ORDELAFFI, FAMILY. - For two centuries it held the lordship of Forlì and other lands of Romagna.
The lordship was already taking shape when SCARPETTA, son of Tebaldo, was captain of the people in 1307. Shortly afterwards, Roberto d'Angiò was able to seize the O., but this did not prevent CECCO (1315–31), Scarpetta’s brother, from reoccupying Forlì.
The strongest personality of the house was FRANCESCO, who from 1333 onward ruled Forlì, Forlimpopoli, and Cesena. When Albornoz began his campaign, he was compelled to proclaim a kind of crusade against him; despite the sacking of Cesena (1357), he surrendered only in 1359. He was granted the vicariate of Forlimpopoli and Castrocaro, but, not satisfied, he vainly attempted to reconquer his entire dominion with Visconti assistance; having withdrawn to Venice, he died there in 1374, leaving four sons.
Of these, SINIBALDO, aided by Florence, defeated the papal forces and entered Forlì in 1376; Urban VI granted him its vicariate in 1379. Shortly afterwards his nephews CECCO and PINO imprisoned him and firmly held the government until 1405. After a series of disturbances, from 1411 onward the O. had to alternate their rule with that of the papacy, until, in 1443, Piccinino reconquered Forlì for ANTONIO, Cecco’s illegitimate son. Among the many successors, PINO III (d. 1480) protected artists and men of letters; the lordship became extinct with Sinibaldo II, since the State was assigned by Sisto IV to Girolamo Riario. The last O. died at Ravenna in 1504.