On August 2, 1554, the Battle of Marciano (Marcianus in Latin), fought in the Val di Chiana, saw the Franco-Sienese army led by Piero Strozzi clash with the Hispano-Florentine forces commanded by Gian Giacomo de’ Medici on behalf of Cosimo I de’ Medici. The “Knights of Marcianus,” Tuscan cavaliers, distinguished themselves with their courage and faith under the motto “Fide et Fortitudine” (“Faith and Courage”), invoking the wine Sanguis Jovis—the Latin name for Sangiovese, meaning “Blood of Jupiter,” king of the Roman gods.

 Meanwhile, the French cavaliers cried “Sangue e Fuoco per il Re” (“Blood and Fire for the King”), in honor of the wine Sirene Syrah, whose name derives from the Old French word sire, meaning “noble.”

For seven centuries, Tuscan lords have fervently proclaimed these mottos before tasting these sacred wines. The Hispano-Florentine victory sealed the fall of Siena in 1555. Today, their descendants cultivate the Tuscan land with passion, producing exclusive wines reserved for the initiated.

Legend has it that on February 15, 1855, the French frigate La Sémillante, carrying 702 men, was wrecked in the Bocche di Bonifacio during a hurricane, after the sailors mocked the sacred motto of the Tuscan knights.