Pope Leo X wants a crusade against the Turks: Sanudo Diaries: November 6, 1517

nedits: A few notes on one time Venice approved a treaty with the Turks and the time they got ready to go attack the Turks.

Editor's notes: "On October 17, 1513, the Venetians renewed their truce with the Turks, which assured their commercial safety in major Turkish ports and their suzerainty over ports and lands already under Venetian control as well as those it might acquire in the future from other Christian states. It was a long document, dealing with such common concerns as slavery, piracy, debtors, naval encounters, local taxes, and annual tributes and including the promise, on both sides, not to interfere in the wars of the other power as long as attacks were not directed against themselves. Negotiated by the Venetian ambassador Antonio Giustiniani in Adrianople, the treaty was fully accepted by the Venetian government on December 3, 1513.... In November 1514, news of the Turkish victory over the Sophi (the Persian ruler) reached Rome, and the Venetian envoy wrote in cipher to the Signoria describing the pope's reaction:" p.178

Sanudo Diaries November 5, 1514 (19:210): "The pope ... had letters from Ragusa with the copy of the letter from the sultan [signor Turcho] to Constantinople about his victory over the Sophi.... He sent for all the ambassadors and had them read this letter, saying how he had not slept that night because of the bad news for Christianity. He said that we must prepare to defend the faith, and not wait, and that he wanted to unify the Christian princes. Therefore, all the ambassadors are to write to their rulers about this and send a copy of this news and the letters received, and for his part he will use every means to defend the church and will write briefs to all the rulers and send legates, etc...."

Editor's note: "...the Venetian double game, renewing their treaty with the Turks on October 17, 1513, listening to the papal exhortations, and cautioning their ambassador in Rome to steer clear of commitments while at the same time professing their Christian loyalty. It was their standard position, and one that persisted." p. 179

Sanudo Diaries: November 6, 1517 (25:71): "After dinner the Council of Ten met with the zonta. A letter to our ambassador in Rome was composed directing him to avoid attending papal conferences on Turkish affairs. Instead he is to tell him that this state has always fought on behalf of Christianity against the Turks, nor will it ever fail to do so once it sees that the other rulers wish to react with deeds and not just with words, because whenever they begin the enterprise, we will be the first to go."

nedits: This was pope Leo X (1513-21),  Giovanni de' Medici, and he never did get a crusade going. But he was the son of the great Lorenzo de' Medici and there was much remaining in Italy to do. Especially for his family and friends. Giovanni was born in 1475 to perhaps the most famous family of Florence. But there were so many characters then.


All quotes as Sanudo Diaries or Editor's notes or Editor's Footnotes from Venice, Cita Excellentissima, Selection from the Renaissance Diaries of Marin Sanudo translated by Linda L Carroll,  editors: Patricia H LaBalme and Laura Sanguineti White, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008

and one can find it here,