Dwarfing
of
French invasions
of Italy: Valois dynasty
1494 Charles VIII of France: first invasion of Italy
called in by Ludovico il Moro (Sforza) Duke of Milan, who claims
Naples
precipitates Medici exile from Florence
Charles “took Italy with chalk” (says Machiavelli)
1499 Louis XII (Prince, Ch.3) called in by
1515 Francis I victory at Marignano, occupation of
later defeated at
1519 Imperial election: candidates Charles I of
Francis 1 of France, Elector
1522-4 struggle for
1525 BATTLE OF
1528 TREATY OF
Francis renounces claims to
1526 LEAGUE OF
1527 SACK OF
Pope Clement VII (Medici) prisoner in Castel
Sant'Angelo
1529 PEACE OF CAMBRAI: Francis renounces claims to
Flanders & Italy
Charles
renounces claim to
1529 PEACE OF
1530 Charles finally crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement
VII
(had been elected in 1519, but not crowned)
SAVONAROLA
AND THE
Restoration of the
Republic (1494-1512)
Context
French invasion of 1494: Valois King Charles VIII called in by
Ludovico il Moro (Sforza) Duke of Milan, who claims Naples
Role of Girolamo Savonarola, Dominican prior of Convent of San Marco
first invited to Florence by Lorenzo de Medici as Lenten preacher
moral reformer; opposed to corruption and luxury; "bonfire
of the vanities"
sermons on God’s punishment of Florence for vices, especially sodomy
French invasion as God's wrath against Medici for corrupting republic
supports Christian republican govt, higher standards of civic
virtue
Institutions on Venetian model: lifetime executive (like Doge);
Great Council, Council of Ten
1494-98 political power but no office; followers called piagnoni
(weepers)
denounces corruption & immorality of Borgia Pope Alexander
VI
Cesare Borgia, son of the Pope (Valentino) is head of papal
army
Lucrezia Borgia, daughter of Pope, married from the Vatican
to Este Duke
1497 excommunicated by Alex VI; 1498 interdict; executed by Republic
On Savonarola,
see Lauro Martines, Fire in the City: Savonarola and the Struggle
for the Soul
of Renaissance Florence (2006)
19th C. English novel by George Eliot, Romola set in 1490’s
Florence ( fictional)