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This book,
commencing between two conspiracies, the one at Milan already narrated, the
other yet to be recorded, it would seem appropriate, and in accordance with our
usual custom, were we to treat of the nature and importance of these terrible
demonstrations. This we should willingly do had we not discussed the matter
elsewhere, or could it be comprised in few words. But requiring much
consideration, and being already noticed in another place, it will be omitted,
and we shall proceed with our narrative. The government of the Medici having
subdued all its avowed enemies in order to obtain for that family undivided authority,
and distinguish them from other citizens in their relation to the rest, found
it necessary to subdue those who secretly plotted against them. While Medici
contended with other families, their equals in authority and reputation, those
who envied their power were able to oppose them openly without danger of being
suppressed at the first demonstration of hostility; for the magistrates being
free, neither party had occasion to fear, till one or other of them was
overcome. But after the victory of 1466, the government became so entirely
centred in the Medici, and they acquired so much authority, that discontented
spirits were obliged either to suffer in silence, or, if desirous to destroy
them, to attempt it in secrecy, and by clandestine means; which plots rarely
succeed and most commonly involve the ruin of those concerned in them, while
they frequently contribute to the aggrandizement of those against whom they are
directed. Thus the prince of a city attacked by a conspiracy, if not slain like
the duke of Milan (which seldom happens), almost always attains to a greater
degree of power, and very often has his good disposition perverted to evil. The
proceedings of his enemies give him cause for fear; fear suggests the necessity
of providing for his own safety, which involves the injury of others; and hence
arise animosities, and not unfrequently his ruin. Thus these conspiracies
quickly occasion the destruction of their contrivers, and, in time, inevitably
injure their primary object.
Italy, as we
have seen above, was divided into two factions; the pope and the king on one
side; on the other, the Venetians, the duke, and the Florentines. Although the
flames of war had not yet broken out, every day gave rise to some new occasion
for rekindling them; and the pope, in particular, in all his plans endeavored
to annoy the Florentine government. Thus Filippo de’ Medici, archbishop of
Pisa, being dead, Francesco Salviati, a declared enemy of the Medici, was
appointed his successor, contrary to the wish of the Signory of Florence, who
being unwilling to give him possession, there arose between them and the pope
many fresh grounds of offense, before the matter was settled. Besides this, he
conferred, at Rome, many favors upon the family of the Pazzi, and opposed that of
the Medici, whenever an opportunity offered. The Pazzi were at this time, both
on account of nobility of birth and their great wealth, the most brilliant in
France. The head of this family was Jacopo, whom the people, on account of his
distinguished pre-eminence, had made a knight. He had no children, except one
natural daughter, but many nephews, sons of his brothers Piero and Antonio, the
first of whom were Guglielmo, Francesco, Rinato, Giovanni, and then, Andrea,
Niccolo, and Galeotto. Cosmo de’ Medici, noticing the riches and rank of this
family, had given his granddaughter, Bianca, to Guglielmo, hoping by this
marriage to unite the houses, and obviate those enmities and dissensions so
frequently occasioned by jealousy. However (so uncertain and fallacious are our
expectations), very different feelings were thus originated; for Lorenzo’s
advisers pointed out to him how dangerous it was, and how injurious to his
authority, to unite in the same individuals so much wealth and power. In
consequence, neither Jacopo nor his nephews obtained those degrees of honor,
which in the opinion of other citizens were their due. This gave rise to anger
in the Pazzi, and fear on the part of the Medici; as the former of these
increased, so did the latter; and upon all occasions, when the Pazzi came in
competition with other citizens, their claims to distinction, however strong,
were set aside by the magistracy. Francesco de’ Pazzi, being at Rome, the
Council of Eight, upon some trivial occasion, compelled him to return, without
treating him with the respect usually observed toward great citizens, so that
the Pazzi everywhere bitterly complained of the ill usage they experienced, and
thus excited suspicion in others, and brought down greater evils upon
themselves. Giovanni de’ Pazzi had married the daughter of Giovanni Buonromei,
a very wealthy man, whose riches on his decease, without other children, came
to his daughter. His nephew, Carlo, however, took possession of part, and the
question being litigated, a law was passed, by virtue of which the wife of
Giovanni de’ Pazzi was robbed of her inheritance, and it was given to Carlo. In
this piece of injustice the Pazzi at once recognized the influence of the
Medici. Giuliano de’ Medici often complained to his brother Lorenzo of the
affair, saying he was afraid that by grasping at too much they would lose all.
Lorenzo,
flushed with youth and power, would assume the direction of everything, and
resolved that all transactions should bear an impress of his influence. The
Pazzi, with their nobility and wealth unable to endure so many affronts, began
to devise some means of vengeance. The first who spoke of any attempt against
the Medici, was Francesco, who, being more sensitive and resolute than the
others, determined either to obtain what was withheld from him, or lose what he
still possessed. As the government of Florence gave him great offense, he
resided almost constantly at Rome, where, like other Florentine merchants, he
conducted extensive commercial operations; and being a most intimate friend of
Count Girolamo, they frequently complained to each other of the conduct of the
Medici. After a while they began to think that for the count to retain his
estates, or the Pazzi their rights in the city, it would be necessary to change
the government of Florence; and this they considered could not be done without
the death of Giuliano and Lorenzo. They imagined the pope and the king would be
easily induced to consent, because each could be convinced of the facility of
the enterprise. Having acquired these ideas, they communicated them to
Francesco Salviati, archbishop of Pisa, who, being ambitious and recently
offended by the Medici, willingly adopted their views. Considering their next
step, they resolved, in order to facilitate the design, to obtain the consent
of Jacopo de’ Pazzi, without whose concurrence they feared it would be
impracticable. With this view, it was resolved that Francesco de’ Pazzi should
go to Florence, while the archbishop and the count were to remain at Rome, to
be ready to communicate with the pope when a suitable opportunity occurred.
Francesco found Jacopo de’ Pazzi more cautious and difficult to persuade than
he could have wished, and on imparting this to his friends at Rome, it was
thought he desired the sanction of some greater authority to induce him to
adopt their views. Upon this, the archbishop and the count communicated the
whole affair to Giovanni Batista da Montesecco, a leader of the papal forces,
possessing military reputation, and under obligations to the pope and the
count. To him the affair seemed difficult and dangerous, while the archbishop
endeavored to obviate his objections by showing how much assistance the pope
and the king would lend to the enterprise; the hatred of the Florentines toward
the Medici, the numerous friends the Salviati and the Pazzi would bring with
them, the readiness with which the young men might be slain, on account of
their going about the city unaccompanied and without suspicion, and the
facility with which the government might then be changed. These things Giovanni
Batista did not in reality believe, for he had heard from many Florentines
quite contrary statements.
While occupied
with these deliberations, Carlo, lord of Faenza, was taken ill, and tears were
entertained for his life. This circumstance seemed to the archbishop and the
count to offer an opportunity for sending Giovanni Batista to Florence, and
thence to Romagna, under pretence of recovering certain territories belonging
to the latter, of which the lord of Faenza had taken possession. The count
therefore commissioned Giovanni Batista to have an interview with Lorenzo de’
Medici, and on his part request his advice how to proceed with respect to the
affair of Romagna; that he should then see Francesco de’ Pazzi, and in
conjunction with him endeavor to induce his uncle Jacopo to adopt their ideas.
To render the pope’s authority available in their behalf, Giovanni Batista was
ordered, before his departure, to communicate with the pontiff, who offered
every means at his disposal in favor of their enterprise. Giovanni Batista,
having arrived at Florence, obtained an interview with Lorenzo, by whom he was
most graciously received; and with regard to the advice he was commissioned to
ask, obtained a wise and friendly answer; so that he was astonished at finding
him quite a different character from what he had been represented, and
considered him to possess great sagacity, an affectionate heart, and most
amicably disposed toward the count. He found Francesco de’ Pazzi had gone to
Lucca, and spoke to Jacopo, who was at first quite opposed to their design, but
before they parted the pope’s authority seemed to have influenced him; for he
told Giovanni Batista, that he might go to Romagna, and that before his return
Francesco would be with him, and they would then consult more particularly upon
the subject. Giovanni Batista proceeded to Romagna, and soon returned to
Florence. After a pretended consultation with Lorenzo, upon the count’s
affairs, he obtained an interview with Francesco and Jacopo de’ Pazzi, when the
latter gave his consent to their enterprise. They then discussed the means of
carrying it into effect. Jacopo de’ Pazzi was of opinion that it could not be
effected while both the brothers remained at Florence; and therefore it would
be better to wait till Lorenzo went to Rome, whither it was reported he had an
intention of going; for then their object would be more easily attained.
Francesco de’ Pazzi had no objection to Lorenzo being at Rome, but if he were
to forego the journey, he thought that both the brothers might be slain, either
at a marriage, or at a play, or in a church. With regard to foreign assistance,
he supposed the pope might assemble forces for the conquest of the fortress of
Montone, being justified in taking it from Count Carlo, who had caused the
tumults already spoken of in Sienna and Perugia.
Still no
definite arrangement was made; but it was resolved that Giovanni Batista and
Francesco de’ Pazzi should go to Rome and settle everything with the pontiff.
The matter was again debated at Rome; and at length it was concluded that
besides an expedition against Montone, Giovan Francesco da Tolentino, a leader
of the papal troops, should go into Romagna, and Lorenzo da Castello to the Val
di Tavere; that each, with the forces of the country, should hold himself in
readiness to perform the commands of the archbishop de’ Salviati and Francesco
de Pazzi, both of whom were to come to Florence, and provide for the execution
of their design, with the assistance of Giovanni Batista da Montesecco. King
Ferrando promised, by his ambassador, to contribute all in his power to the
success of their undertaking. Francesco de’ Pazzi and the archbishop having
arrived at Florence, prevailed upon Jacopo di Poggio, a well educated youth,
but ambitious and very desirous of change, to join them, and two others, each
of the name of Jacopo Salviati, one a brother, the other a kinsman, of the
archbishop. They also gained over Bernardo Bandini and Napoleone Franzeni, two
bold young men, under great obligations to the family of the Pazzi. Besides
those already mentioned, they were joined by Antonio da Volterra and a priest
named Stefano, who taught Latin to the daughter of Jacopo de’ Pazzi. Rinato de’
Pazzi, a grave and prudent man, being quite aware of the evils resulting from
such undertakings, refused all participation in the conspiracy; he held it in
abhorrence, and as much as possible, without betraying his kinsmen, endeavored
to counteract it.
The pope had
sent Raffaello di Riario, a nephew of Count Girolamo, to the college of Pisa,
to study canon law, and while there, had advanced him to the dignity of a
cardinal. The conspirators determined to bring this cardinal to Florence, as
they would thus be better able to conceal their design, since any persons
requisite to be introduced into the city might easily be made to appear as a
part of his retinue, and his arrival might facilitate the completion of their
enterprise. The cardinal came, and was received by Jacopo de’ Pazzi at his
villa of Montughi, near Florence. By his means it was also intended to bring
together Giuliano and Lorenzo, and whenever this happened, to put them both to
death. They therefore invited them to meet the cardinal at their villa of
Fiesole; but Giuliano, either intentionally or through some preventing cause,
did not attend; and this design having failed, they thought that if asked to an
entertainment at Florence, both brothers would certainly be present. With this
intention they appointed Sunday, the twenty-sixth of April, 1478, to give a
great feast; and, resolving to assassinate them at table, the conspirators met
on the Saturday evening to arrange all proceedings for the following day. In
the morning it was intimated to Francesco that Giuliano would be absent; on which
the conspirators again assembled and finding they could no longer defer the
execution of their design, since it would be impossible among so many to
preserve secrecy, they determined to complete it in the cathedral church of
Santa Reparata, where the cardinal attending, the two brothers would be present
as usual. They wished Giovanni Batista da Montesecco to undertake the murder of
Lorenzo, while that of Giuliano was assigned to Francesco de’ Pazzi and
Bernardo Bandini. Giovanni Batista refused, either because his familiarity with
Lorenzo had created feelings in his favor, or from some other reason, saying he
should not have resolution sufficient to commit such a deed in a church, and
thus add sacrilege to treachery. This caused the failure of their undertaking;
for time pressing, they were compelled to substitute Antonio da Volterra and
Stefano, the priest, two men, who, from nature and habit, were the most
unsuitable of any; for if firmness and resolution joined with experience in
bloodshed be necessary upon any occasion, it is on such as these; and it often
happens that those who are expert in arms, and have faced death in all forms on
the field of battle, still fail in an affair like this. Having now decided upon
the time, they resolved that the signal for the attack should be the moment
when the priest who celebrated high mass should partake of the sacrament, and
that, in the meantime, the Archbishop de’ Salviati, with his followers, and
Jacopo di Poggio, should take possession of the palace, in order that the
Signory, after the young men’s death, should voluntarily, or by force,
contribute to their assistance.
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