Character Relationship Map: Barbarossa

Characters

• Alberto da Giussano (played by Raz Degan) — protagonist

  The main protagonist, Alberto da Giussano is a Milanese leader who opposes Federico Barbarossa and fights for the freedom of Lombardy. After losing his brothers and seeing Milan oppressed, he forms th...

• Eleonora (played by Kasia Smutniak) — supporting

  Eleonora is Alberto da Giussano’s beloved and later wife, gifted with visions connected to the dagger and to distant events. She survives imprisonment and an attempted burning through Beatrice di Borg...

• Siniscalco Barozzi (played by F. Murray Abraham) — supporting

  Siniscalco Barozzi is a Milanese official whose ambition and treachery drive much of the conflict. He seeks Tessa’s hand, manipulates the defense of Milan, kills Reinero da Giussano, helps Federico Ba...

• Tessa (played by Federica Martinelli) — minor

  Tessa is Eleonora’s sister and the woman loved by Reinero da Giussano. She rejects Siniscalco Barozzi’s manipulative courtship, enters a nunnery after Reinero’s death, and later kills herself rather t...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Siniscalco Barozzi → Tessa (Romantic Suitor) — Barozzi pursues Tessa, but his desire is not reciprocated.

  Barozzi asks Tessa's father for Tessa's hand in marriage and later begs her not to die, promising to change.

• Eleonora → Tessa (Family Sister) — They are sisters whose lives are shaped by the war and its losses.

  The plot identifies Tessa as Eleonora's sister, and Eleonora visits Tessa in the nunnery.

• Alberto da Giussano → Eleonora (Romantic Partner) — Their relationship develops from emotional tension into mutual romantic commitment.

  Alberto repeatedly asks Eleonora to marry him, and she finally agrees after he apologizes for treating her like everyone else.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Alberto da Giussano → Siniscalco Barozzi (Conflict Enemy) — Their hostility grows from political betrayal and personal revenge.

  Alberto wants to kill Barozzi after Barozzi leads the Germans into Milan and causes the deaths of Alberto's brothers.

• Eleonora → Siniscalco Barozzi (Conflict Avenger) — Eleonora directly punishes Barozzi for his role in Tessa's tragedy.

  After Tessa's death, Eleonora blames Barozzi and slashes his throat, though the wound is not fatal.

Story Analysis

A young Lombard leader transforms personal loss and political oppression into a united struggle for freedom.

Plot Progression

1. The Dagger and the Rising Revolt — Alberto saves the Emperor as a child and receives a dagger that later connects him to the imperial power. As an adult, he becomes involved in Milan's defiance and the conflict over Lodi.
2. Milan Under the Imperial Siege — The imperial response escalates from warnings to invasion and siege. Barozzi's manipulation places Alberto's family in increasing danger while Milan struggles to survive.
3. Exile and the Lombard League — After Milan falls, Alberto witnesses the destruction of his political world and seeks a new path. He persuades the Lombard cities to unite and forms the Company of Death.
4. Tessa's Sacrifice — Tessa rejects Barozzi's coercion and dies rather than submit to him. Eleonora retaliates, is captured, and becomes part of the final struggle against imperial violence.
5. The Victory at Legnano — The imperial siege collapses under rain and flooding, allowing the Lombards to prepare their decisive attack. At Legnano, Alberto defeats Barozzi, finds Eleonora alive, and witnesses the victory of Lo...