This manuscript belonged firstly to the Canon Ghiselli, whose Bolognese history in nine manuscript volumes is conserved in the Biblioteca Universitaria, Bologna, before becoming property of a branch of the senatorial family of the Malvezzi. A blend of different heraldic manuscripts bound together and dating back to the XVIII century, this codex reproduces in colour a total of 1891 coats of arms: mostly of the flourishing and extinguished families of the Bolognese nobilty as long as of those of families which were granted and enjoyed citizenship, most of them accompained by handwritten historical notes. But it also contains the armorial bearings of the civic and ecclesiastical rulers: Bologna become infact the most important stronghold of the Papal State in the turbolent Romagne: capitani del popolo and podestà (454 coats of arms, dating back from 1258 to 1532), as Legates and Pontificial Governors (188, from 1327 to 1747). Given the prominence of ecclesiastical power, along with the coats of arms of the Arti those of the religious Confraternities are displayed, so completing the fresco of the social life of Bologna, which not without any reason whatsoever claims to be the oldest University of Europe.

Niccolò Orsini De Marzo is, other than being a publisher in the field of Heraldry and Genealogy, a scholar and a collector of heraldic codices. A member of the Board of Directors of the Societé Suisse d'Héraldique, he is in charge of the editing of the Italian essays in its Journal; he also contributes to Alumina, a quarterly review dealing with illuminated manuscripts, and Charta, a bi-monthly publication about Bibliophily.

Series: Edizione Europea delle Fonti per l'Araldica e la Genealogia conservate in Collezioni Private / The European Edition of the Sources for Heraldry and Genealogy conserved in Private Collections. This lavishly illustrated series is aimed at the scholar of heraldry and genealogy as of history of art and decorative arts. Each volume explores and reproduces in full colour a single celebrated heraldic codex from private collections with comprehensive commentary and suggestions for further reading.