A Late Middle Ages religious sect known for challenging ecclesiastical hierarchy and advocating for an egalitarian society.
The Dulcinians, also known as Dulcinites, were a notable religious sect from the Late Middle Ages, emerging prominently after the execution of Gherardo Segarelli, founder of the Apostolic Brethren, in 1300. They were led by Fra Dolcino, who took up leadership after Segarelli’s death and was active until his own execution in 1307. Originating within the Apostolic Brethren, the Dulcinians were recognized for their radical stances against the ecclesiastical and feudal systems, proposing a return to the Church’s original virtues of poverty and humility, in direct opposition to the corruption they perceived within the Church’s hierarchy.
Dolcino’s revolutionary leadership marked a significant era of conflict and persecution by the Catholic Church. The Dulcinians, under his direction, engaged in activities such as plundering and devastating villages as a means of survival, actions which they justified through their spiritual beliefs. Dolcino and his companion, Margherita Boninsegna, often referred to as Margaret of Trent, endured a brutal siege at Mount Parete Calva before their capture in 1307. Their execution was notably severe, with Dolcino witnessing Margherita’s death prior to his own.
The Dulcinians sought to dismantle both the ecclesiastical hierarchy and the feudal system, advocating for a new egalitarian society based on mutual aid, gender equality, and communal ownership of property. Dolcino’s teachings, heavily influenced by the millenarian predictions of Gioacchino da Fiore, viewed history in epochs, anticipating a new era led by a ‘new holy pope’ to restore the Church’s purity. This vision encapsulated the final epoch, which Dolcino believed his movement was heralding.
Despite their eradication, the legacy of the Dulcinians persisted, influencing revolutionary thought in subsequent centuries. They are often seen as precursors to later socialist ideals. In the 20th century, a monument was erected in memory of Fra Dolcino, which faced destruction by Fascist forces but was later rebuilt. The Dulcinians and Dolcino’s radical ideas continue to resonate in cultural references, notably in Dante’s “Divine Comedy” and Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose,” which portray them with a mix of mystique and revolutionary zeal. These references, alongside others in literary and historical discourse, underscore the complex legacy of this medieval sect and its enduring impact on ideological and cultural thought.
image via History Collection
