Autumn 1531-Winter 1532 in Italy
Autumn 1531 – Winter 1532: Calabria: Three armies converged on Potenza in early October 1531: the Roman army in retreat from its abortive advance, the army of Umberto Sanseverino marching south from Campania and a smaller Sicilian force, mainly militia and mercenaries which snapped at the heels of the Romans. The Romans turned on the Sicilians just outside the city with their heavy cavalry and simply rode them down, scattering their forces to the winds. The peasant militias melted back into the countryside and resumed their farming while the mercenaries were dogged by pursuit for twenty miles. The Roman cavalry dealt them very heavy casualties before being recalled to face the Campanians. But Sanseverino had moved very swiftly and caught the inexperienced young Roman commander wrong-footed. Before the cavalry could return, the Campanians sent in their infantry and arquebusiers while harrying the flanks with light units. The Romans fought back, but were exhausted and demoralised by their recent reverses and guerilla warfare. When the Campanian knights threatened to outflank them and roll up their line, they finally broke and ran. Sanseverino’s light brigand harried them mercilessly as they jammed the gateway of Potenza. Roman casualties mounted to over two thousand for just a few hundred Campanians. The returning cavalry fared better, fighting its way through the Campanians to enter the city in a more orderly fashion. Neither side was prepared for a siege, but Sanseverino gave orders to blockade the city in the hope that he could starve out the Greeks. In January, the Roman army was indeed forced to surrender. It gave its parole and retreated without arms or baggage back to Apulia. Its numbers were much depleted by cold and hunger by the time it returned to imperial territory. Sanseverino occupied Potenza for the remainder of the Winter.
Campania: Sanseverino’s victory both bolstered his prestige and caused him political difficulties. His more independent nobles strengthened their forces and defences and intrigued all the more before his strength became too great to oppose him. But the Archbishop started to see the Prince as the best chance of bringing stability to Campania. The defeat of the hitherto unbeaten schismatics gave Umberto lustre as the defender of the church. He was not slow to promote this image. So, little by little, Sanseverino’s political position in the region strengthened while yet being challenged more robustly by the centrifugalism of the nobility.
Rome: The people of Rome, proud citizens now of a Republic once more and implacable opponents of the Magyar ascendancy in the Papacy, watched as the frail, shabby figure in the black cassock walked slowly and barefoot through the streets. There was loud grumbling at Aegidio Sforza whose guards prudently lined the streets and anger at the man in the cassock. Yet on he walked, the picture of holy meekness. Only the guards prevented his swift and painful end at the hands of the outraged people. There was no pageantry, no rich vestments or crowds of courtiers and attendants. Only Fr Florian and a small, brave band of a dozen ascetic priests walked behind him with bowed heads. When Stephen X returned to his capital, he came as a humble penitent. Sforza had given no warning of his détente with the Pope so as to preempt opposition and violence. But the mood of the crowd was certainly dark and sullen. At last, Stephen reached the muddy heights of the Campidoglio and there mounted an impromptu platform to address the crowd.
“God’s blessing upon you, good people of Rome! I return humbly from exile to resume my ministry among you. I return chastened by experience and illness to stand before you in penitence. I return not to rule, but to serve.”
The crowd quickly quietened at these unexpected words and listened in absolute silence. Their temper at once became less truculent so amazed were they at the self-abasement of a Prince of the Church. These few humble and sincere words delivered distinctly and clearly, but without pomp or pretense were set against the centuries of arrogant complacency of lordly exploitation and of violent repression. They held back, for now, the visceral and atavistic hatred of the masses for the worldly princes of the Church. The Pope continued:
“For all the sins of arrogance and corruption of the church, I ask pardon. For all the violence wrought against the poor I ask pardon. For my own unwillingness to see that a life of humble service to the meek, the dispossessed and the poor is the only mission of the church, I ask pardon. Forgive me, good people of Rome, and let me serve here as I learned to serve in Viterbo. Let the church bring you alms and succour. Let the church comfort you in distress and heal you in illness. Let the church unite us all in the Body of Christ that He may pour forth his loving compassion upon us and bring us redemption for our sins despite ourselves. As I stand in the shoes of the fisherman, St Peter, our humble first bishop, I reconsecrate the church and the Papacy to spiritual leadership and service. I renounce secular power. I renounce the wealth of the church. Let it be used to bring relief to the destitute and healing to the sick. I renounce the pomp of the church as St Francis did three centuries ago. I bless Aegidio Sforza who brought peace back to Rome. I recognise his rulership of the city as Tribune and I confer on him in title and substance the Principality of Latium. May he rule wisely and moderately. People of Rome, will you forgive your bishop?”
The crowd roared its assent as one.
“People of Rome, will you accept my humble service and mission to the poor?”
Once again the crowd shouted its agreement.
“People of Rome, will you recognise Aegidio Sforza as Prince of Latium?”
There were strong cries of yes, yes from many in the crowd and yet also pungent rejoinders and refusals from a substantial minority who felt this monarchy was a betrayal of their Republican freedoms. Sforza and Stephen X had reunited the city – mostly – and brought the church back to the holy city. The Pope then raised his right hand aloft and blessed the crowd
“Benedicat vos, Omnipotens Deus, Pater et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus.”
He then led his small band of priests to the Vatican. They cleared the wreckage and reopened the half-built St Peter’s Basilica. Although building was resumed, the style was plainer and the workers paid well. At the same time, the Pope began the building of two hospitals and three schools for the children of the poor. It took many months to win back the trust of people of the city after the initial burst of excitement, but Stephen X worked hard and was true to his words. Many had died in the strife and persecution unleashed by Leo IX. Prince Aegidio, at his advice, kept Rome itself as a Republican city-state while ruling the rest of the region as a Prince. There was grumbling, but no riots or overt resistance.
Tuscany: Cardinal Medici was apoplectic at the news that Stephen X had regained Rome. When he learned furthermore that he had been accepted peacefully, whereas he the scion of a noble Italian house had failed in war, his anger knew no bounds. In his rage, he sent for a very special retainer of the family and gave him instruction. Then he began to exert the influence of his house and his faction to unite the Ultras. Through Council or Conclave, he must win the Papacy and undo these treacherous actions. How dare this barbarian dismantle the heritage of a millennium just to truckle to the mob!
Bologna: Gianluca Colonna began once more to gather forces and plan an invasion. With Stephen X’s abdication of rule in the Papal States, Umbria was ripe for annexation. He put out feelers to the cities, but prepared for war should he face resistance.
Campania: Sanseverino’s victory both bolstered his prestige and caused him political difficulties. His more independent nobles strengthened their forces and defences and intrigued all the more before his strength became too great to oppose him. But the Archbishop started to see the Prince as the best chance of bringing stability to Campania. The defeat of the hitherto unbeaten schismatics gave Umberto lustre as the defender of the church. He was not slow to promote this image. So, little by little, Sanseverino’s political position in the region strengthened while yet being challenged more robustly by the centrifugalism of the nobility.
Rome: The people of Rome, proud citizens now of a Republic once more and implacable opponents of the Magyar ascendancy in the Papacy, watched as the frail, shabby figure in the black cassock walked slowly and barefoot through the streets. There was loud grumbling at Aegidio Sforza whose guards prudently lined the streets and anger at the man in the cassock. Yet on he walked, the picture of holy meekness. Only the guards prevented his swift and painful end at the hands of the outraged people. There was no pageantry, no rich vestments or crowds of courtiers and attendants. Only Fr Florian and a small, brave band of a dozen ascetic priests walked behind him with bowed heads. When Stephen X returned to his capital, he came as a humble penitent. Sforza had given no warning of his détente with the Pope so as to preempt opposition and violence. But the mood of the crowd was certainly dark and sullen. At last, Stephen reached the muddy heights of the Campidoglio and there mounted an impromptu platform to address the crowd.
“God’s blessing upon you, good people of Rome! I return humbly from exile to resume my ministry among you. I return chastened by experience and illness to stand before you in penitence. I return not to rule, but to serve.”
The crowd quickly quietened at these unexpected words and listened in absolute silence. Their temper at once became less truculent so amazed were they at the self-abasement of a Prince of the Church. These few humble and sincere words delivered distinctly and clearly, but without pomp or pretense were set against the centuries of arrogant complacency of lordly exploitation and of violent repression. They held back, for now, the visceral and atavistic hatred of the masses for the worldly princes of the Church. The Pope continued:
“For all the sins of arrogance and corruption of the church, I ask pardon. For all the violence wrought against the poor I ask pardon. For my own unwillingness to see that a life of humble service to the meek, the dispossessed and the poor is the only mission of the church, I ask pardon. Forgive me, good people of Rome, and let me serve here as I learned to serve in Viterbo. Let the church bring you alms and succour. Let the church comfort you in distress and heal you in illness. Let the church unite us all in the Body of Christ that He may pour forth his loving compassion upon us and bring us redemption for our sins despite ourselves. As I stand in the shoes of the fisherman, St Peter, our humble first bishop, I reconsecrate the church and the Papacy to spiritual leadership and service. I renounce secular power. I renounce the wealth of the church. Let it be used to bring relief to the destitute and healing to the sick. I renounce the pomp of the church as St Francis did three centuries ago. I bless Aegidio Sforza who brought peace back to Rome. I recognise his rulership of the city as Tribune and I confer on him in title and substance the Principality of Latium. May he rule wisely and moderately. People of Rome, will you forgive your bishop?”
The crowd roared its assent as one.
“People of Rome, will you accept my humble service and mission to the poor?”
Once again the crowd shouted its agreement.
“People of Rome, will you recognise Aegidio Sforza as Prince of Latium?”
There were strong cries of yes, yes from many in the crowd and yet also pungent rejoinders and refusals from a substantial minority who felt this monarchy was a betrayal of their Republican freedoms. Sforza and Stephen X had reunited the city – mostly – and brought the church back to the holy city. The Pope then raised his right hand aloft and blessed the crowd
“Benedicat vos, Omnipotens Deus, Pater et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus.”
He then led his small band of priests to the Vatican. They cleared the wreckage and reopened the half-built St Peter’s Basilica. Although building was resumed, the style was plainer and the workers paid well. At the same time, the Pope began the building of two hospitals and three schools for the children of the poor. It took many months to win back the trust of people of the city after the initial burst of excitement, but Stephen X worked hard and was true to his words. Many had died in the strife and persecution unleashed by Leo IX. Prince Aegidio, at his advice, kept Rome itself as a Republican city-state while ruling the rest of the region as a Prince. There was grumbling, but no riots or overt resistance.
Tuscany: Cardinal Medici was apoplectic at the news that Stephen X had regained Rome. When he learned furthermore that he had been accepted peacefully, whereas he the scion of a noble Italian house had failed in war, his anger knew no bounds. In his rage, he sent for a very special retainer of the family and gave him instruction. Then he began to exert the influence of his house and his faction to unite the Ultras. Through Council or Conclave, he must win the Papacy and undo these treacherous actions. How dare this barbarian dismantle the heritage of a millennium just to truckle to the mob!
Bologna: Gianluca Colonna began once more to gather forces and plan an invasion. With Stephen X’s abdication of rule in the Papal States, Umbria was ripe for annexation. He put out feelers to the cities, but prepared for war should he face resistance.
Last edited:
