Episcopato, società e ordini mendicanti in area emiliano-romagnola nel Duecento

The paper examines the context in which Teodorico Borgognoni developed his ecclesiastical career. After entering the Dominican Order in Bologna, the friar became bishop of Cervia (1266-1298), after the short episcopate of Bitonto. The article reconstruct first the initial development of the main Mendicant Orders in Bologna, with particular attenion to the Dominican one, then it analyzes the role undertaken by the friars promoted to the episcopate in the ecclesiastical province of Ravenna until the pontificate of Boniface VIII. Contrary to the important and often political action conducted by some of these bishops, Teodorico’s governement of the diocese of Cervia, moreover managed remotely from Bologna, left no trace. The elevation to the episcopal dignity of the dominican friar, rather than due to ecclesiastical qualities, seems to be a sort of reward for the professional activity of surgeon and hippiatrist carried out at the Roman Curia.