Part 12, The Republic is Secure, the Wealthy Celebrate
January, 1510: Taking into account the defeats dealt to the Holy Roman Empire in this war, just as in the one fought immediately prior against Venice, and seeing Maximilian’s retreat back into northern Tyrol as a sign the Empire is soon to bow out of the conflict, Louis decides he does not want to be the only power fighting Venice in northern Italy. Especially if it means losing part of his Milanese territory just in order to aide Julius in his campaigns. With Venetian armies deep into Lombardia, and the prospect of help from the HRE seemingly nil, Louis decides to end France’s involvement in the conflict.
The Venetians are also unwilling to keep fighting; fearing that continued aggression would lead to a full French invasion, and agree to the French settlement. France agrees to desist any further onslaught if Venetian troops leave the French-controlled Milanese lands. The two agree to the same pre-war borders.
February: Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire concedes to a similar agreement as the French. No lands lost, no lands gained.
Pope Julius’ holy league is crumbling around him, as he finds himself back in the position he’s been in for the last several years: not possessing sufficient forces to fight the republic alone. With this, he officially ‘calls off’ the league, just to save face, and is forced to make peace with Venice.
Though Venice is happy to sign a peace deal, the Pope will be made to pay for threatening the survival of St. Mark’s nation. In the peace settlement, the republic is allowed to keep her traditional power to appoint clergy in her territory, as well as maintain jurisdiction over all Papal subjects in Venice. In terms of Romagna, the cities that had prompted the war are to remain under Venetian rule, with the rest of Romagna falling under Venetian control. Further, the Papacy is made to pay reparations to cover Venice’s expenses in this venture. Venice is also relieved of her interdict.
The issue of Romagna is one that enrages the Pope to the point of being bedridden, though Venetian officials take this as a theatrical show.
March 16: Due to a bronze shortage thanks to the war, the casting of the Gran Cavallo was delayed several months. Today, however, is the day Gabriele Vendramin has been waiting on for years, as his great horse is finally finished. He now deliberates on where to place it. His intention to put it in St. Mark’s square was quickly turned down by public opposition. Vendramin wants to showcase his marvel to the world.
Whereas the payoff in the completion of the Gran Cavallo is one of grandeur and adoration for Vendramin, for Leonardo the payoff is the literal meaning of the word. Finally finished, the elated Gabriele showers da Vinci with a sizeable payment for his work. The amount is mainly to ensure that da Vinci will not be hostile to working for him in future, and seemingly this works. Leonardo, a man of common standing, has become more and more obsessed with the grandeurs of the lagoon, aspiring to riches so that he too can dabble into the joys of the rich. Given his first taste of the better life, Leonardo is hooked, and it looks like he will get to enjoy it for a while; not wanting to be beaten by Vendramin’s horse, many of the republic’s leading families clamor to commission da Vinci into completing their next great piece of art.
May: Julius takes two full months until begrudgingly; he finally signs the peace deal. Unbeknownst to anyone other than his closest advisors, Julius makes it clear upon signing that the terms are being agreed to and accepted under duress, and are therefore invalid. He swears to break them at the earliest opportunity (i).
June: The French begin to fortify their Milanese-possession on Louis’ orders, fearing that Venice may be seeking revenge for the holy-league’s attempted invasion. Ferrara, France’s close ally, follows suit.
When the Pope is alerted of this, he comes to realize the position he has put himself in. He fears the French buildup in Italy, and the more significantly problems it lends to his plans to annex the Duchy of Ferrara. Further, the only nation in Italy that can defend the peninsula from French aggression –Venice- has just concluded a hard fought war that he himself initiated. Julius proceeds to hire an army of Swiss mercenaries, who he orders to attack the French in Milan. He also invites Venice to ally with him against Louis, but to his anger the republic refuses the offer.
In Venice, Loredan is appalled that the Pope, who had just called for a war that would end in the near complete partition of the republic, would now ask for its assistance against his former ally. He refuses to enter into another war that will result in a no gains being had just like that last one, and that if it isn’t France who threatens Italy, it will be the Pope. He’ll keep the devil he knows as head of Milan.
July: A Papal attack on French-occupied Genoa fails.
August: Famed religious painter, Fra Bartolomeo, moves to Venice where he is commissioned by the wealthy Barbaro family to design an altarpiece. With many noble families trying to outdo each other as patrons of the arts, the bringing in of many famed renaissance creators to the republic is becoming commonplace.
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(i): This entire peace deal is just OTL’s peace reversed. OTL Venice was the one what signed this peace, and said it was done under duress, to break it at the earliest opportunity.
