Otranto Seized By Turks, 1480; Riarios Go To Forli, 1481

It was late in July, 1480 that 128 Turkish ships swarmed near Otranto, Italy, the eastern most harbor on the easternmost edge of the Italian peninsula. Within two weeks the Turks had taken Otranto and beheaded 800 men who, it is said, would not renounce their Christian faith. This fleet of Turks would stay in Italy all winter, and into the spring, taking town after town until finally withdrawing in April, 1481. Ferdinand I, the king of Naples struck a truce, which was also partly settled by Alfonso II, his son with his army that had retaken Otranto.

Earlier this year, on February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI stepped down to the shock of the Catholic World. One of his last requests as pope was to set in motion the necessary processes to canonize those 800 'martyrs of Otranto'.  It thus became one of the first things that the new pope Francis I had on his schedule to perform after celebrating the Easter holidays and becoming pope. He is reported  (by Al Jazeera and also slightly differently by the guardian) to have said,  in the May12 ceremony that

"While we venerate the martyrs of Otrante, ask God to support the many Christians who ... still suffer from violence and to give them the courage to be devout and to respond to evil with goodness." He also commented on abortion, saying legislation should be introduced to "protect all human beings from the first moment of their existence."

The AlJazeera report cited above, said the pope had said, "... Christians who ... still suffer from violence and give them the courage and fate to respond to evil with goodness." Which is an interesting difference in translated speech in the modern age.
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The news of the attack, of course, in 1480, shocked everyone. The pope called for a crusade. Naples responded affirmatively, and even Florence said it would help. France and Hungary sent money and troops. The pope's captain general, Girolamo Riario himself likely stayed in Rome. He's not heard mentioned in the efforts against the Turks. Venice could not afford to commit actual troops as they had signed a truce the year before with the sultan's ministers. This would be remembered as more evidence of Venetian duplicity.

In August, some seventy ships attacked Vieste and in September, a monastery that held a huge library was destroyed. In October, Pino Ordelaffi was killed by his own people. Despite the chaos stirred up by the loss of more and more Christian towns on south-eastern Italy, the pope secured Forli for his captain general who immediately sent Gian Francesco Maruzzi to act as it's temporary captain. It was a good thing, too. This loyal captain for Girolama Riario would save his chief, time and again over the next few years. The relatives of Pino Ordelaffi tried to retake Forli, but Maruzzi, called 'Il Tolentino' quickly seized them and had the conspirators hung, He spent the rest of the year installing new security measures and keeping his ear to the ground hoping to make things ready for a springtime visit by it's new owners. [p. 63]

Treasure was heaped up, horses harnessed, troops amassed, the attendants, courtiers, ministers, ladies-in-waiting were gathered together with the family, including the two baby boys of Caterina and Girolamo and all set off for Forli soon after Easter, 1481. Caterina was five months pregnant, so all sizes of clothing had to be brought along with jewelry and dinnerware. All the silverware of course, to receive guests and impress the people of Forli had to be mustered as well. Many carriages, many horses, many armed guards arrived in procession, including many members of the Roman nobility as part of the great retinue of the Count. These men were not fighting against the Turks in and near Otranto.

"The arrival of the Riarios was the grandest procession in the history of Forli. Nobles carrying banners and lances marched at the head, as brass horns announced their passage ... pennants proudly proclaimed the artisan trades, and the leading citizen of each of the four neighborhoods of Forli marched in the throng.... Caterina, Girolamo, and their children were resplendent in multicoloured silks... soldiers wore silver cloaks over their armor, ... the knights ... in gold brocade. The people of Forli crowded the alleys and climbed onto balconies to catch a glimpse of the splendid retinue, which included members of the ancient noble Roman houses of Orsini, Colonna and Savelli. Decked ... in fine pearls, rare jewels, and sumptuous fabrics, the rainbow of courtiers looked more than worthy of their renowned heritage." [pp. 64-65]

When they all arrived, there was a great celebration lasting many days. But after initially playing his part, the Count himself soon withdrew from the crowds. A tour of much of the treasure brought from Rome was offered for locals to come and see more of the richness of their new lords.  That same May, news arrived in Italy that Mehmet II, famed Ottoman sultan of the Turks, the conqueror of Constantinople, had died. All of Italy rejoiced. The Turks had run out of food and supplies, so they struck a truce with the king of Naples and many withdrew leaving a sizable contingent to protect their interests. When a great festival was held in July, 1481 in Forli, jousts and a mock battle based on the siege at Otranto were held. The Count promised the people he would ban some taxes and lower others to further rejoicing of the people. [p. 67]
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quotes and pagination from Elizabeth Lev, The Tigress of Forli: Renaissance Italy's most courageous and notorious countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de'Medici : 2011, USA, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt Publishing Company