of double-crosses, coups, and the slow transformation of the family from ruthless warlords to political patrons.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Banquet Murders: Political Betrayal and Familial Revenge

(Starts at 01:00)

• The 1324 Banquet:
  • Ramberto Malatesta and his cousin and uncle, Ferrantino and Pandolfo, had previously orchestrated the murder of their other cousin, Umberto, during a banquet.
  • "They all had a lovely meal together, and then they killed Umberto. Ramberto was very proud of that little bit of well-executed political intrigue." (01:44)
• Cycle of Betrayal:
  • Ramberto believed this act had cemented family alliances, but Pandolfo’s death shortly after, and his will excluding Ramberto from succession, reignited Ramberto’s lust for vengeance.

2. Umberto’s Background and The Seeds of Vengeance

(02:21 – 06:00)

• Early Trauma:
  • Umberto’s father, Paolo, was famously murdered with his lover, Francesca da Polenta, by Paolo’s own brother, Gianciotto.
  • After his father’s murder, young Umberto was raised by his father’s murderer, fueling his resentment.
• Political Alignments:
  • Umberto joined the Ghibellines, traditional enemies of his family (the Guelphs), and pursued military campaigns, sometimes against his own kin.
  • "Just as a reminder, the Ghibellines and Guelphs were rival groups here, with the Guelphs supporting the Pope and the Ghibellines supporting the Holy Roman Emperor." (03:54)
• Family Intrigue:
  • Umberto attempts revenge, and legends even suggest he killed his uncle Gianciotto during battle, but historical records are unclear.
  • "It would have been the perfect murder, really—hidden in plain sight." (05:30)

3. Double Crossings and The First Banquet Murder

(06:01 – 10:45)

• The Conspiracy:
  • Umberto colludes with Ramberto to depose their uncle Pandolfo, but Ramberto betrays him, informing Pandolfo and Ferrantino.
  • They lure Umberto to a banquet and murder him in a plot of intrigue.
  • "It was a double cross. He was wrong." (09:30)
• Aftermath:
  • Umberto’s murder goes unpunished; the perpetrators have the power to cover it up.

4. Ramberto’s Exclusion and Attempted Revenge

(11:05 – 16:40)

• Inheritance Snub:
  • Despite his role in “saving” the family, Ramberto is excluded from succession after Pandolfo’s death.
  • "To Ramberto, he left nothing." (13:14)
• Copycat Banquet Plot:
  • Ramberto invites the entire family for a banquet, intending to murder them all. The plan fails as not all key relatives attend.
• Hostage Leverage:
  • Ramberto holds attending family members hostage, hoping to blackmail Malatesta II into alliance.
  • "He couldn’t kill them. But maybe there was another way this could all work out." (15:50)
• Foiled by Polentisana de Polenta:
  • A female relative sparks a popular uprising, resulting in Ramberto’s defeat and exile.

5. Reconciliations and Further Plots

(17:00 – 24:30)

• Inexplicable Forgiveness:
  • Ramberto is later allowed back into the family fold—twice—thanks to papal diplomacy and perhaps the family’s own need for unity.
  • "If a TV show had a priest character bringing a man who had only a year before attempted a mass murder of his whole family back into the fold, I think we would call it unrealistic writing. And yet, here we are." (18:35)
• Another Failed Coup:
  • Ramberto, this time with his brother Guido, attempts another coup against Rimini with external help; again, he fails and is spared.

6. Ramberto’s End: Murder at a Banquet

(24:31 – 28:45)

• Poetic Retribution:
  • Ramberto, perhaps lulled into a false sense of security, attends a hunting lodge hosted by Malatestino Novello (son of Fantino, whom Ramberto previously held hostage).
  • Ramberto begs forgiveness, but Malatestino murders him in revenge.
  • "Without a word, Malatestino plunged his dagger into Ramberto's neck, killing him almost instantly. It was a fitting end for a man who represented a gruesome and dramatic era of his family's history." (28:30)

7. Malatesta Family Continues the Cycle

(29:00 – End)

• Family Ruiner:
  • Malatesta II, nicknamed “Guastafamiglia” (Family Ruiner), continues the legacy, plotting against cousin Fiorentino and capturing, possibly murdering, rivals.
• End of the Era:
  • Slowly, the family’s infighting lessens as succession consolidates. They transition from violence to patronage, art, and politics.
  • "And so instead they began to turn their gaze outward: to patronage of literature and the arts... hosting banquets where nobody got murdered." (35:43)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "They all had a lovely meal together, and then they killed Umberto. Ramberto was very proud of that little bit of well executed political intrigue." — Dana Schwartz (01:44)
• "Was it murder or was it warfare? And who was going to prosecute the murder? The magistrates in charge were the very people who were murdering their relatives to gain political power." — Dana Schwartz (11:00)
• "If a TV show had a priest character bringing a man who had only a year before attempted a mass murder of his whole family back into the fold...we would call it unrealistic writing. And yet, here we are." — Dana Schwartz (18:35)
• "Without a word, Malatestino plunged his dagger into Ramberto's neck, killing him almost instantly. It was a fitting end for a man who represented a gruesome and dramatic era of his family's history." — Dana Schwartz (28:30)
• "They began to turn their gaze outward to patronage of literature and the arts... hosting banquets where nobody got murdered." — Dana Schwartz (35:43)

Timeline of Key Events (With Timestamps)

• Ramberto’s first banquet murder of Umberto (01:00 – 10:45)
• Ramberto’s exclusion and failed family massacre plot (13:00 – 16:40)
• Ramberto’s failed hostage negotiation and popular uprising (16:40 – 17:45)
• Repeated reconciliations and continued plotting (17:45 – 24:30)
• Ramberto’s final downfall and poetic death (24:31 – 28:45)
• Malatesta family’s ongoing betrayals and ultimate transition (29:00 – end)

Tone

Dana Schwartz maintains a wry, darkly humorous narrative voice, peppering the saga with asides about the ludicrousness of the family’s endless cycles of betrayal. She acknowledges the challenge of following so many similarly named family members, but keeps the story engaging and brisk.

Conclusion

This episode paints the Malatesta dynasty as a quintessential example of how personal ambition, family drama, and the politics of medieval Italy could intertwine with deadly consequences. Even as the era of murder faded, the scars and stories lived on—transforming from blood-soaked banquets to the more refined intrigues of power, art, and alliance.