Rodolfo II da Varano (died 1384) was an
Italian condottiero.
The son of
Berardo da Camerino and nephew of
Rodolfo I da Varano, in 1360 he fought in a crusade for
Pope Clement VI. Later he was hired by the
Angevines of
Naples, for whom he was governor of
Abruzzo. Later, again on the Papal side, he fought for
Cardinal Albornoz against
Malatesta and
Ordelaffi. In 1355 he captured
Recanati and, at
Castelfidardo, made
Galeotto I Malatesta as prisoner. Subsequently he was created
Papal gonfaloniere and reconquered
Rimini,
Fano,
Pesaro,
Fossombrone,
Ascoli Piceno and
Forlì. His rise as papal commander was however halted when, due to strife with Albornoz, the latter had him imprisoned. After being freed, Rodolfo moved to the
Republic of Florence, for which he took part in the conquest of
Pisa in 1362.
The following year he warred for
Perugia. In the same period, with the consent of
Pope Urban V, he had his uncle killed and therefore he became lord of
Camerino. In 1370 he victoriously warred for
Florence against
Barnabò Visconti. In 1375 he was the leader of a league against
Pope Gregory XI and, the following year, he defended
Bologna against the Papal troops. He became also lord of
Macerata. In a reverse typical of the times, in 1377 he was made commander-in-chief by Gregory XI, and was sent to fight against Florence. Rodolfo suffered however two defeats at Montemilone and
Fabriano.
He died at
Tolentino in 1384.